hot off the grill

Our Foods staff test-drove five new grills. Here's what we cooked.

If you're in the market for a new grill or a dynamic recipe, here are some we rated tops. We challenged a Foods staff task force to step outside, cook on a variety of grills (from an all bells-and-whistles charcoal to a high-tech portable), and report back. See the boxes for what our grill team had to say about their cookout machines. But regardless of what kind of grill you have, these great recipes won't disappoint.

SPICY CHEDDAR-STUFFED BURGERS

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

PREP: 10 MIN., CHILL: 30 MIN., GRILL: 16 MIN.

1 (7-ounce) can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, undrained

2 pounds lean ground beef

2 teaspoons steak seasoning

½ (10-ounce) package Cheddar cheese, cut into 4 thick (1.25-ounce) slices

4 sesame seed hamburger buns

Toppings: tomato slices, red onion slices, romaine lettuce leaves, yellow mustard, mayonnaise

PROCESS chipotle peppers in a blender until smooth. Measure 4 teaspoons puree, reserving remainder for another use, if desired.

COMBINE 4 teaspoons puree, ground beef, and steak seasoning in a large bowl until blended. (Do not overwork meat mixture.) Shape mixture into 8 (4-inch) patties; place 1 cheese slice on each of 4 patties. Top with remaining 4 patties, pressing edges to seal. Cover and chill at least 30 minutes.

GRILL, covered with grill lid, over medium-high heat (350° to 400°) 7 to 8 minutes on each side or until beef is no longer pink. Serve burgers on buns with desired toppings.

NOTE: For testing purposes only, we used McCormick Grill Mates Montreal Steak Seasoning and Cracker Barrel Sharp Cheddar Cheese.

* Weber carefully thought out this grill. The grate adds some weight, so they offer a rolling cart/table for purchase that collapses to pull the Q.

* You'll find the special (14.1-ounce) propane cylinders in the hardware area-specifically the blowtorch area-of a home-improvement store.

* An adapter is available for hooking to a regulation-size propane tank when you're cooking at home.

* This little grill cooks like a big grill-anywhere.

MOJO-MARINATED CHICKEN

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

PREP: 10 MIN., CHILL: 8 HRS., GRILL: 1 HR.

If your grill has only one burner, like the two portables we tested, you'll want to follow the directions in our note at the end of the recipe for cooking the chicken directly over the heat.

1 (24-ounce) bottle mojo criollo Spanish marinating sauce

1 (19-ounce) can mild enchilada sauce

6 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts

Garnishes: fresh parsley sprigs, orange slices

COMBINE sauces in a large zip-top plastic freezer bag. Add chicken, turning to coat. Seal and chill 8 hours, turning occasionally.

LIGHT one side of grill, heating to high heat (400° to 500°); leave other side unlit. Remove chicken from marinade, discarding marinade. Arrange chicken breasts, skin side up, on unlit side of grill, and grill, covered with grill lid, 1 hour or until meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 170°.

GRILLED CHICKEN THIGHS: Substitute 6 skin-on bone-in chicken thighs for chicken breasts. Arrange chicken thighs, skin side up, on unlit side of grill, and grill, covered with grill lid, 1 hour or until meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 180°.

DIRECT HEAT COOKING TIMES: To cook chicken breasts directly over heat, reduce heat to medium (350° to 400°), and grill, covered, turning every 7 minutes, for 28 minutes or until meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 170°.

To cook chicken thighs directly over heat, reduce heat to medium (350° to 400°), and grill, covered, turning every 8 to 10 minutes, for 20 minutes or until meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 180°.

NOTE: For testing purposes only, we used Goya Mojo Criollo Marinade.

SLOW-GRILLED PORK WITH RANCH-BARBECUE SAUCE

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

PREP: 15 MIN.; CHILL: 8 HRS.; STAND: 45 MIN.; GRILL: 4 HRS., 30 MIN.

This recipe is for a two-burner gas grill. Because lighting one side for indirect heat doesn't apply to the Big Green Egg, be sure to see directions for indirect cooking in the owner's manual.

1 (1-ounce) envelope Ranch dressing mix

1 (5-pound) bone-in pork shoulder roast (Boston butt)

½ (16-ounce) bottle Creole butter injector sauce (with injector)

Ranch-Barbecue Sauce

Garnish: bread-and-butter pickle slices

RUB dressing mix evenly over roast. Inject butter sauce evenly into roast. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap, and place in a shallow dish or large zip-top plastic freezer bag; cover or seal and chill 8 hours. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before grilling. Remove plastic wrap.

LIGHT one side of grill, heating to high heat (400° to 500°); leave other side unlit. Place roast, fat side up, over unlit side of grill, and grill, covered with grill lid, 3 ½ to 4 ½ hours or until meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 185°. (Meat will easily pull away from bone.) Let stand 15 minutes. Coarsely chop, and serve with Ranch-Barbecue Sauce. Garnish, if desired.

NOTE: For testing purposes only, we used Cajun Injector Creole Butter Injectable Marinade.