Char-Griller Wrangler charcoal and wood barbecue

New improved model with metal shelves and a fold-down front shelf.

Char-Griller Wrangler American barbecues

The number-one wood and charcoal barbecue in the USA among barrel-style barbecues. An excellent choice for professionals and enthusiasts alike, and for outdoor gatherings.

The Char Griller Wrangler barbecue has a 50x51 cm cooking grate split into 3 pieces. It measures approximately 90x74 cm, stands 127 cm tall and weighs 39 kg. Other sizes are also available: smaller ones such as the tabletop barbecue/smoker and the Patio Pro model, and larger ones such as the Super Pro or the Outlaw.

Char-Griller barbecues have a cast iron cooking grate split into 3, 4 or 5 pieces depending on the model, making it easier to handle and to top up fuel in the charcoal tray.
A second, indirect cooking zone keeps food warm or cooks it more slowly.
A height-adjustable charcoal tray lets you control the temperature, with a grid that lets the ash fall through so it doesn't smother the burning charcoal.
Sturdy round-tube legs support the whole unit and come with 2 wheels so you can move the barbecue easily around your terrace, patio or garden, plus a lower shelf so you have somewhere to keep the bag of charcoal, the lighter and so on.
Naturally, it also has a draught vent and chimney so you can control the airflow and the internal temperature.
A thermometer in the lid lets you monitor the internal temperature when smoking or cooking with the lid down.
Two shelves help enormously with staying organised while you cook, and 3 hooks let you hang up your utensils.
What's more, Char-Griller barbecues offer an accessory not available from other brands: the Char Griller smoker. With the smoker you can prepare authentic Texas-style smoked dishes, with far better temperature control than other barbecues.

Which accessories does my barbecue need?

The barbecue comes with everything you need to use it from the very first moment, and includes a manual in Spanish for quick, easy assembly, along with the guarantee and some maintenance tips. Even so, we recommend getting a few accessories that will help you use and look after the barbecue. You'll find them all on our website.

Grate-cleaning brush:

An essential accessory you shouldn't be without. The grates on these barbecues are cast iron and built to last, but it's worth keeping them clean and ready for the next use to prevent rust. A grate-cleaning brush should have a scraper blade to lift off the most stubborn stuck-on food, as well as the metal-bristle brush itself. Once clean, rub unenamelled grates with a little sunflower oil to season them.

Barbecue covers:

A cover is a must if the barbecue is going to be left outdoors: it protects against rain, sun, wind, frost and so on, and will help keep the barbecue in good shape for many years. Each Char Griller has its own tailor-made cover, which fits whether or not you've added the smoker.

Charcoal chimney starter:

This accessory surprised us when we tried it: we got the charcoal lit cleanly, and far more quickly and evenly than with other methods. It's simple to use — put wood wool or newspaper in the bottom, fill the tube with charcoal and set it on the grate. Convection draws hot air up from below and quickly lights all the charcoal. Do use it carefully, though, as it gets very hot. The model we stock has 2 swivelling wooden handles to help prevent accidents while handling it.

Barbecue tongs:

There are models to suit every taste — spring tongs, scissor tongs, flat tips, toothed, circular… but whichever you choose, we recommend long ones, at least 30 or 35 cm. The embers reach temperatures above 200 °C, and you'll be glad not to have your hand close by when turning the food.

Charcoal briquettes:

There are many bags of charcoal out there at all sorts of prices, but contrary to what you might think, they're not all the same. Kilocalories, ash content, moisture content and type of wood all make a difference. We recommend Ibecosol briquettes: a catering-sized format that will last you several barbecues. They're made from a blend of quality woods that stand out for their particular organoleptic qualities and their high fixed-carbon range (75/85%), low volatiles (under 20%) and low ash (under 6%), a calorific value above 7,500 kcal/kg, and above all for burning and giving off heat evenly and continuously.

The Char-Griller smoker:

without doubt an essential accessory for taking things further and achieving exceptional flavours in your barbecues.

Thermometers, skewers, gloves, spatulas, wood chips for smoking, even corn-cob holders and more are all available and, although perhaps less important than the above, will still come in handy if you have them to hand.

What maintenance does my Char-Griller barbecue need?

Char-Griller barbecues have no odd mechanisms, no electronics, nothing likely to fail — they're tough, and with a bit of common-sense care they'll last you many, many years.

Caring for the paintwork:

There's nothing you need to do beyond using it properly. The barbecue is finished with a long-lasting heat-resistant powder coating rated to 400 °C. One mistake we've come across is filling the barbecue with more charcoal than needed and lowering the lid to cook: in those cases the internal temperature shoots up past 400 °C, causing the paint to flake as well as cooking the food poorly. To cook with the lid closed you need to control the temperature carefully with just the right amount of embers, both to cook the food properly and to look after the barbecue — and you won't always need to lower the lid to cook, only to smoke or for very specific tasks. Even so, if this does happen to you, don't worry: a bit of fine sandpaper and some heat-resistant spray paint will sort it out quickly.

Caring for the cooking grate:

The grate is cast iron: extremely tough, non-warping and durable. Clean it after every use and rub it with a cloth and a little oil. It's a quick job with the help of a brush. What's more, if you season it correctly it will improve over time, becoming more rust-resistant and developing non-stick properties. You'll find plenty of tutorials on how to season cast iron properly in the instruction manual and online.

The inside of the barbecue:

Giving the inside of the barbecue a thin coat of oil will also help extend its life.

The charcoal tray:

It needs no extra maintenance; just bear in mind that leftover ash can hold moisture, so it's best to empty it after each use and once you're sure the embers are completely out.

Protecting the barbecue:

Clearly, if you keep the barbecue outdoors it's exposed to rain, air, sun, damp and so on, so it's highly advisable to have a cover to protect it from the elements.

As you can see, it needs no great effort or fuss — just apply common sense and look after it as we all know how.