Charcoal or Gas for grilling?

[OutlawImmortal]

The best choice is propane and propane accessories.

 

[nolehusker]

The best choice is propane and propane accessories.

Hank? Is that you?

 

[thedddd]

I use a Big Green Egg....love it

They are awesome. Don't have one but a friend got one and smoked a turkey was the best. I just can't justify the price of one right now.

____________

Anyway for grilling I always use Lump Charcoal any brand even the cheap stuff works great. Never buy the briquettes and never use lighter fluid.

Then getting any charcoal started the best thing to own is a charcoal chimney. I got mine for only $8 at home depot, I didn't go expensive on the quick release or anything just a cheap one you just then dump the charcoal out.

 

[packerzrule]

I use the trust Weber for turkeys, beer can chickens, roasts and hams

everything else, I use gas as it is easier to cook year round

 

[Dan]

Hate lighting charcoal but love how it tastes. This is the one that I would prefer.

 

[mrwallace2ku]

wood, charcoal, NO lighter fluids of any kind and time.

 

[NorthCoastSteelersFan]

I go with charcoal, and I even grill in sub-freezing weather. The flavor is superior, and I don't mind that it's a little more work. Good eats is worth the effort.

 

[NorthCoastSteelersFan]

Oh, BTW.

Don't bother buying the "all natural" hardwood charcoal from Whole Foods. I have found pieces of charcoal in the bags, which are still identifiable as scrap lumber...including a very cool piece of decorative molding.

Gimme Kingsford or Royal Oak any ol' day!

 

[Gooch1034]

Oh, BTW.

Don't bother buying the "all natural" hardwood charcoal from Whole Foods. I have found pieces of charcoal in the bags, which are still identifiable as scrap lumber...including a very cool piece of decorative molding.

Gimme Kingsford or Royal Oak any ol' day!

For a long time I have been just grabbing the cheaper charcoal and using it and it has worked ok but not as hot as I would like. I have been spoiled by industrial gas grills and their hotspots that I really am not near as good at cooking at home. My timing is all thrown off not having steamers, convection ovens and LOTS of counter space. To get to my point, I finally just bought a bag of Kingsford for the grill and I really couldn't believe how much better/hotter it got compared to the other shit I had been using. I have been cooking for the stuck up rich for going on 20 years but it is the simplest things like charcoal and outdoor grilling/smoking that I am still figuring out. This thread has been very helpful!

 

[NorthCoastSteelersFan]

Yup, this is a good thread.

And yup, the cheaper coals don't burn as cleanly, so they're not as hot.

A buddy of mine swears by "lump" charcoal, but I don't care for it. Yes, the big pieces last a good long time, but there are too many small pieces that burn out too quickly. It doesn't cook as evenly, and sparks like a sona-mobeesh.

 

[Edisto_Tiger]

Oh, BTW.

Don't bother buying the "all natural" hardwood charcoal from Whole Foods. I have found pieces of charcoal in the bags, which are still identifiable as scrap lumber...including a very cool piece of decorative molding.

Gimme Kingsford or Royal Oak any ol' day!

I had been going back and forth between the cowboy charcoal and briquettes for a few years and have just recently gone strictly with Kingsford. It's just too easy to light and control temperatures. The latter being of the upmost importance. I know almost exactly how many briquettes to add every hour to maintain my temps where as with the lump or cowboy charcoal it varies depending on the sizes and chunks you get.

 

[Runeman]

I had been going back and forth between the cowboy charcoal and briquettes for a few years and have just recently gone strictly with Kingsford. It's just too easy to light and control temperatures. The latter being of the upmost importance. I know almost exactly how many briquettes to add every hour to maintain my temps where as with the lump or cowboy charcoal it varies depending on the sizes and chunks you get.

I'm OK with the briquettes if I'm doing burgers or steaks because the cook time is short compared to ribs, whole chickens and turkeys; then go with the lump charcoal. I still smoke the burgers and steaks with citrus wood(mostly Lemon). Sweet potatoes smoked are a special treat.

