How Many People Can an Asado Grill Cook For?

The Small Asado Grill

The Small Asado Grill can cook for up to 8 people. Meaning that, by using heat zones, adjustable grill heights and a little planning , you’ll have enough cooking space to prepare a proper meal for a decent group.

If you're cooking various dishes at once like lamb koftas, halloumi and parmesan and lemon asparagus, food can come off the grill as it's ready while new items take its place. This allows you to keep food flowing throughout the cook rather than trying to stuff all your meat on at once. Pun intended.

The Small Asado is available with either a full grill, split grill or full grill and firebox combination. The full and split grill options both offer the same cooking area, so there is no difference in overall capacity between the two. The split grill simply allows you to run different grill heights across the cooking surface, giving you greater control over how food is cooked.

If you choose a firebox configuration, some of the available grilling space is replaced by the firebox itself (which does have its own firebox grill for quick searing). While this does slightly reduce the overall grill space, it introduces a constant source of embers, making heat management easier during longer cooks.

The Large Asado Grill

The Large Asado Grill can comfortably cook for up to 15 people. With extra cooking width, larger sharing cuts like a picanha can sit over one area of the grill while smaller items such as vegetables, chicken wings or sides are managed elsewhere.

The extra space allows you to more easily organise heat zones, so different parts of the meal can be cooked under different conditions at the same time.

If you often cook for larger groups, this extra space makes the process easier to manage. By spreading the food out over the right levels of heat, you can organise the cook properly from the start and let each dish cook at its own pace.

Why Configuration Matters

As us men have to keep justifying, it’s not just about how big it is, it’s what you do with it… This is especially true when it comes to the configuration of your Asado. A full grill has one continuous cooking area and is ideal for straightforward cooks.

A split grill allows different grill heights to be used at the same time, making it easier to manage foods that benefit from different heats. This can be particularly useful when slowly cooking meats alongside quickly grilling vegetables or sides.

The Large Asado also offers configurations that combine both a single grill or a split grill with a firebox. This gives you multiple cooking zones alongside a constant supply of fresh embers, which makes longer cooks or cooking for large groups easier.

So Which Size Is Right For You?

If you typically cook for family and friends and want enough capacity for up to 8 people, the Small Asado Grill is likely to be more than capable. If you regularly host larger gatherings and want the flexibility to cook multiple dishes at once, the Large Asado Grill provides additional space and configuration options that can comfortably cater for up to 15 people. The added firebox is a great option too for regular, longer cooks.

Whichever size you choose, capacity is rarely determined by grill dimensions alone. The way you manage heat zones, embers and cooking surfaces will often have just as much influence on how much food you can comfortably cook.

Fortunately, that's exactly what Asado grilling does best.

FAQs

How many people can the Small Asado Grill cook for?

The Small Asado Grill is designed to comfortably cater for up to 8 people. Capacity depends on what you're cooking, but with effective use of heat zones and adjustable grill heights, you can continuously cook and serve a variety of dishes without needing to fit everything on the grill at once.

How many people can the Large Asado Grill cook for?

The Large Asado Grill can comfortably cook for up to 15 people, depending on the menu. Larger cuts such as picanha or rolled lamb shoulder allow you to feed bigger groups efficiently, while the increased cooking area makes it easier to prepare multiple dishes and sides simultaneously.

Does adding a firebox reduce cooking space?

Yes, a firebox does reduce the amount of regular grilling space available, as part of the cooking area is replaced by the firebox itself. However, it also includes a small cooking surface on top that’s perfect for high-heat searing, plus the added benefit is a constant supply of fresh embers, making heat management easier throughout longer cooks.

Does a split grill increase cooking capacity?

No, a split grill does not increase the total cooking capacity. The cooking area remains exactly the same as a full grill (unless there’s a firebox). The advantage is greater control, allowing you to set different grill heights across the surface and cook foods requiring different heat levels more effectively.

What affects grill capacity besides size?

Grill capacity is influenced by more than just dimensions. Factors such as the type of food being cooked, the use of heat zones, grill configuration and cooking technique all play a role. Efficient heat management often allows you to cook more food comfortably than grill size alone suggests.

Is there a simple way to calculate grill capacity?

There isn't an exact formula because capacity depends heavily on what you're cooking. Eight burgers requiress space than a mixed menu of pizza, vegetables and seafood. As a general guide, the Small Asado suits up to 8 people, while the Large Asado suits up to 15.

Does using the rotisserie free up grill space?

Yes, one of the advantages of the rotisserie is that it allows you to cook large joints without taking up valuable grill space. While the rotisserie requires plenty of heat, meaning the grill will be running hotter during the cook, that heat can be put to good use by cooking other dishes on the grill at the same time.