Char-Broil Big Easy TRU Infrared Smoker, Roaster, and Grill

by Char-Broil

• Outdoor Cooking The Big Easy Way with no flare up, no charcoal, no spit rod--but great flavor
• Infrared roasting, grilling, and smoking all in one grill
• Holds up to 25-pound turkey for roasting; 180 square inches of cooking area for grilling
• Use the smoker box for added flavor; temperature control from 9,000 to 18,000 BTU's
• Measures 18 by 24 by 36 inches

Product Details

See the User Guide for this product [PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 24 x 18 x 36 inches ; 53 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 55 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• Origin: China
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B00365FIAS
• Item model number: 12101550
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (45 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #29,526 in Patio, Lawn & Garden (See Top 100 in Patio, Lawn & Garden)

Product Description

Amazon.com

The Char-Broil Big Easy Infrared smoker, roaster, and grill takes the next step forward from the award-winning Big Easy by expanding on its cooking function and capability. Just like the Big Easy, there is no charcoal or oil needed. It's powered by Char-Broil's TRU-Infrared cooking system, which channels heat evenly and eliminates hot and cold spots.

Infrared roasting, grilling, and smoking all in one grill (view larger).

Cooking basket with double stack capability (view larger).

Between the outer wall and inner wall of this versatile cooker is a fully enclosed, specially designed propane burner. The heated inner wall radiates natural infrared heat that penetrates food evenly and seals the juices inside. The hot air that is generated escapes out of the top of the cooking chamber before it has a chance to dry out the food. The result is meat that stays moist and tender.

An internal smoker box uses wood chips or pellets without the need of air dampers or a messy water pan, while the infrared heat is great for roasting -- it fits up to a 25-pound turkey on its double-stacked rotating basket. It's also great for grilling with its 180 square inch primary cooking area. Other features include temperature control from 9,000 to 18,000 BTUs, a meat thermometer, stay-cool handles, grease collection tray, variable temperature control, and rotary ignition. The Big Easy measures 18 by 24 by 36 inches.

How TRU-Infrared Works

All Char-Broil TRU-Infrared grills generate a minimum of 65 percent infrared heat, which is evenly spread across the entire cooking surface to cook food -- without drying -- at temperatures that range from simmer to sear.

Unlike traditional gas grills that use convective heat (hot air) to cook food, Char-Broil's TRU-Infrared grills limit the hot air flow and use natural, radiant heat to cook food directly without drying. While convective heat destroys food's moisture barrier, infrared heat penetrates it without drying and locks in natural juices and flavors. Char-Broil's TRU-Infrared cooking system virtually eliminates flare-ups while producing very even heat (no hot or cold spots).

What's in the Box

Big Easy TRU-Infrared smoker, roaster, and grill; double stack roasting basket; operating guide and assembly instructions

Product Description

The Char-Broil Big Easy Infrared smoker, roaster, and grill takes the next step forward from our successful and award winning Big Easy by expanding on the cooking function and capability. Just like the Big Easy, there is no charcoal or oil needed. There is no spit rod to balance. There is no flare up because of the Infrared cooking system. This multi-faceted grill includes an internal smoker box which uses wood chips or pellets without the need of air dampers or a messy water pan. It works as a roaster with even Infrared heat and easy drop-in loading without heat loss or traditional rotisserie hassles. Lastly, it also works as a grill...using a premium stainless steel grate designed to cook evenly without flare-ups that can burn your food. As for the details, the highly efficient Infrared cooking system operates from 9k BTU's to 18k BTU's depending on the setting. You can fit up to a 25 lb turkey in the cooking basket that also has double stack cooking capability for smaller foods. The 180 sq. In. Stainless steel grilling grate and half pound capacity stainless steel smoker box round things off. The overall design features a porcelain coated hood and cool-touch handles for a solid and durable construction.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

143 of 150 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Works as it should however parts used are low quality, warranty is poor September 9, 2010

By Victor I Zarich

I purchased THE BIG EASY® SMOKER, ROASTER & GRILL late last year. I have used this item quite a bit since and it works well and doesn't consume a lot of propane like my full size grill does. I have however had some significant issues with this item that CharBroil did not resolve to my satisfaction. On purchasing this grill I read the instructions fully and assembled the grill. I seasoned the grill with cooking oil as recommended to protect the grill as described. I used the grill several times as an infa-red roaster for some ribs, roasts and such. It worked very well. I then put the grill grate on it and used it as a grill most of the summer. After every time that I cooked with it I allowed time afterwards with the flame on to burn all remaining food or grease off the grill. I recently removed the grill grate and found everything that was underneath to be extremely rusty, to the point of almost falling apart. I was very dismayed in my finding and today called CharBroil to discuss the matter with their customer service. I initially spoke with a customer service representative who was very nice and responsive but when he looked into the warranty coverage found that my grill was only covered for 90 days. What a disappointment! A $200.00 grill one season old that was falling apart due to rust not covered by warranty! I asked to speak with a supervisor and was put through to a supervisor that offered to replace my severely rusted basket, half racks, smoker basket, and inner drum, at a discounted rate of roughly $35. I was told that the parts would have normally been a bit over $100. I placed the order but did convey to the supervisor my disappointment at having to pay anything at all.... I also asked that she relay my recommendation to CharBroil that they invest in some higher quality stainless for their products that would not rust as badly. It makes sense to me to produce something like a grill out of superior quality materials that don't have to be meticulously washed and dried after every use. I don't believe that it is not reasonable to ask the consumer to do so after every use to make this product last as it should. I wanted to make sure that anybody else considering this grill be made aware of these issues in advance. I hope that CharBroil also take this advise to better their product. Read more ›

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Grill We've Owned February 21, 2011

By Amador 2011

I bought this grill for my husband for Christmas 2009. It has been the best grill we've owned! We grill a lot of steaks, chicken, shrimp and crab -- the results are consistent and continue to impress us. Our filet mignon is better than any restaraunt, the chicken is moist and flavorful,and the seafood is always perfect because the temperature is so easy to control. My husband's favorite aspects of the infrared cooking method are no flare-ups and even heat distribution. Why eat out when you can cook like this at home?!

