Poll: BBQ: Charcoal vs Gas

[Street]

I don't get this convenience factor people keep quoting. Last night I put the charcoal in the chimney and lit it. While it was getting going, I prepped the food. By the time I was done with that, the charcoal was ready so I dumped it in the BBQ, put the food on and I was cooking. When I was done, I scraped the grill, put the lid on and closed the vents and gave the ash sweeper a few turns. It was about 50mins in total to cook frittatas on the BBQ.

 

[glenimp617]

Could someone recommend me a decent gas bbq please?

 

[Armageus]

Could someone recommend me a decent gas bbq please?

Depends what you want to spend - I bought a blue one of these a couple of years ago and has been solid so far (and has proper cast iron grates rather than the thin steel ones you get in a lot of gas bbqs):
https://direct.asda.com/george/home...d-side-gas-barbecue/050073885,default,pd.html

You can also get a hot plate/griddle for it:
https://direct.asda.com/george/home...l-hot-plate-griddle/050077751,default,pd.html

If you've got more to spend, then an Outback or Weber are probably a better long term option (e.g. for spare parts etc)

As an alternative and maybe to settle the debate - why not both gas and charcoal:
https://direct.asda.com/george/home...l-combination-grill/050077750,default,pd.html

 

[200sols]

I have both, weber gas BBQ and kettle. I prefer charcoal, its just a 'proper' BBQ, gas is just not the same but undoubtedly it is more convenient to use.

 

[Participant]

Could someone recommend me a decent gas bbq please?

http://www.argos.co.uk/product/5388631

I don't get this convenience factor people keep quoting. Last night I put the charcoal in the chimney and lit it. While it was getting going, I prepped the food. By the time I was done with that, the charcoal was ready so I dumped it in the BBQ, put the food on and I was cooking. When I was done, I scraped the grill, put the lid on and closed the vents and gave the ash sweeper a few turns. It was about 50mins in total to cook frittatas on the BBQ.

I know what you're saying and I'm a charcoal fan, but no matter how quick you can do something with charcoal, surely gas will always be quicker ceteris paribus.

 

[Psycho Sonny]

I don't get this convenience factor people keep quoting. Last night I put the charcoal in the chimney and lit it. While it was getting going, I prepped the food. By the time I was done with that, the charcoal was ready so I dumped it in the BBQ, put the food on and I was cooking. When I was done, I scraped the grill, put the lid on and closed the vents and gave the ash sweeper a few turns. It was about 50mins in total to cook frittatas on the BBQ.

how long does your coal last for? do you need to top it up?

 

[thewanted]

how long does your coal last for? do you need to top it up?

It's all about controlling the temperature with airflow. If you let it go beserk and hit 300c+ the fuel will obviously not last very long. The type and quality of fuel matters too. Briquettes will generally last longer than lumpwood due to their density and composition.

I could get at least a 24 hour burn if I set mine up to run at 107c.

 

[Street]

how long does your coal last for? do you need to top it up?

A chimney full is more than enough to cook an evening meal with for me. Usually when it's done I close the vents to kill it off then I reuse the left over charcoal next time. If I'm doing low n slow, which I've done up to 15 hours, I use briquettes and just fill the basket in the smoker. Again when I'm done I just kill it off and reuse what's left next time.

 

[Psycho Sonny]

It's all about controlling the temperature with airflow. If you let it go beserk and hit 300c+ the fuel will obviously not last very long. The type and quality of fuel matters too. Briquettes will generally last longer than lumpwood due to their density and composition.

I could get at least a 24 hour burn if I set mine up to run at 107c.

i'm using heat beads that were recommended on here as well as big K lumpwood charcoal from waitrose. so not cheap crap.

People say you should never close the top vent so I need to dial down the bottom 3 vents a bit?

 

[Street]

Yeh, always leave the top vent open and just control with the bottom. That's the same stuff I use so you shouldn't have a problem with it.

 

[thewanted]

i'm using heat beads that were recommended on here as well as big K lumpwood charcoal from waitrose. so not cheap crap.

