Poll: BBQ Gas vs Coal

Charcoal or gas

  • Charcoal

    Votes: 101 68.2%

  • More charcoal (because i like it burnt)

    Votes: 47 31.8%

  • Gas - an elegant grill for a more civilised age

    Votes: 31 20.9%
  • Total voters
    148
Gas for me - quicker, easier and almost indistinguishable in taste.


*Poll amended - nice try Mr Pacca but the people demand a gas option!
 
Always used charcoal growing up, more fun lighting it with a dash of petrol ;) and fun as a kid.

In my last house I bought a gas bbq for the 3rd floor terrace which was convenient and fast, plus saved the need to dump any coal.

However in my new house I have a nice big garden that I would love to get a new big gas grill AND a smaller charcoal one with automatic rotisserie skewer thingies. Not sure why really as the food tastes great on both but I think having a charcoal one is more fun and more of an experience :)

Both taste great though, gas is easier to cook on, charcoal is more fun.
 
Depends how much you plan on using it. If it's about 10 times a year or less then charcoal is a good option. If you're using it regularly then gas is the way to go.

We use our gas BBQ grill 2-3 times a week year round so charcoal is just not an option, especially on weekday evenings. That said we are looking at turning an old gas BBQ into a charcoal one for times when we have time/for slow cooking things - our current charcoal BBQ is tiny.

M1k3H said:
don't see the point of 'gas bbq'. More like 'I've got an outside hob'.

A bbq, in my opinion, is anything that uses wood or coal to provide heat, therefore adds a characterful flavour to the meat or anything you're cooking.
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That's pretty much what Weber gas BBQ's grills are designed for - well specifically to be used like a gas oven with a bit of char.

Charcoal does have that nice flavour, but you can synthesise it by using smoking wood chips on a gas BBQ, which many people also do on charcoal.
 
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Personally anything to munch on, in the garden with a beer in hand has to be a win-win. I have a half-barrel type thing, it has 3 different heights on both sides, had maybe 30-40 folks round and yep it's hectic but it works. I've thought about gas, but then it's like convenience, why not just use the oven/grill? The trick with ANY cooking to make it taste great, is the day before. Roasts, bbq, anything really, make a quick marinade and stick the meat in a plastic bag with it overnight. Obviously mix it about in the bag so it's coated, you'd be amazed how much better everything is.
 
Glaucus said:
charcoal and i don't get the faff bit, charcoal chimney starter and it doesn't take long anyway, can be preparing dishes etc, surly no one who is so short of time is cooking outside regardless.
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True.. but there's always a place for convenience and the effort of process - just like coffee..
 
robj20 said:
Gas is every bit as good. Your technically not even BBqing, your grilling.

Less faff by miles. Light BBQ, put food on, eat. While your still waiting for your coals to light im eating mine.

I only use mine at home very occasionally, 99% of the time its while im camping. Again gas is much cleaner for karting about. If i want to go back to basics i still a cast iron skillet in the fire and cook on that.
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Sounds delicious!
 
M1k3H said:
don't see the point of 'gas bbq'. More like 'I've got an outside hob'.

A bbq, in my opinion, is anything that uses wood or coal to provide heat, therefore adds a characterful flavour to the meat or anything you're cooking.
Click to expand...
This TBH, I have always used coals/wood for the BBQ, yes Gas is quicker etc but for me nothing beats the coals taste/flavour. Also adds to the atmosphere when having a BBQ in the summer.
 
Gas, coal is just too much of a faff.

It tastes the same after the first few goes, it's cleaner, easier, more even spread of heat so less chance of undercooking.
 
robj20 said:
Gas is every bit as good. Your technically not even BBqing, your grilling.
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Depends where you are, as was found during arguments in a similar thread last year.
Regardless of the etymology and origins, most of the world these days calls it barbecue, braai or somesuch. It's mostly an American thing to call it grilling, while grilling in the UK has the heat on top.
Some have a fire pit so you can have both a barbecue and a cooking pot (potjie) running side by side.

robj20 said:
While your still waiting for your coals to light im eating mine.
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What's the point, though? An hour and everyone's done. The whole idea behind a braai/barbecue is the social stuff, people gathered round the fire chatting and all that.
It's also about the art and the tradition, building a proper fire with wood and/or coal, cooking well over less regulated heat, etc.
You might as well go into the benchmark scoreboard threads and sneer at peoples' own efforts, because you simply paid 8Pack to do up a high-scoring build for you.

So there's coal vs gas... no-one extolling the virtues of electric, then? :D
 
Personally I have both, gas is really good for a very quick and simple bit of grilling, or if I use just one of the 2 burners and add a smoke generator I can bbq on it easily and with very little effort. Charcoal is more satisfying when it goes well but is undeniably a little more complicated to get the temperature control right...
 
NickK said:
True.. but there's always a place for convenience and the effort of process - just like coffee..
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The bin? :p

I've always been a die-hard charcoal fan, as others have already said, it's not just about the cooking, but the experience as well, and when you're done eating, chuck a few logs on there and you can all sit round the fire with a few beers/whiskys until the early hours :)
 
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