Capt'n Cook: My Revolutionary Discovery

Those who know me know that I like to be up to date with what's going on in the world of BBQ and food. And lately, there are two things that caught my attention that I didn't have at home: a salamander grill and a gas pizza oven.

I already knew about this, but given the expensive price of these two items, I hadn't tried them at home yet. So, one day, I saw something really interesting on the Internet, a Capt'n Cook (already, just the name is "cool" ;)). It looks "hot", so I order it right away.

I try it, and I find it really sick. So I "reach out" to the people at OvenPlus (the makers of Capt'n Cook) and I tell them that I would like to introduce this product to Canadian territory and sell it in our BBQ Québec stores. We discuss the path of BBQ Québec (its past and its future), they accept and now, BOOM! We have Capt'n Cook in stores!

What is a Capt'n Cook?

What exactly is a Capt'n Cook? It's a portable all-in-one appliance that's a BBQ, a pizza oven (gas!), a stove and a conventional oven. It's totally sick! And... it's really affordable!

Why do you need one?

What's amazing about the Capt'n Cook is its versatility. Totally. You can do everything with it: pizza, steaks, eggs, stir-fries... you name it! Basically, if you already have another grill at home, this one can complement it perfectly by giving you more surfaces to grill your food, etc.

Its performance is also impressive. Even though it is quite small (yes, that is another point, I will get to it ;)), it heats up super quickly. Thanks to its patented "butterfly" burner, it heats the pizza stone at the same time as the cast iron grate of the salamander grill, so it maximizes the efficiency of each pound of propane that is burned. In the end, you can, for example, grill steaks at the same time as cooking a pizza!

Your steaks will always look like they came out of a steakhouse because when you put them on the grill, the cast iron will have stored the heat and will sear the bottom of your meat. Meanwhile, the top burner will finish the sear on the top by "sealing" everything. Your steaks will therefore come out perfectly cooked, tender and juicy.

Plus, because the burner is located between the two levels, the fat from your steaks won't drip onto the fire, so you won't risk having a flashback. Seriously, there's virtually no smoke coming out of the Capt'n Cook.

Otherwise, as I said earlier, the Capt'n Cook is a nice little machine. It weighs about 40 pounds; you leave with it and you don't need to bring anything else (apart from the propane tank to fuel it, of course ;)). Whether you go camping, fishing, to a tailgate (it's really hot for that ;)) or to the cottage, you'll be safe with just that. And otherwise, well, it doesn't take up much space, so if you have a small patio, it fits without a problem. ;) It moves easily and can be used pretty much anywhere.

What can you do with this?

Obviously, since there is a pizza oven in this appliance, making pizzas with it is a "must". You can practically cook 2 at the same time! You put one on top (in the "pizza oven" section), close the lid and let the pizza cook. When it comes out looking pretty good, you take the pizza spatula (which, by the way, is included with the Capt'n Cook), take it out and place it on the bottom (in the "salamander grill" section). You wait a bit and let the grill brown the cheese the way you like it. And... while you wait, you put another pizza in the pizza oven to repeat the process. "Oh yeaaaah", more pizzas, more "fun"!

Otherwise, as I said, you can cook pretty much anything in a Capt'n Cook: shrimp fried rice, burger patties, steaks, lobster tails, hot dogs, Rockerfeller-style oysters, paella (in a cast iron pot)...

If, like me, you're a steak freak, well, a good rib steak or filet mignon with melted blue cheese on top is really good. You sear the steak, flip it (technically, you don't have to, but I like to have a nice sear on my cuts of meat and the little caramelized/grilled side that the grills provide), put a slice of cheese on top and let it brown. Mmmm !

To be frank, the Capt'n Cook can be used to cook absolutely anything.

So, here it is… I hope this new toy brings you as much happiness as it brings me and my family.

Happy BBQ!