People say you should never close the top vent so I need to dial down the bottom 3 vents a bit?

Don't close any vent completely unless you want to kill your fire There's nothing wrong with adjusting both vents to get the temp you require. I do most of my temperature adjustment with the top vent after setting the bottom vent to a position where I feel it'll give me a stable position to work from.

 

[Psycho Sonny]

Yeh, always leave the top vent open and just control with the bottom. That's the same stuff I use so you shouldn't have a problem with it.

i think the problem is i'm not getting enough airflow. i find they go cold and never burn out fully. even with all vents open. they are raging in the chimney starter however. do you have this issue when there is zero wind?

 

[haaammit]

I've said this before. I'm an out-door caterer. For work I used a gas BBQ like this one

https://www.nisbets.co.uk/cinders-barbecue-slimfold/k354

For home I use a 57cm Weber

There really is no comparison imvho the gas one is just a gas grill and the food tastes and cooks very differently on both,

 

[Street]

i think the problem is i'm not getting enough airflow. i find they go cold and never burn out fully. even with all vents open. they are raging in the chimney starter however. do you have this issue when there is zero wind?

Weird, I never usually have a problem once they are all burning well in the chimney. Even on a still day I can close the bottom vent right down and it'll hold temperature. With the WSM I often have the vents open a tiny fraction and it sits at 110C fine.

 

[Amp34]

Totally inaccurate. Layman and 'expert' alike frequently argue over whether barbecuing is a type of grilling, or the other way around with grilling being one of several cooking techniques utilised in the barbecue... Supposedly the original Caribbeans and Arawaks were essentially grilling, but with a lot of smoke involved too, so I guess it's both.

I personally believe it's about cooking food on a grille, outside in some not-at-home location, which means not really being able to carry a massive half-ton gas-based brick installation as you've usually camped and/or trekked to the location... with home barbecues being a necessity given how few outside locations will actually let you barbecue, nowadays.

But really, it comes down to where you're from, as the meaning of the word and its similarities vary around the world. A barbie and a braai are neither barbecue nor grill... or so I'm vehemently told.

But this is the UK, in which case the word is barbecue and must comprise standing around for several hours getting drunk and sunburnt, while the most senior paternal figures of the hosting household attempt to light the charcoal fire with firelighters and white spirit (other liquid fuels acceptable), and then the whole thing getting rained off by sudden heavy showers a few minutes before the food is ready!!

So (not having read the whole thread), you're a wood person, not a charcoal or gas person? Wood and open fire is going to be the only option that makes sense in your example, as portable gas and charcoal BBQs are just as practical.

I mostly use a gas Weber Genesis because it's just easier, which is important when you're BBQ/grilling several times a week. That said on some occasions I use charcoal, and occasionally wood. I try to steer clear of briquettes however, but still use those occasionally to. Just depends on what I'm doing, where I'm doing it and how much time I have.

 

[Entai]

Where is the option for both?
My outdoor Bbq, has charcoal baskets with gas burners underneath.
The gas lights the charcoal and gives control over the heat as you can turn it up or down and control the burn rate of the charcoal
Perfect cooking every time with the classic charcoal smokey flavour.

 

[Rotty]

Could someone recommend me a decent gas bbq please?

no

 

[ttaskmaster]

So (not having read the whole thread), you're a wood person, not a charcoal or gas person? Wood and open fire is going to be the only option that makes sense in your example, as portable gas and charcoal BBQs are just as practical.

Wood by preference, yes. Charcoal for when we don't have enough wood in.
Saying that, you could carry enough charcoal if you really wanted. You'd only need about 3kg of decent stuff to cover 4 people.... well, 4 people dining on the amount *I* cook. I could probably stretch that to 8 or more!!
But that's just charcoal and a grille, with which you'd basically make an open fire. I doubt I could carry a gas canister and barbecue assembly comfortably!

 

[Amp34]

Wood by preference, yes. Charcoal for when we don't have enough wood in.
Saying that, you could carry enough charcoal if you really wanted. You'd only need about 3kg of decent stuff to cover 4 people.... well, 4 people dining on the amount *I* cook. I could probably stretch that to 8 or more!!
But that's just charcoal and a grille, with which you'd basically make an open fire. I doubt I could carry a gas canister and barbecue assembly comfortably!

