A mechanism for raising and lowering a cooking surface within a recessed combustion chamber is provided.

A shelving system for a cooking appliance, such as a smoker or grill is disclosed. A convertible and removable shelf may be coupled to a frame in a variety of positions and orientations. The convertible shelf may be extended and locked into a first position at a first location or pivotally lowered to a second position without removing the shelf. Additionally, the shelf may be removed from the first location and secured to a second location providing a storage surface. The flexible location and orientation of the convertible shelf provides for more efficient and economical storage and portability of the appliance.

A support rack assembly for cooking food items in a cooking grill includes a pair of stands that is each positionable in a cooking grill. Each of the stands is comprised of a heat resistant material to resist being damaged by heat of the cooking grill. Each of the stands has a plurality of support points that are disposed on the stands. A plurality of bars is each insertable through a respective one of the support points on each of the stands such that each of the bars is elevated above the cooking grill. A plurality of hooks is each of the hooks is suspendable from a respective one of the bars. Furthermore, each of the hooks can penetrate a food item thereby facilitating the food item to be suspended in the cooking grill for cooking the food item.

An outdoor cooker and a kit of parts for assembling an outdoor cooker are disclosed. The outdoor cooker includes a fire pit, a vertical support mechanism for coupling to the fire pit, a cooking grill for coupling to the vertical support mechanism above the fire pit, and a mechanism for coupling to the vertical support mechanism that is operative to selectively move and secure the cooking grill to a desired position along the vertical support mechanism.

Improvements regarding aspects of cooking and/or grilling are described, including a grill insert for a grill having a removable lid, the insert facilitating redirection of airflow from normal grill path(s) of up and out of the grill lid to instead flow at least partially down and over or around an indirect grill cooking surface and out the side of the insert.

Method and apparatus for a portable outdoor cooker designed for use with multiple sources of fuel, including charcoal briquettes, wood, and gas/propane. The cooker is designed with an upright standing enclosure being generally rectangular shaped mounted on ground contacting wheels. The cooker is designed to be totally enclosed being a walled structure having front upper and lower doors which can be opened independently. The cooker includes a plurality of shelves so that various types of food items can be cooked simultaneously on the cooker and includes an electrical rotisserie unit mounted near the top of the interior of the cooker. A plurality of handles are provided on the walled enclosure of the cooker.

Embodiments of a griddle of the type for an outdoor cooking station is provided herein. The griddle includes a flat cooking surface with a splash guard extending along a periphery of the flat cooking surface. The flat cooking surface defines a trough positioned adjacent a rear end of the cooking surface such that the trough includes a sloping surface extending downward toward a rear opening defined in the splash guard along and adjacent the rear end of the flat cooking surface. With this arrangement, as a user cooks food on the griddle, unwanted grease may be pushed to the rear of the griddle and into the trough so that the grease funnels down the sloped surface and through the rear opening and into a grease container centered below the rear opening.

An insert is provided for use in a cooking apparatus that alters the pressure profile, air velocity profile, and airflow pattern within said cooking apparatus in order to achieve a cyclonic air profile around food to be cooked. The insert includes a ring-shaped insert body formed by a continuous sidewall. The sidewall has an external surface and an internal surface, and a top end and a bottom end. The insert also includes a deflection plate.

Portable grills are disclosed. An example portable grill movable between an erected configuration and a collapsed configuration includes a frame and a leg unit coupled to the frame. The leg unit includes a first leg, a second leg spaced apart from the first leg, and a foldable foot pivotally coupled to and extending between the first and second legs. The foldable foot is movable relative to the first and second legs between an unfolded configuration and a folded configuration. The foldable foot contacts an underlying surface to support the portable grill when the foldable foot is unfolded and the portable grill is erected and oriented horizontally relative to the underlying surface. The foldable foot provides a handle by which the portable grill can be picked up when the foldable foot is folded and the portable grill is collapsed and oriented horizontally relative to the underlying surface.

Portable grills are disclosed. An example portable grill movable between an erected configuration and a collapsed configuration includes a frame, a cookbox, a lid, and a lid lock assembly. The cookbox is coupled to the frame. The lid is movably coupled to the cookbox. The lid is movable relative to the cookbox between a closed position and an open position. The lid lock assembly is coupled to the frame. The lid lock assembly is configured to enable movement of the lid from the closed position into the open position when the portable grill is in the erected configuration, and to lock the lid in the closed position in response to the portable grill being moved from the erected configuration into the collapsed configuration.