Broil King Keg 5000 911470 Kamado Grill 18.5″
Versatility and efficiency are the two most attractive aspects of a kamado-style grill. While most manufacturers share a similar look and design, there are some like Broil King, who like to put their own spin on key features.
The Broil King 911470 Keg 5000 Kamado Grill can be set up to use as a smoker, grill, or even an outdoor oven. This requires some minor adjustments. The cast iron primary grill grate can be turned and set lower to replicate a classic steakhouse sear. Moved to it’s highest setting the grate leaves more space to produce low, indirect heat.
The Broil King Keg’s lid has a great deal of thoughtful engineering built into it. The accurate thermometer allows you to closely monitor the internal temperature. The upper damper is enumerated to help you better dial in the airflow and heat. The Keg’s lid also has a quality seal, and a latch to help reduce air leaks and hold the heat in. There’s even a bottle opener integrated into the handle.
The body of the Broil King Keg is made from powder coated steel. This helps with heat retention and doesn’t come with the potential cracking issues that can occur with ceramic body kamado grills. There is an aluminum lower damper which works in concert with the upper damper for highly accurate heat control.
The Broil King Keg also comes with a steel cart base with moveable wheels. There are two highly durable resin side tables to hold prep and serving trays.
Construction & Ease of Assembly
When it comes to material selection, the big question mark with the Broil King Keg is the choice of double-walled, insulated steel as opposed to a more traditional ceramic like you see in most other Kamado grills. The justification for this engineering difference is that ceramic grill bodies are at increased risk for cracking. Most of these cracking incidents are related to problems moving the kamado grill or spilling a large amount of cold marinade into a hot grill barrel.
While double walled steel isn’t vulnerable to cracking, it also isn’t as technically efficient when it comes to heat retention. Unless you are a true aficionado of kamado grills, chances are you won’t notice a difference.
The Broil King Keg comes with a multi-tool that has nothing to do with the assembly process. It’s meant to be used to operate the two dampers, as well as for moving the swing away warming rack.
There is very little assembly required with the Broil King Keg. You might need an extra pair of hands to help you maneuver the 125-pound grill body and set it onto the cart base. Beyond that, a single person should be able to fully assemble the Keg in under an hour.
Grilling Performance
Whether you are using it as a direct grill, or smoker, the Broil King Keg is meant to be used with the lid closed. At first, this can be a little bit tricky when it comes to things like searing a Steak. The innate sense is to grill it with the lid open, so you can watch for flareups and monitor the sear. If you do this, the excess oxygen rushing into the system will inevitably lead to a flareup and you will have your own self-fulfilling prophecy.
You should expect it to take a few trial and error grilling sessions to get used to how the Broil King Keg grills on direct heat. If you are looking for the perfect medium rare steak, I would recommend dialing in the temperature around 375 to 400 degrees. After four minutes, open the lid and flip it. Let it grill for another 4 minutes with the lid closed. This is a good first place to start, and you can dial it into your personal preference from there.
When you do need to open the lid, you shouldn’t do it quickly. Ideally, you want to crack the seal. Give it 20 or 30 seconds for the smoke to clear. Then you can open in the rest of the way. This tends to reduce any potential flareups. Especially if you are using it as a smoker.
When you set the Broil King Keg up as a smoker, you want the grate at its highest setting. If you are trying to smoke something tall like a pork shoulder or a beer can chicken, you will want to remove the swing away warming rack.
The warming rack can get in the way more than you might think. While it’s nice that it’s a swing-away, I would still recommend leaving it out unless you really need it.
One minor complaint with the Keg is that while it does just fine transitioning from low heat to high heat for things like hybrid grilling, it doesn’t cool down easily. Going from high heat to low can take a lot longer than you expect. This is largely related to the heat retention of the steel body.
Grilling Areas
The primary cooking grate is made from cast iron for maximum heat retention. It measures in at a cozy 280 square inches.
The warming rack is made from chrome plated steel and provides an extra 200 square inches.
Special Features
The multitool that comes with the Broil King Keg helps you operate it more efficiently than say using a welding glove.
The steel ash catcher is easy to pull out for easy cleanup.
While the steel base and resin side tables might not seem all that special at first glance, they aren’t always included in competitor kamado grills in the same price range.
Ease to Clean
Cleanup is a breeze with the Broil King Keg. Assuming they are properly seasoned, the cast iron grill grates are easy to scrape down. The large steel ash catcher at the bottom pulls out easily for quick disposal.
Warranty
The Broil King Keg comes with a 10-year warranty, which is best in class for a kamado grill in this price range.
Conclusion
Kamado grills are prized for their versatility. The Broil King Keg stands head and shoulders with ceramic bodied competitors. It just might take you a little while to get used to cooking on direct heat with the lid closed.
