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grilling: gas or charcoal?

gas or charcoal?

  • Total voters
    73
OutThere

OutThere

macrumors 603
Original poster
Dec 19, 2002
5,730
3
NYC
Well, being that it's the height of grilling season, what do you use? Gas or charcoal?

I'm a bit of a charcoal purist, even though it is more work and less consistent than gas, I think the flavor is considerably better.

I just grilled a huge beef roast tonight (not the typical grilling material...but tasty :D). Mmm.

23049585.jpg
 
I had a charcoal grill, that is until I got frustrated and got rid of the horrid thing.

Now I have nothing. :eek:


I haven't decided if I want to get a gas or charcoal grill yet, but I'm leaning towards charcoal.

In the meantime, I'll just keep the George Foreman plugged in. :D
 
Gas. Easier and you can use a smaller grill. Maybe it doesn't taste as good at the beginning but after a few skewers it's just all meat and fat.
 
What's "gas"?

In Canada, my parents' BBQ has a gas "hose" that's attached to the natural gas line of our house, so we BBQ using natural gas. I've never seen other people do that. Other people usually have those big tanks of gas (is it propane?) that they need to make sure is filled up. It's usually located under the grill. I don't have that in my family.

Ok, so we use natural gas, but above the gas burners are a stack of charcoal, or at least the pretty looking blocks of charcoal that look really well shaped and easy to put neatly below the grill of a BBQ. Does that count as "charcoal" BBQing?
 
Abstract said:
What's "gas"?

In Canada, my parents' BBQ has a gas "hose" that's attached to the natural gas line of our house, so we BBQ using natural gas. I've never seen other people do that. Other people usually have those big tanks of gas (is it propane?) that they need to make sure is filled up. It's usually located under the grill. I don't have that in my family.

Ok, so we use natural gas, but above the gas burners are a stack of charcoal, or at least the pretty looking blocks of charcoal that look really well shaped and easy to put neatly below the grill of a BBQ. Does that count as "charcoal" BBQing?
Click to expand...

That's how the grill at my first house was set up. It's very convenient! I don't think it counts as charcoal grilling, however.

I currently have a cheap propane grill. It does the job.
 
If I have the time and shelter (or the right weather), I prefer charcoal. Otherwise, I use propane.

I find that the slower cooking of the black rock leaves a better flavor, but the propanes keeps me from having to put back that one burger that apparently wasn't getting enough heat.
 
If I had a grill, I'd do charcoal. When we go picnicking with the family, we use those charcoal grills, and I just love the smell and taste.
 
What? Why would anyone barbecue (I'm assuming that's what this is about) with gas? We've got a cooker that uses gas already, I'm pretty sure a huge majority have too.

I'm sorry. I really don't see the point. What's next? A giant signal amplifier to microwave food in the garden?
 
i think that the pain in the ass that charcoal represents is not worth the moderate flavor difference; especially as i live in an urban setting and the gas grill heats up and cools down a lot quicker without large flames to freak out the neighbors/landlords. i use a propane grill


ejb190 said:
My biggest problem with it is keeping it low enough. I was trying to do corn on the cob this weekend, but the flame was too high and kept igniting the shucks!
Click to expand...

the best way to do corn that i have found is to peel back the husks like you were peeling a banana until you get all the way to the corn but do not detach them, take off all the silks, and then tie the husks in a handle and cut off the extra so you have a few inches of green husk as a handle on the bottom. then brush on some butter, grill on high heat for 25 minutes, rotating and basting with butter.

best corn evar. cooking them inside the husks you loose a lot of the grill flavor because you are basically just steaming them. this way you get great caramelization, etc..
 
raggedjimmi said:
What? Why would anyone barbecue (I'm assuming that's what this is about) with gas? We've got a cooker that uses gas already, I'm pretty sure a huge majority have too.
Click to expand...

No, me neither. You may as well be cooking indoors. Our kitchen stove also uses natural gas, and there's actually a grill (much like our BBQ) inside. We could actually BBQ indoors the same way that some families BBQ outdoors.

However, I can see the purpose of having a gas grill with charcoal above the gas burners. That way, the coals are still heating up and cooking your food, just with the assistance of natural gas to keep the charcoal hot. I really do like my family's BBQ, but that's probably because I really want to get on an airplane and go home once during my degree. :eek:
 
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