Charcoal or Gas Grill? (1 Viewer)

[wally]

Although I have no experience with them, I’d shy away from the hybrid charcoal/gas grills. Hybrid products generally don’t do anything well.

 

[Tony Whalen]

I had no idea that this would be such a hot topic.
I refuse to be grilled on this issue.
Stick a fork in me. I'm done.

I agree with the previous response to this...
*groan*

 

[Matt Gordon]

Click here for some advice guides from the folks at Weber:
http://www.weber.com/bbq/pub/grill/guide/default.aspx

 

[Win Joy Jr]

As a 25-plus year veteran of the charcoal set, I got my first gas grill (Weber Silver) in April. My Weber kettle has not seen a match since.

Outside of the fast start, I like the flavor better. I can sear the meats better on the gas, and heat control is a lot easiest than with the kettle. With charcoal, sometime the fire is hotter or cooler than you planned, and your dinner schedule goes out the window.

I plan on doing a side by side compare of steaks this weekend to decide if the Kettle stays or goes.

 

[Matt Gordon]

If you go charcoal (and i hope you do), I'd definitely use one of these to light it:
Weber Chimney Starter
It gets rave reviews. I'll be picking one up soon.

 

[Juan Castillo]

So where, besides Amazon.com does one pick up the Weber model. Lowes, HomeDepot, Ace Hardware, and Sears, all have other models by different manufacturers, and they look cheap compared to the Weber... Any suggestions?

 

[Dave Falasco]

I've seen Weber grills at Home Depot and Sears, although they may not be displayed at present due to seasonal changes. You can also find Weber grills at many home and garden stores (i.e. stores where you would buy things like outdoor plants, mulch, etc.) I think Lowe's had Weber grills as well, but I'm not positive about that.

I actually bought my gas Weber at a "Linens & Things", of all places, and my charcoal one at a supermarket!

 

[Juan Castillo]

Sorry Dave, I wasn't reffering to their grills, I was referring to the chimney starter.

 

[Matt Gordon]

I just saw several last night Weber chimney starters at a Sears Hardware store. So Sears should have one or be able to get one to you.

The thing looks cool, and is obviously better constructed than the cheaper ($5 less) models.

Matt

 

[mike_frontier]

I am very interested in the Traeger grills.

To the ones that have or owned one, how often are the pellets changed out? Overall is the food flavor that much better then a regualr wood/charcoal smoker?

Thanks

 

[DwightK]

I love my traeger. The hopper for the pellets lasts quite a long while if you fill it full. I tend to not fill it so full as I will switch to different pellets depending on what I'm cooking.
Food flavor is just as good as a conventional wood smoker but the traeger is soooo much easier. It has 3 settings, low for 170 degree smoking, medium and a high at 400 degrees for grilling, baking etc. Almost impossible to overcook anything. It doesn't sear though if that matters

 

[Ray Chuang]

Charcoal grills make good food but 1) they take a long time to heat up and 2) cleaning up afterwards is a major issue.
Besides, many serious barbecue fanciers use high-end infrared grills where the food is heated by infrared energy from special gas burners. This way, you get the benefits of charcoal grilling (especially sealing in the juices of the meat) but without the long startup times and inconvenient cleanup issues of charcoal grills. Is it small wonder why steakhouse restaurants use infrared grills?

 

[Philip Hamm]

Hey does anyone have any experience roasting outdoors in one of those neato Solar Ovens? There are many kinds, and from what I understand it's really easy to DIY.

 

[Todd H]

Taste the meat, not the heat. Gas all the way.

 

[Ray Chuang]

Taste the meat, not the heat. Gas all the way.

That's why gas-fired infrared grills has started to become popular. The reason is simple: because of the very high temperature of the infrared heating element, you get meats cooked just like what you get from a charcoal grill but without the long startup times and cleanup issues of charcoal grills.

 

[Dan_N]

Taste the meat, not the heat. Gas all the way.