Starting the coals: IMO, the Chimney is the fastest and best because of no chemicals. The trick to the chimney is not wad up the paper too tight. Just 3 sheets of newspaper will have those coals red hot in very short order.

Also, don't like to add charcoal once the cook starts unless I have already foiled the food. Just put enough in the beginning and use the dampers to control the temp and lump charcoal will last a very long time.

For me, I like the ceramic cookers. Someone above mentioned the Big Green Egg, which is probably the most popular of ceramic cookers. I have a PrimoXL which is the same, however the cooking surface is oval which allows for more cooking space.

We all have our own ways and it's all good.

 

[ladyrockess]

Dad has both - he uses the gas grill during the week for quick things, like fish and chops, and then every Saturday we have a braai (Afrikaans word for a bbq) with the charcoal grill. No lighter fluid allowed, Dad pours in charcoal, builds a "tower" of split wood (splits his own logs from trees he's taken down in the garden and everything) and lights it with this pine stick stuff that he swears by. Fatwood Box | Free Shipping at L.L.Bean

That's not the same brand, but it's the same idea. Anyway he says his first box lasted him over 10 years of grilling at least once every single week and twice or more during the summer.

Takes well over an hour for the fire to be ready for the meat, but the whole point is to chill outside, drink a beer, and enjoy the garden and just hanging out with family and whichever friends happen to be over. I love it, can't wait for a week from tomorrow when I'll be home and get to braai again!

 

[ladyrockess]

I don't have either but I'm a broke grad student. Maybe with my next tax refund...

 

[Banned 10x]

I just purchased this one a week ago. Haven't had a chance to use it yet, but looking forward to cooking with Charcoal. In the past I've been exclusively gas only because it's easier.

 

[mrwallace2ku]

Yup, this is a good thread.

And yup, the cheaper coals don't burn as cleanly, so they're not as hot.

A buddy of mine swears by "lump" charcoal, but I don't care for it. Yes, the big pieces last a good long time, but there are too many small pieces that burn out too quickly. It doesn't cook as evenly, and sparks like a sona-mobeesh.

Lump stuff/wood is great for smoking with, last longer than biscuits do.

 

[mrwallace2ku]

I just purchased this one a week ago. Haven't had a chance to use it yet, but looking forward to cooking with Charcoal. In the past I've been exclusively gas only because it's easier.

Quite the setup with all the bells-n-whistles...your meat bill is sure to go up when the neighbors get a whiffer of what's going on down at your place.

 

[HizzleRocker]

As a general rule, charcoal will give you the better taste. However.....

* A gas grill allows you to control the temp more;
* A gas grill allows you to vary the temp more easily from one side to the other;
* A gas grill allows you to smoke with indirect heat.


I finally went all out and bought a Weber stainless stell, with a built in smoke box, and it has 3 sear stations as well, and a top tray, and a rotissourie, and a side burner.

This grill basically does whatever I tell it to do. I get just as much smoke as charcoal with my smoke box, and I can sear and turn off at will. Best grill I've ever owned. Expensive, but worth it.

 

[Banned 10x]

Quite the setup with all the bells-n-whistles...your meat bill is sure to go up when the neighbors get a whiffer of what's going on down at your place.

Yea, I've never been much of a griller but decided its time to start. I wanted to go strictly charcoal but the voice of reason (my wife) reminded me since we have kids its sometime easy to just turn on the gas and cook up some burgers in a couple of minutes... so we got the duo.

 

[mrwallace2ku]

Yea, I've never been much of a griller but decided its time to start. I wanted to go strictly charcoal but the voice of reason (my wife) reminded me since we have kids its sometime easy to just turn on the gas and cook up some burgers in a couple of minutes... so we got the duo.

Your gate can swing both ways now...I mean as far as grillin goes ...nice setup.