Does The Big Sur Deliver Enough Outdoor Gas Grill For You?

Backyard chefs generally agree that top of the line gas grills are game-changers. A modestly-sized patio barbecue allows homeowners to prepare healthy, delicious steaks, burgers, veggies, and a wide range of menu options in the fresh air. Gas grills, by their very presence, bring friends and family members together.

Once outdoor grill enthusiasts discover how expansive their menu options can become with a top-tier model, it’s common to seek out bigger and better products. The salient question for those ready to go all-in on a fixed or portable propane grill is: How much is enough?

That’s an important question that leads more than a few grill masters to consider the PGS Legacy grill known as “Big Sur.” If you haven’t already guessed, Big Sur is the largest of the Legacy barbecue grills, and it comes with the most sought-after accessory today — an infrared rotisserie burner. By reviewing the awe-inspiring specs and potential of a Big Sur, we may be able to answer whether the Legacy barbecue is enough for you.

What Does Big Sur Bring To The Table?

The folks at AEI Corp aren’t pulling any punches with this Legacy barbecue. It is the largest and most powerful of all the PGS gas grills and a force to be reckoned with. Big Sur unquestionably ranks among the best top of the line gas grills. And the built-in infrared rotisserie separates it from others in its class. Consider the sheer breadth of the cooking area, heat distribution, and other specifications.

  • BTUs: Big Sur achieves an industry-leading 120,000 BTUs, plus 12,000 BTUs from the infrared rotisserie burner.
  • Cooking Area: The Legacy barbecue delivers 960 square inches of primary cooking area and an additional 355 from the warming rack.
  • Burners: This outdoor grill enjoys four 304-grade stainless steel burners. This grade is considered top of the line in gas grills.
  • Construction: The Big Sur is built entirely from stainless steel for a lifetime of durability and quality appearance.
  • Flexibility: Despite being 51 inches in width, this Legacy barbecue can be mounted on a stainless steel cart or fixed into a countertop. The outdoor grill can also be fueled by liquid propane or natural gas.
  • Accessories: PGS gas grills come with standard matchless ignition and can be outfitted with options such as side shelves, beverage centers, storage drawers, and side burners, among others.

To say the expansive qualities of the Big Sur are impressive would be something of an understatement. It provides a huge cooking and warming area able to deliver seemingly endless portions to please people at large gatherings. But this PGS Grill delivers more than you might realize at first blush. By examining its BTUs and structural integrity, Big Sur offers more than enough.

Unraveling BTUs & Stainless Steel Construction

In case you didn’t know, BTU is short for “British Thermal Unit.” This rating speaks to the amount of heat needed to increase the temperature of a pound of water by 1 degree Fahrenheit. Gas burners are measured in terms of BTUs per hour. All that is well and good, but what matters is where the Big Sur outdoor grill stands in comparison to others.

A typical pro-style residential range with high-output capabilities reportedly generates 15,000 to 25,000 BTUs. The difference, obviously, is staggering. The Legacy barbecue stands light-years ahead of many of the best indoor ranges. But there’s another caveat that outdoor barbecue enthusiasts may also find telling.

When gas grills are marketed, some merge BTU capabilities together. In other words, a side burner’s BTUs might be added to the primary grilling area that results in an inflated BTU rating. PGS Grill specs separate the primary cooking area (120,000) from the infrared rotisserie burner (12,000) and any additional side burners (25,000).

Moving on to stainless steel construction, this outdoor grill employs 304-grade for its burners, which is considered an industry best. It also uses high-quality stainless through and through. Okay, it’s a given the Big Sur is large, delivers exceptional BTUs, and ranks among the top of the line gas grills in terms of durable construction. What can you do with all that grilling space and power?

Benefits of Having A Big Sur Outdoor Grill

Like any of the Legacy barbecue grills, Big Sur can function equally well as a portable propane grill or fixed outdoor kitchen centerpiece using natural gas. You can also order a specialized center island complete with drawers and storage cabinets. Now consider your top-end and everyday outdoor grill use, such as the following.

  • Family Gatherings: A Big Sur grill allows you to prepare multiple menu options simultaneously. That means finicky eaters can have precisely what they desire. At the end of the day, family happiness is priceless.
  • Birthday Parties: It’s not unusual for children to want vastly different things to eat. Hot dogs and hamburgers rarely satisfy everyone, and parents may want their children only to eat vegan items. Big Sur provides ample space to feed everyone on time and make your kid’s party a success.
  • Business Colleagues: Having employees or co-workers over for a weekend get-together comes with some degree of pressure. Impressing people in your business orbit with thick cuts of beef, rotisserie chickens, whole pineapples, and veggie kabobs makes a lasting impression. Never underestimate the value of wowing colleagues with top of the line gas grills or your cooking mastery.
  • Everyday Use: One of the driving benefits of enjoying a large stainless steel grill is that it has multiple burners. If it’s just you and a spouse or friend, there’s no reason to waste natural gas or propane. Fire up a single burner with the matchless ignition and make an intimate meal for two under the stars.

Another grill mastery trick that a Big Sur allows backyard chefs to employ is leveraging indirect heat. Because the Legacy barbecue provides a wide-sweeping cooking area and warming space, you can slow-cook an item away from the direct heat. It's difficult to pull that off with a small grill.

Big Sur Gourmet Grill Is Up To Any Task

The idea that large gas grills are overkill often stems from the idea you will waste fuel and rarely need all that cooking area. That’s why PGS gas grills provide four strategic burners, allowing owners the ability to choose the amount of space needed depending on the gathering. The infrared rotisserie burner elevates this Legacy barbecue to another level. If you are considering going all-in on a large model, this Made in USA stainless steel gem will be the last outdoor gas grill you ever buy.