Hello everyone
This is my first post to this board, I just had to jump in on this one…
Sorry Todd I'm not picking on you but I love Hank Hill when he says “Taste the meat, not the heat”
But seriously folks that line was intended to be a joke!! I think it’s funny how so many people take it so seriously. The joke is Hank Hill supposedly lives in Texas. Texas is BBQ country and Texan’s take their BBQ very seriously!!!
In Texas Q’ing an edible beef brisket indirectly “LOW AND SLOW” over a misquote fire is considered a right of passage to man hood. Cooking with propane in Texas would be like being an outspoken anti smoking advocate in Kentucky, you would be an outcast, shunned possibly even stoned !!
The only time I believe anyone who says taste the meat not the heat is if they, prepare and eat their steak plain.. No seasonings, No marinades and no Sauces of any kind just a hunk of steak steamed in an aluminum foil wrapper.
Remember you’re the one who said you just wanted to taste the meat

To most people who take BBQ or grilling serious the flavor that various woods and charcoal add to food is just another form of seasoning similar to spice’s, flavoring or marinades.
If you are serious about tasting just the meat then you should be boiling it instead of grilling it.

When debating Propane over a nature wood or charcoal fire, keep in mind, not one single person or BBQ team has ever won a major BBQ contest using a Propane fired grill?

I personally use lump charcoal when I grill or BBQ, I make my own lump charcoal from Oak and Mesquite. I even make my own charcoal briquets from the powder left in the bottom of the containers I store the lump charcoal in. Its easy to do after I accumulate a five gallon bucket full I just mix up some cornstarch and water pour it into the powder and pour the mixture into molds, it might be more work then buying a bag of Kingsford but at least I know what’s in it.
As far as Propane being faster or more convenient Well I just don’t understand that one. When I grill I start my Lump or charcoal using a propane torch, I hold the torch under the charcoal for about 10 seconds and then go prepare the food, the charcoal is ready long before I am. I BBQ at least three times a week and I do long Low and slow BBQ briskets and pork shoulders at least once a week, these cooks can take from 12 to 24 hours.. I guarantee you cannot simulate with propane the tremendous flavor real wood or lump charcoal gives a 15 pound beef brisket or a 13 pound pork shoulder when its cooked indirectly for 12 to 24 hours !!

Like I said before “The only good use for propane, is lighting my charcoal “

 

[Blu]

I would say get one of each if you can afford them.
Gas is great and what I grill with the most.
Flavor is great, the charcoaling = flavor argument is overrated IMHO.
Precise temperature controls and fast grilling times.
Charcoal, well there is something fun and primal about cooking your food with a charcoal fire and when you don't mind waiting.
If you are just learning how to grill, learn with charcoal.
When you master that you can move onto gas and be a master griller with all of the skills you will then have!
If you really must have that smokey flavor then get a smoking tin or foil, throw in your wet woodchips and set above the gas burner. You'll probably not be able to tell the difference in a blind taste test.

 

[DougR]

If you really must have that smokey flavor then get a smoking tin or foil, throw in your wet woodchips and set above the gas burner. You'll probably not be able to tell the difference in a blind taste test.

I've used Charcoal for quite a few years and just recently went with a Gas Grill ( Propane) and after using one of these smoker boxes,I must say that it does add alittle more to the Flavor of the meat(s) being cooked. I don't do 13-15 lb Chunks of meat , so this works for me:
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?actio...806&lpage=none

 

[MarkHastings]

Charcoal BBQ'ing may be better than propane, but it's like 7.1 surround sound...it may sound better than 2 speakers, but you don't need more speakers to really enjoy a movie.

 

[Ray Chuang]

When debating Propane over a nature wood or charcoal fire, keep in mind, not one single person or BBQ team has ever won a major BBQ contest using a Propane fired grill?

However, this may be changing very soon. When TEC lost the patent rights for infrared grills a few years ago a number of companies started to make this type of grill, where you have gas-fired ceramic burners where the infrared heat from the ceramic element heats the food. The advantages over both conventional gas grills and charcoal grills are obvious: 1) high-temperature, evenly-consistent heat (no "hot and cold spots" that are the bane of charcoal grills and because the heat from an infrared grill element is much higher than even charcoal the food cooks very rapidly, sealing the juices of th meat) and 2) you have the startup speed and cleanup convenience of gas grills (why wait 30 minutes to heat up a charcoal grill and deal with the ash cleanup afterwards?).
Small wonder why many steakhouses are switching to infrared grills.