Charcoal vs. Gas

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Permalink Reply by Nick on June 30, 2008 at 2:08pm

I personally think gas is better. The main reason i think this is you can always use smoke pouches to add that extra flavor to your dinner.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Lombardi on June 30, 2008 at 4:14pm

I use gas for convenience as well. I don't like all the effort you have to put into a charcoal grill. If I get home from work early and want to throw a dog on the grill, I can have a nice grilled dog in minutes. I can also run different heat levels to different parts of the grill. If I want veggies and steak, I can cook them at the same time.

As for results, it depends on what you're looking to achieve. The best tip I can probably give (though I don't know how helpful it is to you) is don't pester the food. Put it on and let it be until it's ready to be flipped. (i.e. No poking, proding, squishing or unnecessary flipping.) Too many people think standing over the grill actively playing with the food (like poking a dead animal with a stick) makes them a grill god.

Some experts say not to take an internal temperature because you let out juices every time you stick the meat. I don't let that stop me though.

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Permalink Reply by Noah on June 30, 2008 at 4:26pm

I'm a recovering flipper/smasher.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Lombardi on June 30, 2008 at 4:29pm

I know it's hard at first, but your meat will thank you. :-D

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Permalink Reply by Stephen Jeffers on July 1, 2008 at 12:33pm

I've grown up around nothing but charcoal all my life, I just purchased my first house and I don't have my grill yet. :( Does that make me less of a man, lol. I'll probably get charcoal because that is what I know, although time does make a great argument for gas.

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Permalink Reply by William on July 1, 2008 at 3:53pm

I just got myself a nice new gas grill.

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Permalink Reply by Bravo on July 7, 2008 at 11:04pm

I used to be pure charcoal all the time. But the house we just bought last year had a natural gas grill. So I got it all cleaned up and working. I will have to say that is the easiest that anyone can have it. lol I still get good flavor out of my food. It is all about the preperation.

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Permalink Reply by Matt Coffey on July 9, 2008 at 10:11pm

I do a bit of both. With 3 kids the propane comes into play more often because of the quick heat. However, if I know we are cooking high quality meats for a group on the weekends. I will NOT use gas.

A few golden rules I live by that you may know already, but I'll mention..

when cooking chicken on gas or charcoal I lay down foil. I put one decent size hole in the center of the foil where some, but not all of the juice can fall down. This also allows the heat to still rise directly through the side I'm cooking with.

Always use the pyramid to start your charcoal.

Dont put meat on charcoal until your temp has leveled and coals are 25-35% white (just a preference for me)

Never put on BBQ or any sugar based sauce on meat with high heat and avoid putting any on at all until around 10 minutes till-done.

When smoking... use dark beer and hickory. AWESOME!

Never grill without a beer in hand that is just on the edge of frozen. Ya know.. when you can feel ice, but it doesnt crunch. Thats cold!

Cook your brats on as low as temp as you can muster. turn every 5 minutes and rotate sides of the grill religiously.

Keep a water bottle handy to douse fires and to "keep the black off" your food

I could think of more.. but now I'm hungry.

Thanks!

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Permalink Reply by DaddyBryan on July 29, 2008 at 11:10am

Matt Coffey said:

I do a bit of both. With 3 kids the propane comes into play more often because of the quick heat. However, if I know we are cooking high quality meats for a group on the weekends. I will NOT use gas.

A few golden rules I live by that you may know already, but I'll mention..

when cooking chicken on gas or charcoal I lay down foil. I put one decent size hole in the center of the foil where some, but not all of the juice can fall down. This also allows the heat to still rise directly through the side I'm cooking with.

Always use the pyramid to start your charcoal.

Dont put meat on charcoal until your temp has leveled and coals are 25-35% white (just a preference for me)

Never put on BBQ or any sugar based sauce on meat with high heat and avoid putting any on at all until around 10 minutes till-done.

When smoking... use dark beer and hickory. AWESOME!

Never grill without a beer in hand that is just on the edge of frozen. Ya know.. when you can feel ice, but it doesnt crunch. Thats cold!

Cook your brats on as low as temp as you can muster. turn every 5 minutes and rotate sides of the grill religiously.

Keep a water bottle handy to douse fires and to "keep the black off" your food

I could think of more.. but now I'm hungry.

Thanks!

Very helpful hints Matt. Thank you. I've often wondered how people smoke meats without them becoming tougher than a truck tire or BBQ'ing the right way instead of the "easiest" way.

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Permalink Reply by DaddyBryan on July 29, 2008 at 11:14am

For our 1 yr. anniversary my wife bought me (us) an incredible gas grill. I like a few others on here have used nothing but charcoal grills until I got the gas grill. This thing is incredible. Fast, easy, A PAIN IN THE A$$ TO CLEAN! Any tips on how to make the cleaning of these things any easier on me would be helpful.

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Permalink Reply by William on July 29, 2008 at 11:25am

Just use a stainless steel brush to clean off the grates.

DaddyBryan said:

For our 1 yr. anniversary my wife bought me (us) an incredible gas grill. I like a few others on here have used nothing but charcoal grills until I got the gas grill. This thing is incredible. Fast, easy, A PAIN IN THE A$$ TO CLEAN! Any tips on how to make the cleaning of these things any easier on me would be helpful.

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Permalink Reply by Thomas Snow on November 5, 2008 at 9:47pm

I love Charcoal becuse of the tast it gives the food. I use a weber grill and I dont put the charcoal in the center I put it around the out side walls of the grill it seems to cook the food well that way. Gas is nice but to easy. I love to set up the charcoal grill and spend some time with the food on it. But gas is good when you have a lot of people over. But just for me and my wife I go with charcoal. Cant wate till my son can eat a pork chop. LOL Soon I hope he is getting his two top teeth in now that will give him 4 teeth now.

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