Gas or charcoal?
![lhill](http://blr-hrforums.elasticbeanstalk.com/plugins/DefaultAvatars/design/GreenAvatar.jpg)
I'm about to purchase a new grill, and want to ask the experts. Which is best: charcoal or gas?
If it makes a difference, we mainly cook steaks, burgers, veggies, nothing fancy.
Linda
If it makes a difference, we mainly cook steaks, burgers, veggies, nothing fancy.
Linda
Comments
Cheryl C.
Disclaimer: This message is not intended to offend or attack. It is posted as personal opinion. If you find yourself offended or uncomfortable, email me and let me know why.
For charcoal, you want a good size grill so that if you want to cook over indirect heat (for chicken, ribs, etc., you can move your coals to the edges and still have enough room to cook in the middle. I do not think that you can beat a Weber for charcoal grills.
For gas, go with stainless steel for the body of the grill. Stainless will not rust and will let you enjoy grilling for many years to come. I also recommend getting a grill with at least two burners (again in order to use the grill for indirect heat), mine has three. For your cooking surface, go with cast iron, it seasons like the skillet and will cook food more evenly. Also, go with the ceramic or cast iron (enamel coated) element. These will not rust and will give you worry free performance for many years. Don't get sucked into all the extras, get a qaulity grill that will do what you want it to do. If you want to add a side burner, rotisserie, or a smake box to the grill, it adds to the cost. Stay with getting the grill that meets your needs and then look for one that will last.
If you like cooking outdoors, I agree with the Don, get a smoker. Do not get a gas smoker because it defeats the purpose. Stay away from a water smoker because they are small and do not hold their heat. It is best to have one made to your liking, any metal shop can make one for you. Keep your fire box to the side, make sure you can adjust the damper to control the temperature and that you can regulate the amount of smoke that you use.
Good luck and let us know what you ultimately purchase!
I've donated a smoker to the office that I use on the patio here frequently. It's a plain big-belly barrell about 4 feet long and two in diameter with a smokestack with adjustable flue. Off to the side, there's a smaller round barrell welded to the big one with a smoke passage hole between the two. The smaller one is where you build the fire to smoke on the larger one. Or, the smaller one also has a nice cast iron rack if I want to grill something over direct heat. The little firebox has a nice adjustable side-damper. There's even a heavy metal clip welded underneath that is perfect for a bean can with the top off to catch grease. These can cost from $199 to a thousand, but are really the most universal of all for smoking and light grilling.
Disclaimer: This message is not intended to offend or attack. It is posted as personal opinion. If you find yourself offended or uncomfortable, email me and let me know why.
Having said all that, very few dishes are as good as those cooked in a dutch oven buried in hot charcoals.
Enjoy your grill what ever you decide...
Linda
Disclaimer: This message is not intended to offend or attack. It is posted as personal opinion. If you find yourself offended or uncomfortable, email me and let me know why.
On a tangent: Do any of you have friends that have trouble distinguishing between barbequeing and grilling? It seems a common misconception in mid-Missouri.
I built an awesome grill (dual use gas and charcoal) out of an old 55 barrel drum and an old cast iron boiler. It is still in use by 1st Battalion, 504 Parachute Infantry Regiment soldiers in their common area at Fort Bragg. The only specialty tools I used was an acetylene torch and stick welder.
Gene
Disclaimer: This message is not intended to offend or attack. It is posted as personal opinion. If you find yourself offended or uncomfortable, email me and let me know why.
Dutch2
(If I'm gonna do "sweet," it's gotta be super-sweet. Otherwise, just give me a wedge of lemon in my iced tead.)
Disclaimer: This message is not intended to offend or attack. It is posted as personal opinion. If you find yourself offended or uncomfortable, email me and let me know why.
Hope everyone has a great grilling weekend