One of the best gifts I ever got was when my kids bought me a Kingsford charcoal grill.

For decades, I used had cooked on a Weber 22-inch kettle grill. I think that was a gift from my good friends, Scott and Marsha Grindle.

I replaced the grill on that model at least three times because I like the grill so much and buying a new grill was cheaper than buying a whole new kettle.

That grill didn’t have an ash catcher, a work table, a thermostat or any of the bells and whistles that come with modern charcoal grills.

But it got the job done.

It took a while to figure how to cook (mostly burgers) on that Weber grill. It seemed like it was either too hot or not hot enough. Plus, I had to learn as I went because no one had ever schooled me on outdoor cooking. I had cooked hamburgers in a skillet on top of a stove but never on a grill.

And I have always favored charcoal. Hamburgers just seem to taste better grilled over charcoal.

Anyway, I think about 10 years ago I upgraded to my Kingsford grill. It was good timing because my Weber grill was starting to rust out.

My new toy was a 30-inch Kingsford barrel grill with a cabinet underneath and side shelves on either side. And it has a built-in thermometer and a warming rack. It is not the most expensive grill they make but it’s not cheap.

The best part is I can cook 18 hamburgers from Sam’s Club at one time.

With the new grill, my menu has expanded. I was always hesitant to cook chicken because you want to make sure that grilled chicken is done all the way through.

During the summer, I usually fire up the grill on the weekend. I cook 18 hamburgers, a batch of barbecue chicken and some kind of steak. We freeze the hamburgers and chicken. Then, during the week, we can make a salad and warm up the hamburgers or chicken and you have a delicious easy-to-make supper.

Sometimes, I will also cook some ground up hamburger in an iron skillet on the grill. We drain the fat and freeze it and that becomes a quick dinner for tacos.

We usually eat the steak right after we cook it.

I love steak. When you order steak at a restaurant, it’s hit or miss. Some is melt-in-your mouth delicious and some steaks are dry and tough.

When you cook your own steaks, you can tenderize a cheap steak and you can perfectly cook a more expensive cut (I like the Kansas City strip steaks).

And this grill is so big, I can cook other stuff while preparing the meat.

I usually cook whole onions. You cut off both ends of a sweet onion and place in aluminum foil. I place a pat of butter on top and they are delicious.

Likewise, I like to take an apple (usually a Gala apple), and add a pat of real butter with some cinnamon and some brown sugar and wrap in foil to cook on the grill.

It’s really a dessert at that point.

I have cooked other vegetables, including mushrooms, corn and baked potatoes. Once you prepare them for the grill, the rest is easy.

In the past, we have cooked barbecue brisket on my Kingsford grill. That works well but it takes a long time and a lot of preparation.

(I really shouldn’t write on this topic because my buddies at church will want to come to my house for barbecue.)

Tulsa has some fine barbecue restaurants that probably make better brisket than I do. I just don’t cook it often enough to master the technique.

The only downside to a charcoal grill is cleaning it. I get quite a buildup of ash that has to be removed. And the grill gets messy and it is a chore to clean it. I lubricate it with olive oil before I grill but it still gets messy and difficult to clean.

Last year in Branson, I bought some “non-stick grill liners” that supposedly have some copper in them. They are supposed to keep your grill clean and let you cook vegetables and fruits right on top of them. They say they are easy to clean but I didn’t use them last summer. I will experiment with them this year.

Even in the Oklahoma summer heat, it’s fun to cook outdoors. It keeps the kitchen from getting hot and dinner guests always seem impressed when I manage to create a main dish. I will probably get a letter or two telling that I will get cancer from eating grilled meat but I am willing to take that risk (I have for 64 years, so far).

My kids have bought me some cool gifts but I have to say my charcoal grill is in the Top 5 (if not the Top 3) of all time.

Funny bumper stickers

• The fact that no one understands you doesn’t mean you’re an artist.
• Please don’t hit me – I’m not 100 percent sure about my coverage.
• If you can read this… I’m not impressed. Most people can read.
• My opinions are awesome (www.websitedyouwillnevergoto.org)
• Watch out for the idiot behind me.
• Honk if you have to poop.
• I hate bumper stickers.
• My other car isn’t even a car. It’s an invisible hydrogen-fueled, laser-guided jet pack with plasma cannons.
• Sorry officer…I thought you wanted to race.
• List of things I hate: 1. Bumper stickers, 2. Irony, 3. Lists.
• Without men, civilization would last until the oil needed changing.
• This is the back of my car.
• PETA – People Eating Tasty Animals
• If I’m ever on life support…unplug me, then plug me back in. See if that works.
• My dog is smarter than your honor student.
• Buckle up…it makes it harder for aliens to suck you out of your car.
• Obey gravity…it’s the law.
• D.A.D.D. – Dads Against Daughters Dating
• Metaphors Be With You
• Not Found…The requested URL/sticker.html was not found on this server.
• Alcohol and calculus don’t mix. Don’t drink and derive.
• Driver carries no cash (he’s married)
• Trust me…that squirrel had it coming
• Marriage is grand. Divorce is 100 grand.
• Honk if one of my kids falls out.
• Honk if you like noises.
• I brake for tailgaters.
• Not even Norton can protect you.
• My baby’s daddy was “inmate of the month.”
• Sorry for driving so close in front of you.
• I believe in miracles…so if you can’t wait, may your car grow wings and fly over mine.