But if you've gone out of your way to take charcoal presumably you're also going to want to take a grill and a container of some kind. And then you're not much difference in weight to something like this (6kg). https://www.amazon.com/Weber-114100...N=B00FX3MH1O&ascsubtag=335721|google.ca||||1| . The benefit of that is you could cook for several days on it.

Much easier to just pick up some firewood from the floor, let it burn down to coals and cook directly on that if you're actually hiking. If you're car camping then the world is your oyster, you could always get a BBQ attachment for the tow hook and stick a Genesis on the back, like many do.

 

[Shimmyhill]

Got both, and have used both in parrel fopr events.

I challenge anyone to do a blind taste taste. The charcoal itself does not in part any flavor at all into cooking, if it does you are cooking wrong and not waiting for it to get hot enough. The flavor form grilling over charcoal or gas comes form fats and juices hitting the heat source below and vaporizing. Good quality charcoal gives off no odor.

There are a few difference, some pros and cons to each:

• Charcoal is just never as convenient, even within chimneys and electric starters. Charcoal is dirty, you have to keep a good supply, and it always takes significantly longer to prepare.
• Cheap gas cookers don't get as hot. Whether this is an issue depends exactly on what you are doing but for most foods it is pretty irrelevant. For searing a thin steak you want a good gas BBQ, or do what most restaurants do and use a cast iron pan.
• A poorly maintained charcoal grill wont be as hot as a good gas one. Worse still it can have uneven heat
• Gas BBQs always have he ability to lower temperatures which is very useful for thicker meats. With charcoal grills you can't lower the charcoal bed so easily and you have less control over temperatures when the re are flare ups etc.
• Good quality hardwood charcoal is expensive, and not so easy to find.
• Charcoals grills are harder to clean up.
• Good charcoal grills last forever. Even good gas BBQs tend to eventually need replacing, and they are more expensive
• not so much in the UK but in many countries, charcoal cna be banned outside or on balconies etc, while gas grills are more tolerated due to fire safety.

When it comes to smoking, e.g. rel BBQ there are some more differences:

• Temperature is irrelevant since you cook at lower temperatures
• Regulating an accurate temperature is important, this is much easier with gas, and can be made automatic.
• Gas BBQs generate more CO, less CO2 and more H20 vapor. The carbonmonoxide is a preservative, and will lead to a deeper "smoke ring", because as smoke ring has nothing to do with smoke but preserving the color of the hemoglobin. CO will also preserver the meat flavor more. This is the only time when there is a difference in flavor, and it is subtle and only comes about after hours of cooking. Many people prefer the meatiness of gas, others prefer the slightly drier taste with charcoal .The water vapor helps create a stronger smoke that sticks more readily to the meat. This is why you typically add a water tray to the smoker. The watervapor can keep the meat more moist (on the outside) while smoking. Thin is a personal choice, if you want the outside to dry right out then charcoal without a water tray would be better.
  
• In both charcoal and gas smokers, the smoke comes form the wood chips and has nothing to do with the heat source.
  
• Many professional BBQ joints in the US that regularly win competitions use gas smokers in house. Within the actual competitions there are sometimes regulation related to safety that prohibit gas, but in these instance often electric smokers win.

Huzzah the D.P. post of rubbish is here, there is a difference in taste and the flavour doesn’t just come from the fat dripping and Americans don’t use gas to win comps - wood, pellets, charcoal in that order.

Charcoal does give off smoke, to think it doesn’t is frankly insane as you’re suggesting it’s not combusting at all - in your world charcoal would never burn!

Before someone asks and maybe this decade D.P. will read it here is some science.. https://amazingribs.com/ratings-rev...coal-grill-vs-gas-grill-throwdown-lets-settle

As ever, place for all of them - I’m a charcoal man, just got a pellet smoker and have a gas that’s not used (well my sister has it at the moment so maybe used on occasion)