*****Official BBQ Thread - Suns out, Buns out!*****

D.P. said:
BS, considering in double blind taste testing there is no difference between gas and BBQ competitions world wide are won with gas.

With a charcoal you get all the ash to clean up afterwards
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Who said anything about taste? Half the fun of the BBQ is getting a decent bed of coals going, it’s part of the experience.

Clicking on the gas grill is soulless. Like a microwave meal.

There is no ash to clean up. Once every few months you toss out the ash at the bottom of the BBQ on a Weber Smoky Joe or toss the handful of ash from the pan in the bin on the larger BBQs. Not exactly a momentous effort.
 
First pork shoulder of the year yesterday. Had plenty of time and really wanted to make sure I hit 200F all through it. With the help of wrapping at 165F, was no problem at all, and without doubt the best pulled pork I've made. Used a rub of salt, pepper, chili powder, paprika, garlic granules, brown sugar, and mustard powder. I used Weber's pork smoking blend wood chips, seemed to work really well, nice powerful smokey taste but not overwhelming. Served on nachos, and did another two meals after that too. So tender and tasty.





 
D.P. said:
Totally get that but I also fiind using charcoal, a chimney a lighter cubes a bit of a chest as well.

With 2 kids and a busy life i like the fact that with gas i can cook eat before a charcoal grill is even ready. On the flip side,when I have time I like to make a real fire with the kids with wood, kindling,, dried grass as starter and create coals to put potatoes wrapped in foil in, chunks of meat above the embers, marshmallows on sticks etc.
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You trot this rubbish out every bbq season! Gas still needs 10 mins to heat the grill so it’s a whole 5 min faster and the flavour is not the same, scientifically proven many times and no gas doesn’t win at competitions - these days pellet smokers tend to win but then it’s wood/charcoal. As every year, read the actual science behind how gas and charcoal are different and how gas can not produce the same smoke as wood/charcoal/pellets.

As ever, gas is fine as long as it’s a good brand - I wouldn’t say it’s any easier but it’s a bit less messy so does have advantages.

Anyhoo, Anyone here using a pellet smoker - very close to ordering a Traeger but would be interested in owners thoughts and other brands to consider?
 
There's a lot of people claiming science has proven one way or the other on the charcoal vs gas argument but not many links to said science...
 
I have just bought my first charcoal bbq after having gas for years
Gas IS easier and quicker( factoring starting and cleaning) but just doesn’t taste as good
Just my 2 pence worth
 
Shimmyhill said:
Anyhoo, Anyone here using a pellet smoker - very close to ordering a Traeger but would be interested in owners thoughts and other brands to consider?
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I've had a Traeger for a few years (recently upgraded with their improved controller). It's a nice bit of kit though I've had the odd issue with flameouts.

There's a definite difference between pallet and proper wood chunks in terms of smoke flavour but it's not a bad one as such. It's also really awesome to be able to smoke meat/fish at ~65C if I want to.
 
FrenchTart said:
I've had a Traeger for a few years (recently upgraded with their improved controller). It's a nice bit of kit though I've had the odd issue with flameouts.

There's a definite difference between pallet and proper wood chunks in terms of smoke flavour but it's not a bad one as such. It's also really awesome to be able to smoke meat/fish at ~65C if I want to.
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What model do you have and any mods at all?

I have read a bit about the controllers, do you have the new one with temp as applied to the low/medium/high? I have seen you can add third party controllers too so hope down the line a WiFi reporting option is added!

Like you it’s the versatility that is tempting me with one, I want a separate smoker and it seems a solid choice.
 
Shimmyhill said:
What model do you have and any mods at all?

I have read a bit about the controllers, do you have the new one with temp as applied to the low/medium/high? I have seen you can add third party controllers too so hope down the line a WiFi reporting option is added!

Like you it’s the versatility that is tempting me with one, I want a separate smoker and it seems a solid choice.
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The model is the Junior Elite though as it's fairly old now I imagine there's a new revision.

The original controller had temperatures but the gaps between them were large and they weren't that accurate. The new controller has more finely-grained temps, support for display in Celsius (iirc) and two temp probes. I don't really use the inbuilt temp probes as I can use one of the myriad of wireless thermometers I have instead.

It's actually owned by my housemate and as I'm likely to buy my own place pretty soon I'm currently trying to weigh up the pros and cons of getting my own pellet smoker vs a bullet smoker and a temp controller. I'm leaning more towards the pellet tbh, though I'd probably get a Weber kettle BBQ too.
 
FrenchTart said:
The model is the Junior Elite though as it's fairly old now I imagine there's a new revision.

The original controller had temperatures but the gaps between them were large and they weren't that accurate. The new controller has more finely-grained temps, support for display in Celsius (iirc) and two temp probes. I don't really use the inbuilt temp probes as I can use one of the myriad of wireless thermometers I have instead.

It's actually owned by my housemate and as I'm likely to buy my own place pretty soon I'm currently trying to weigh up the pros and cons of getting my own pellet smoker vs a bullet smoker and a temp controller. I'm leaning more towards the pellet tbh, though I'd probably get a Weber kettle BBQ too.
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Looks the same as the Bronson 20, I’m looking at that one or the pro 20 - I have a Weber kettle so seems perfect combo to me!
 
Sorry to drag it back to charcoal vs. gas again, but is it not true that charcoal reaches far higher temperatures than most consumer grade gas grills are capable of? In which case there must necessarily be a difference in food taste and smoke production.

Are the blind taste tests referred to above using £3000 commercial grills or £400 domestic ones?
 
Participant said:
Sorry to drag it back to charcoal vs. gas again, but is it not true that charcoal reaches far higher temperatures than most consumer grade gas grills are capable of? In which case there must necessarily be a difference in food taste and smoke production.

Are the blind taste tests referred to above using £3000 commercial grills or £400 domestic ones?
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You are correct, charcoal (lump particularly) burns much hotter, a gas bbq may have a special searing function. But it is usually small and not very practical.

Cooking over charcoal will generate lots of smoke and you also have the meat drippings falling onto the coals which all adds to the flavour. Over a longer cook (when you’re not just grilling some sausages quickly) it can penetrate and really contribute to the flavour.

I can appreciate why people buy and enjoy gas BBQs, but I am firmly in the charcoal & wood camp and think it gives a much superior flavour.
 
valve90210 said:
When I'm lighting either lumpwood or briquettes (I almost exclusively use heatbeads) I stick them in a chimney and light them using a portable gas stove lie this

FPMHZW4.jpg

Works perfectly. When I went on a smoking weekend last year pretty much everyone used these as they are so simple.
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Was in aldi last night and they had they're equivalent of this so picked one up. Should make things easy whatever the weather.
 
Gas Vs charcoal. I've got both. We use gas during the week in the evening and coal at the weekend when you've got more time. Works well
 
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