How to buy a gas or charcoal grill.
Deciding whether to buy a gas grill or charcoal grill can be quite confusing. Yeah sure there is more clean up, you have to get rid of the used up coals. And then there is always the possibility that the coals will burn out in the middle of cooking. That wouldn't happen with a gas grill, although there was a time I couldn't figure out why my steaks were taking so long to cook until I realized the gas tank had run out.
But there are also a lot of benefits to grilling with charcoal, which leads me to this article. I wanted to look at the pros and cons of grilling with charcoal and figure out how they affect my style of cooking. I'm not even going to approach electric grilling but it's something you may want to check out for yourself some time.
I put the question of gas vs. charcoal to a couple of my professional chef friends who had opposite positions. Although their preferences were different, they both came up with great reasons why they choose their style.
One chef listened quietly while I ranted about the virtues of gas grilling, waited until I was finished, and then said, "Yes, charcoal grills are more work and what type of grill you use will depend on your lifestyle and the amount of time you have available, but in the end you can't compare gas grilling to charcoal grilling. Forget about it, charcoal wins hands down."
When I asked why he was so enthusiast toward charcoal he said, "Because with charcoal, you add more flavor and you can make a hotter fire and heat is your friend."
The other chef I spoke with favored a gas grill for the convenience and felt you could achieve the same great tasting food by various cooking methods, food prep, and the use of woods for a smoky flavor.
Who's right? In my opinion there is no right answer and it really just depends on personal preferences. It really depends on your lifestyle and how often you plan to use the grill. Look at my list of benefits for both gas and charcoal to see which fits best into your lifestyle. If you have any additional benefits you would like to suggest, please send them to me here and I will post them on the site.
Benefits of Gas and Charcoal Grills
Gas Grills
- Push Button Convenience
- No messy charcoal to deal with
- Easy to start
- Control temperature with a dial
- Control temperatures for longer periods of time
- Can still use wood for smoky flavor
- Wind is not a factor
Charcoal Grills
- More heat
- Hotter grill
- Flavor from charcoal
- More intense smells
- More hands-on experience
My Favorite Barbecue Sauce
There are dozens if not hundreds of commercial barbecue sauces on the market and they all have subtle flavor differences. What sauce I enjoy on barbecued chicken may not be right for you but I thought I would share some of my favorites anyway. My current top pick is Tongue Tinglin' Sauce from North Carolina. I like it so much, I even throw some on leftover pasta for a quick lunch time meal.
You can find Tongue Tinglin' Sauce as part of a great selection of BBQ & Grilling Sauces at Carolina Sauce Company. Not only do they have these sauces, they also sell wing sauces, marinades, pasta sauces, rubs and seasonings. A good choice for hot sauces too.
Looking for Some BBQ Secrets?
This eCookbook, BBQ Secrets Revealed, was written by a retired Kentucky restaurant owner and delimitates all the guesswork when barbecuing. Learn how to grill or barbecue with perfect results whether its a steak, ribs, chicken or lamb.
Based on what Randy Prior learned from his grandfather, a successful restaurant owner in Kentucky, Randy tested and then retested what his grandfather had taught him and perfected this simple step-by-step fool proof system for grilling and barbecue.
This book will answer two fundamental questions about barbecuing and grilling:
What is the perfect temperature you should be cooking with for the kind of meat you're barbecuing ?
How to tell when the meat is done but still juicy?
With 174 competition-level recipes for the best rubs, marinades, mops, brines and sauces, this book guarantees to provide you with secrets to keep ribs moist and juicy on the grill. - Click here to learn more.
onlinesources: Gas & Charcoal Grills
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