Introduction
Who doesn’t love the taste of charred, smoked and tasty grilled food? It’s even better if you can do it anywhere you like! If you are going to grill over coal then you need the right tools, and that starts with a good portable grill. Today we are going to take a look at the Oklahoma Joe’s Rambler Tabletop Charcoal Grill. We’ll talk about what we like, things we didn’t like, and tell you all that you need to know if you are thinking of treating yourself to a portable charcoal grill.
Oklahoma Joe’s Rambler Review
At a Glance:
| Color | Black |
| Size | L 68cm x W 49cm x H 55cm (L 27’ x W 20’ x H 22’) |
| Materials | Steel and Cast Iron |
| Fuel | Charcoal |
Key Features:
- Portable
- Easy to clean
- Highly adjustable cooking temperature
- Durable and well made
The Oklahoma Joe’s Rambler Tabletop Charcoal Grill is designed to be a portable solution that allows you to achieve great results when barbecuing, wherever that may be. It is substantial enough that you can use it as your main grill at home, but is small and portable enough that you can take it with you on trips.
Let’s delve ‘under the hood’ and take a look at some of its key features: –
Size and Weight
So, this portable charcoal grill comes in at just over 26 inches long and around 19 inches wide. What we did notice is that it is pretty tall (21 inches to be precise). This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, a substantial cooking chamber makes for more even cooking, which we like. The only downside is that it makes it ever so slightly less portable. For a tabletop grill at home, this isn’t so much of an issue, if you are cramming it in the back of the car with other items you might find yourself wishing for something that is a little more compact.
Is It a Portable Charcoal Grill?
The minor size issue aside it certainly is portable.
What makes it so?
The inclusion of side mounted sturdy handles makes carrying the grill really easy. They are substantial enough to allow you to keep a firm grasp, aided by the rubberized grips. The key benefit to this feature is that the handles remain cool to touch, so you aren’t waiting an age for the grill to cool down before you can move it. This stay cool technology has also been added to the lid handle, no more burned fingers.
Cooking surface
One area where portable charcoal grills fall down is the cooking surface. They tend to be a little small and often aren’t substantial enough to get a decent level of char. Fortunately with this tabletop grill, this isn’t the case. At 21 square inches you’ll have ample room to cook anything you like, it will easily accommodate 4 large steaks, 10 burgers, or a combination of both!
It isn’t all about size however…
When grilling you’ll ideally want those signature stripes of flavor. And to do that you will need something that holds a lot of heat. This grill has that ‘something’. It’s called cast iron and it really works. The thick cast iron grates give you a really great sear.
It is only fair to mention that there is a slight tradeoff with this. Sure, you’ll get a really great stripe on your steak, but that comes at the cost of weight. Cast iron can be a little bit heavy, so the weight of this portable barbecue is increased ever so slightly, but that said for the perfect taste it’s well worth it.
Cooking on The Oklahoma Joe’s Rambler Tabletop Grill.
One thing that you want on the best portable grill is the ability to cook effectively. It can have all the features in the world, but if you can’t cook your food how you want, then it will miss the mark. Fortunately, with this portable charcoal grill you have plenty of options.
Like what?
Let’s talk about the adjustable charcoal tray. Ok so you can’t control how fast your charcoal burns, but what you can control is how far it is from your food. The adjustable charcoal tray allows you to alter the distance between the heat of the coals and your steak. You can have the tray up close and personal to grill at high heat, or lower it in two stages to cook low and slow.
And that’s not all.
You may want to close the lid but still be able to regulate the temperature. And for that you are going to have to alter the airflow. Oklahoma Joe’s have made provision for this by adding large air dampers to the sides of the grill. Pull the handle and you allow three spacious slots to open at the base of each side of the grill, allowing cool air to be pulled in from the outside.
There’s more.
The lid of this portable charcoal grill is fitted with a small chimney, or smokestack. This features a revolving ‘lid’ so you can control how much heat and smoke escapes from the grill. This, combined with the side vents and adjustable charcoal tray mean that you should be able to find the sweet spot for your steaks.
A nice additional feature is the professional temperature gauge. There is many a cook who has attempted to make a judgement on heat based on instinct alone, there’s also many a cook who is no longer allowed near the grill. As the saying goes “if you aint measuring, you’re guessing”
The Oklahoma Joe’s Rambler Tabletop Charcoal Grill allows you to remove the guesswork, a lid mounted gauge allows you get your internal temperature exact, every time. Oklahoma Joes seem to have though of everything, the gauge even glows in the dark, perfect for evening grilling! They’ve even been kind enough to create a color coded gradient divided into sections, so whether you want to smoke, BBQ or grill, you’ll know when the temperature is just right.
Is the Rambler Tabletop Charcoal Grill Easy to Clean?
Everyone hates that time in the evening. When the food is gone and the bottles are dry, it’s time to pack it up. Charcoal grills are notorious for being messy.
Well here’s a pleasant surprise.
A front mounted slidable ash pan makes cleanup so much easier. It’s a really great feature. Whether it’s ash, grease or even a part of your failed attempt at home made burgers, just pull the pan out, tip it away and give it a wipe. Job done!
Ok so that’s our Oklahoma Joe’s Rambler Review. Let’s take a look at some frequently asked questions: –
FAQ
Is Oklahoma Joe’s a Good Brand?
Oklahoma Joe’s are a trusted name, both in home grills, and portable charcoal grills. This grill looks and feels really great quality. It is one of the best portable charcoal grills we have seen so far.
For the money you are getting quite a lot of bang for your buck. Even the ability to smoke your food.
Is Oklahoma Joe a Good Smoker?
If you are looking for a dedicated smoker then it might be worth considering another option. But that said, if you are looking for a little extra functionality from what is actually a portable charcoal grill then it does a pretty good job.
Who Makes Oklahoma Joe’s Grills?
Well sadly this isn’t the same family run company that was founded in the 1980’s. They are actually owned and manufactured by a company called Char-Broil, the good news is that they are one of America’s largest grill producers.
What Food Can I Cook on The Oklahoma Joe’s Rambler Tabletop Charcoal Grill?
You name it! It will do anything that you’d be able to do on a conventional grill. Chicken, steak, burgers, corn on the cob! Anything at all.
One really great feature that you don’t often see is the ability to smoke your food. Just use much less charcoal, make sure the adjustable tray is at it’s lowest, all the vents are open and make sure the needle of the gauge stays in the ‘smoke’ section.
Should you season a cast iron grill?
With cast iron grills it is important to ‘season’ them. What this basically means is that you create a fine protective layer of grease and soot on the grill. This prevents it rusting (which happens quickly with cast iron). There is a strong argument that cooking on seasoned cast iron improves the flavor of your food too!
If you want to see a quick video on how to season a grill, feel free to check this video out.
Summary
So, there is our Oklahoma Joe’s Rambler Review. Our overall thoughts on this grill are, that for the money, it offers pretty good value. Oklahoma Joe’s Rambler Tabletop Charcoal Grill has decent functionality, is relatively portable and as cooking performance goes, it isn’t too dissimilar to conventional grills you’d find at home. As a portable charcoal grill, it really shines and could make a worthy addition to your grilling arsenal.