Primo Oval Large Ceramic Charcoal Grill - All-In-One Package

What does the Oval Large All-In-One package include?

The Oval Large ceramic grill, a heavy-duty stand, side shelves, an ash tool and a grate lifter. Between them that covers the cooker, the legs, somewhere to rest a tray while you work, and the two tools that make cleaning out ash and lifting a hot grate straightforward instead of awkward.

How does this differ from the Oval Large grill head listing?

Only in what surrounds the grill. This package stands on its own base from day one. The head-only Oval Large has no stand, shelves or tools, because it is meant to be set into a cypress table, a cradle, a cart base or an outdoor kitchen counter you provide.

Is the Oval Large big enough, or should I go X-Large?

The Large handles the cooking most households do — ribs, chicken, steaks, a pork shoulder — while taking less patio and less charcoal per cook. Step up to the X-Large if you often cook for large groups, or want the few accessories that only exist in the bigger size, such as the nine-slot rib rack.

What else do I need to buy to start cooking?

Lump charcoal and something to light it with. That is the honest minimum. Heat deflector plates come next if you want to smoke or roast rather than grill, and a cover is worth having if the grill sits outdoors between cooks.

Do Oval X-Large accessories fit the Large?

Not the ones that sit inside the firebox. Deflector plates, searing grates, griddles, pizza ovens, firebox dividers and rotisserie kits are all cut to a single size. Several racks and baking stones are listed for X-Large and Large together, and those genuinely do fit both — read the title, not the family name.

Can I use it as a smoker?

Yes, and it is one of the easier smokers to run. Fill the firebox, light one spot, put deflector plates between the fire and the food, and set the vents nearly closed. Add a couple of wood chunks in with the lump for smoke, then leave the lid alone and let the ceramic do the work.

How do I get a hard sear on a ceramic grill?

Cook directly over the coals with no deflectors in, and use cast iron rather than a standard grate. A Primo cast iron searing grate for the Oval Large stores heat and gives it back to the meat, so you get proper crust instead of grey bars where the steak cooled the metal.

Which cover fits this package?

The one made for All-In-One grills, since the cover has to clear the stand and side shelves as well as the dome. Primo lists a cover for Round, Junior and Large All-In-One grills together, which is the correct shape for this configuration — table and island covers are cut differently.

How much ash does it make, and how often do I clear it?

Lump charcoal leaves comparatively little ash, but it still collects under the firebox and will choke the bottom vent if you ignore it. Rake it out with the ash tool before a long cook, since a restricted air path is the usual reason a grill will not climb to the temperature you asked for.