Charcoal or gas?

silenthunterstudios

silenthunterstudios

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Thinking about steak, hamburgers, hot dogs, Maryland sweet corn, catfish, rockfish, mako shark, shrimp, deer steaks, grilled vegetables on the grill recently. Got me thinking, the only grills my family has ever owned have been charcoal grills. Gas grills just don't have that same taste, maybe I prefer charcoal since it is what I was raised on. So, what do you prefer? Gas grill, or charcoal grill. What brands? Any particular type of briquettes? Any particular method on cooking your meat or vegetables? We throw our corn on the cob on the grill, with the hair removed, and the husk still on, with a little Old Bay tossed on for flavoring.

Hank Hill is having an aneurysm right now...
 
Jeez... you'se Balmers put that Old Bay on EVERYTHING don't you?:D

I have a gas grill, but can only cook on "low" with it... every thing gets turned to charcoal if any higher. BUT, it is easier to set up and get going. Having said that, if you have any XY chromosomal abilities, charcoal is much more satisfying to cook on. I do think you need a fairly big round kettle grill though. Kingsford charcoal is the best by far.
 
Mongo said:
Jeez... you'se Balmers put that Old Bay on EVERYTHING don't you?:D .
Click to expand...


Doesn't everybody?:confused: :confused: :confused:

:D

Corn on the cob, tuna fish, crabs, hamburgers, potato salad, ice cream...

The last one I was kidding about, but I've known some locals to put Old Bay on some dishes that just don't go hand in hand. They use Jay-O on the eastern shore for crabs, though!
 
wife won a nice 4 burner gas grill with a side burner a couple years ago, and I purchased a little steel box with holes in the bottom to put dried wood chips that were soaked in water (preferably a fruit wood). I put the box of wood chips over the flame on one side and leave the flame on the other side off, let stand for 15-30 minutes to make a nice smoke and then start cooking your meat on the no flame side.... yummy. the gas grill is less hassle than our old charcoal grill too.:thumbup:
 
I've always refused to have a gas grill. I think the old fashioned charcoal is the purist way to go. Sure it's a pain in the butt to get it going at least a half hour brfore you cook, but its worth it.

And YES, Old Bay on everything!
 
Old Bay on seafood ONLY!

I use a gas grill, but I ALWAYS fill the smoker chip bin prior to cooking.

I like gas better because of the ease, and I don't have the lighter fluid taste on my food.
 
My wife has a gas grill, but when I barbecue or grill I use seasoned oak, pecan, or mesquite.

James
 
Charcoal is the best, but I use gas. Gas is just so much more convenient and safer around kids. When you shut it off, its off.
 
gas grill, but it needs to be able to get up over 500degrees for me to sear my steaks for the first couple minutes
 
Hickory, maybe Apple or peacan. Its the only way.
Did you ever wonder what I smoked?
 
For charcoal there is no need for lighter fluid.

Get a 2 foot piece of stove pipe. Cut 1 1/2 - 2 inches up into the pipe at one end, snip like this all the way around 2 inches or so apart. Bend these at right angles so it stands by itself . 6 or so inches up drill/ cut holes about one inch in size. Two rows maybe 5-6 each row.

Now take two full sheets of newspaper, lightly crumple and stuff in the bottem ,(by the holes). Dump charcoal down top. Place in grill, light paper, walk away, have a beer watch a ballgame. Come back in 15 minutes lift off stovepipe (add handle of coathanger to list). You now have a grill full of red hot charcoal.
 
For convenience, I'd go with gas. For flavor, I'd go with charcoal briquets.

I've use the Weber kettle grill for great results to cook steak--sear the meat with the lid off for two minutes per side, then put the lid on to concentrate the smoke flavor for the remainder of the cooking period (make sure to open the vent on the lid to allow the briquets to continue to burn). To make sure the coals are hot enough I do the hand over the charcoals bit and count...one, two, three, ouch, and they're ready to go.