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Works very well December 9, 2010

By D. E. Geake

Added after over 2 years use:
This has stood up very well to weather and still works flawlessly. (It is kept outside, but always covered.) The optional rib hooks work very well. I can cook 4 short racks of ribs at a time. Great flavor and no burning. The BBQ sauce added near the end of the cook time caramelizes very evenly. They accidentally sent me a rack for chicken legs, so I tried it, and it makes great legs in quantity. Still love this thing.

Original review:
This BBQ is really built fairly well.
I've cooked three turkeys, and they all turned out wonderfully. It's easy to load, and looks fairly nice. I have found that when cooking a turkey, it is a good idea to cover the top of the bird, and the wing tips with aluminum foil and remove during the last half hour of cooking. The skin in both these areas will dry out otherwise, but it really doesn't affect the meat, just the appearance a bit. The drawer which catches the drippings is very useful, and allows you to make very good gravy. The whole thing is easy to clean with the insides made of stainless. I have treated these parts as if they were cast iron, and the patina they take on is easy to clean, and they really look pretty good too. I suspect complaints about uneven cooking may be due to starting with a partially frozen turkey, or the specific cooker may be defective. I've seen no such problems.

I did order an additional rack, two more half-racks and rib hooks. Shipping was quick, and I would rate the quality as very good.

Cons: The only weakness I see is with the main basket, which seems like it could be sturdier.
Wind will blow the flame out if it is strong enough, so use it in a sheltered area, especially in low heat....
The smoker basket seems to not hold sufficient wood chips to really smoke anything, not much smoke is produced even though the chips are ash by the end of cooking.

Pro: It will cook a 20lb turkey evenly in about 3 hours.
I've used it in temperatures as low as 20 degrees F and it cooked just fine.
The cooker cleans up easily. Certainly easier than a roasting pan used in the oven. Even though it is stainless steel, I have treated it like I do a cast iron pan, as the instructions suggest. So I clean up without soap, dry the parts and then re-oil them slightly.
The cooker seems to use propane efficiently, and takes little space to store. It's about the same size as an upright smoker. Read more ›

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars This unit is excellent! November 25, 2011

By Scott McCalla

Amazon Verified Purchase

I was asked this Thanksgiving if I wanted to deep fry a turkey. Well, of course I said yes! So I went to a local store and was going to buy a deep fryer and a ton of oil, and set it up. When I got there, I saw the deep fryer, and a smaller version of this Char-Broil unit on display. For the cost of the deep fryer and oil, I could buy the smaller unit. Now, I knew it wasn't a deep fryer, but I was intrigued by the "infrared grill". So instead of buying either, I went home to do some research. I talked to a friend of mine, and we thought the Char-Broil infrared grill sounded good, but wouldn't it be better if we could add smoke to it? And that's what led me to find this unit, the Char-Broil Big Easy Infrared Smoker, Roaster and Grill.

Now, obviously this unit does not deep fry. It's a roaster, smoker and grill. So if you have your heart set on deep frying something large, you should go and do that. Myself, I was concerned. One, because the oil needed was going to cost about $20/use, and then I have to dispose of all that oil somewhere. What a waste! Second, any splash-over could result in a major fire. I was hoping to cook the turkey on the deck, but thought that was probably a bad idea, so I'd have to go and do it on the back lawn. Depending on the weather, that might not be a lot of fun.

I bought the Big Easy, assembled it in less than an hour (directions were easy and straightforward, and it went together fine). I seasoned it. And then I tried a 7.5 lb chicken in it, just to get a sense of what it could do. Wow!! We figured it would take 10-15 minutes per pound to cook. So I put it in and checked it an hour later. The chicken was done - actually past-done - as the coldest part of the chicken was already 173 degrees. It took only 7-8 minutes per pound.... Darn! But wait, it looked great!! And I used some mesquite wood chips in the smoker, and you could smell it! The result: this chicken was the moistest, tastiest, most wonderful chicken I have had in a very long time!! It was awesome!! Subtle, but not overpowering smoke. Flavorful throughout. Skin was crispy and wonderful. Even over-done, it was great!

Round two: 20 lb turkey. We put it in, and planned 2.5 hours for it to be done. It was almost done (temp 155 degrees) after an hour. I turned it down to low, and put some more wood chips in, and let it cook for another hour. It was done by hour 2, and pretty much perfect throughout. We pulled it, let it rest, and again - amazing results!! Best thanksgiving turkey we've ever had. Moist, juicy, a nice smokey flavor without being really powerful. We also took the pan drippings and made a wonderful gravy. Easy. Delicious.

The unit is pretty solid. It is simple to use. And the results are great. I can't wait to do some ribs, a ham, a roast, and even corn, in the Big Easy. If the results are anything like our two poultry items, I am so glad I went in this direction.

Again, if you want to deep fry, go ahead. Deal with the oil (cost, disposal) and the occasional call to the fire department. If you want to cook food easily and deliciously, this is a great way to do it. Read more ›