Anybody use a Lodge Sportsman's Grill?

[Luke84]

I got one of these for my birthday back in November, and I love it. I'm considering adding it to my travel/car camping set up, but I'm not sure if I want to. It's obviously heavy, but it seems like it's gonna be messy too, dripping grease and spreading little bits of ash. Does anyone use these often for car camping, and how do you store it? I was kind of thinking some kind of ammo can would work, or a stout plastic tote, but everything I've thought of seems unwieldy or messy.

 

[rusty_tlc]

This one?
http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-L410-Pre-Seasoned-Sportsmans-Charcoal/dp/B00022OK2A?tag=ihco-20

It's a hibachi, the wife and I used one for many years as our only bbq. (In the 70's every apartment had one outside the front door.)
When we camped it came along.

The Lodge design is a lot deeper than the classic $10 unit we used, it took a couple of years but I found a finally found a replacement new in box in my uncles garage.

The key when traveling is to load a lot of coals and lay the grills directly on the remaining coals when you are done cooking.
This burns everything off nicely. Knock out the ash into the fire ring in the morning and scrape out whatever is stuck in the bottom. Scrape the grills together to knock off the ash/ charcoal. Then shove the whole thing into a doubled up brown paper grocery bag. I usually put it in an apple box with the charcoal, lighter chimney etc. if you're really worried line the box with a garbage bag.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

The sportsman grill is great. Hot, big enough to cook for several people, but it's very heavy. We use it on the back porch in lieu of the big grill.

Also, it's cast iron, so it rusts if left outside.

Bottom line, I like it but it takes work to use.

 

[Hornd]

I have about 4 Weber Grills and a Lodge as well.
Lodge burn rate can not be controlled as there is no air cut-off.
It's expensive
It's Heavy
It Rusts (Spray with cooking oil)
The Cast Iron Grill Surface is really nice thou.
The Grill Surface size is good.

Look at a Weber Smokey Joe and you will be much happier in long run.
Get some Weber starting cubes and stretch a cheap bungie over top to hold together.
Put a bolt thru the air control to use as a lever to turn it. It gets too hot otherwise.
Get a small grill brush to leave inside along with a spatula.

 

[Hack]

I've had one for five or so years. After the first year, when it rusted, I ran it through my sand blast cabinet and painted the inside/outside with high temp paint. Painted everything (except the grill). It's held up very well. I don't travel with it, because it is heavy and awkward. I had considered building a custom wood case to store it in, but decided that I wasn't going to take it with me anyway.

They are nice, you can get a couple really big steak, on it. You can fill it with charcoal and it will be almost blast furnace hot. We use it when I buy thick porterhouse steaks and want them 'Pittsburgh Style' :

 

[Haggis]

X2 on the Weber Smokey Joe. I never go camping without it!