It doesn't matter, either whether its the larger patio sized grill, or the portable Smokey Joe.

Kingsford briquets are the way to go. I tried some cheaper briquets once, and they didn't burn consistently.
 
So I lit my gas grill to-nite and heard hissing. I saw flame, so what the hay is going on? Next thing I know a fireball pops up under the grill, all over the gas line, tank, etc! I braved the flame to shut it down. (No injuries) Two hours and one new charcoal grill later, I made some of the best steaks I ever grilled. I had to fight my boys, lost, and ended up with the runt of the litter! Charcoal by far.
 
We cook about 5 nights a week on the BBQ at this time of year. Because we use it so often, we use gas. I just got a 3 burner BBQ with a side burner for $300+tax at our local supermarket.

Although this website is extolling the virtues of gas BBQs, the logic does make sense, although if you BBQ with wood, it is much better than charcoal.
http://www.caravanning-online.co.uk/caravan_accessories/barbecue_equipment_why_gas.htm

The advantages of a gas barbecue cannot be denied, but one question always seems to rear it's head when the gas/charcoal debate starts off. Can a gas barbecue really give the distinctive flavour that charcoal barbecues do?

The answer is a categoric yes!

That delicious barbecue flavour is in fact nothing to do with using charcoal - it arises when the meat's juices drip onto a hot surface and vaporise back onto the meat. So, myth dispelled, here are some of the other benefits of barbecuing on gas:
Click to expand...

We have been known to drag the BBQ through 2 feet of snow up to the patio doors and cook a T-Bone in February, but then we Canadians are strange!

I also roast sweetcorn on the grill from raw, which is a new discovery to me. I peel back the husk, remove the hairs, rub with butter, add salad and pepper and rub it in. Put the husk back over the corn and BBQ for about 30 minutes. Don't worry when the husk turns black.

I am going to Toronto Ribfest tomorrow and really looking forward to the visiting US ribbers. In particular, ribbers from New Mexico, and Alabama.

List of competitors. Anyone recognise anyone? Any tips?

Sticky Fingers
Arnold Hahn

133 Douglas Avenue
Providence, R.I. 02908
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Camp 31
Larry Murphy

936 Zion Hill Rd.
Castleberry Alabama 36432
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Bibbs

Naples, Florida
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Gator

Flint Michigan
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Uncle Sam’s

Albuquerque, New Mexico
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Kentucky Smoke House
George Anast

279 Spring Bank Rod.,
London On. N6J 4K2
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Crabby's B-B-Q
George Kefalidis

57 Clarendon Cres.
London, On. N6C 5B7
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Billy Bones B-B-Q
Greg Brunton & Brad Brunton

C/o Stewart Farm Market
1620 Dominion Road
Fort Erie, Ont. L2A 5M4
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Old Hickory Bar B.Q.
Todd Southern

172 Queensland Ave.
Toronto, Ont. M9N 2L3
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Jack on the Bone BBQ
Dave Armstutz

4508 Lincoln Way East
Massilon, Ohio 44646
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Carolina Rib King
Sol Williams

110 Castleford Rd.
Moore, South Carolina 29369/9665
 
jackknife said:
I've always refused to have a gas grill. I think the old fashioned charcoal is the purist way to go. Sure it's a pain in the butt to get it going at least a half hour brfore you cook, but its worth it.
Click to expand...

Ditto. Throw a couple Kingsford MatchLight coals in with your regular coals to get 'em started and you don't have to worry about lighter fluid.
 
Traeger wood pellet grills have a huge following here in Oregon. I've had mine for 3 years now and once you get the hang of it, it's just amazing!
You can cook on high, med (semi smoke), or low (smoke). There are different hardwood pellets (apple, cherry, mesquite and more) makes for some OUTSTANDING eats!

.http://www.traegergrills.com/
 
Whats on the agenda for the Fourth? We've got burgers, dogs, barbecued boneless chicken, steaks and corn on the cob.
 
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