Charcoal only griller


 
Since using charcoal for the 1st time a few years back, it's now the method I cook with 90% of the time. I would sell my Genesis to buy a larger charcoal grill but I can't get the courage to sell it. The poor thing is just collecting dust though.
 
Originally posted by Bob Sample:

Mostly I just use the gasser to rest stuff on
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That's hilarious. I use mine to rest stuff on too (enter SJ). That said, I couldn't live without either. They can both do things the other can't. Sorry to be the devil's advocate of the thread
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I've never had a gasser. Learned to charcoal before gassers were on the scene, so have just stuck with it.
Quick dogs and burgers are on the table in about 30 minutes, not too bad.
 
I just, this last week, made the "all-charcoal" decision. The last of the gas grills in the back patio are out, and I'm on to the wood/charcoal side of grilling. The only reason I had a gas grill was for the rotisserie, and with the help of Chris at Cajun Bandit, I'm now a total Weber gal, even for that. I'm still so amazed at how helpful everyone is when it comes to this kind of cooking. Thank you all!!

Good Grill'n!
 
I gave away my gasser. I never was happy with the food off of it. I have two grills: a hasty bake and a weber three wheeler and a WSM. All coal all the time. The only thing I miss is the side burner for boiling water or heating oil for frying.
 
all charcoal here

i think the whole 'convenience' thing is mostly myth.

realistically, a gas grill still takes 5+ minutes to heat up.

pretty much EVERYTHING that i grill takes more than 10 minutes to prepare.

Most of the time, i start prepping food before I light the charcoal.

For foods without prep time (hot dogs, brats) my charcoal can totally be ready in 5 minutes. With the performer, i pour some lump in the area with the starter, hit the button, wait 5 minutes. Spread the coals a bit, put the grates on, close the lid, go get the food.
 
I agree with you Troy in everyway. Sometimes I think it would be easier with gas, but like Jess said, the food is just not that great on a gas grill. Sometimes when I am at a friends house and they have a gas grill "I think I taste that good old charcoal/wood flavor", nah, it just must be that second glass of wine or beer that I had, making me think it tasted good.
Go with charcoal,...the performer...you won't be disappointed. Hey, when you think of it, you're getting two for the price of one!
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I've been all charcoal for the past 10 or 11 years, which is almost all of my grilling career. You can make some good food on a gasser, no doubt, but there is just something elemental (and therapeutic) about wood and fire and smoke that's just good for the soul.

Someone mentioned searing or steaks as an advantage for charcoal, and that's true. I'd also add that wood chucks/chips are FAR easier to work with on charcoal, and that's where most of the cooking flavor comes in. Charcoal grills are also far cheaper for comparable quality.
 
Charcoal only here as well. Almost bought a gasser when I sold my Chargriller but just couldn't pull the trigger on one. If you are only wanting a burger/brat/dog or two,just fire up the chimney starter with a few briquettes and set a grate on top.
 
About three years ago, I replaced my "burned out gasser" with a nice stainless steel gasser from one of the big box stores. The price was right and it worked well for a couple of years. Then, the burners went south. When I checked the replacement cost on the burners (simple ss pipes with holes in them) the four burners cost nearly as much as a whole grill. I bought a cheap generic set of "fits all" burners. The grill, now, will not reach a high enough temperature. Bummer!

Then, my brother gave me a used Weber 18.5 One Touch Silver. I immediately got better results. Last month I had all of my kids in with their families for a couple of weeks. In anticipation, I bought a new Weber OTG 22.5" to augment the little one. GOOD MOVE!

We did "Minion Method" ribs, great steaks, wonderful chickens and all in all, I have become a "Charcoal Nut"!

Discovering a Weber Chimney has been the clincher for me. It removes most of the delay, is consistent, and things are just MUCH better when using charcoal - both convenience, now, and quality of the food.

Dale53
 
Quite frankly, if I wanted to cook with gas, I'd be in the kitchen ****ing around with the range and oven. The whole reason for being outside is to do things you can't do indoor. You know...get some sun...pitch some shoes...play with fire...torture the neighbors... And that's just for starters. LOL
 
I sold my Weber Genesis an now use my performer the majority of the time. That paired with a Weber Q120 with a lid thermo installed makes an excellent team.
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Discovering a Weber Chimney has been the clincher for me. It removes most of the delay, is consistent, and things are just MUCH better when using charcoal - both convenience, now, and quality of the food.

Dale53
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I would second that! I've been using a cheap generic chimney for years. Last week I saw a Weber chimney on sale, so I picked it up. I liked that it was so large and that it had an insulated handle.

HOLY. CRAP. This thing lights charcoal and partially burned charcoal at least twice as fast as my generic chimney. It's so fast that I still can't quite believe it. This is an incredible product, and everybody that grills with charcoal should spend the extra $5 to get one. It's such a better product than my generic that I threw the old one away after one use.

Stan
 
StanHenson;
My gifted Weber 18.5" OTS came with a generic chimney. In my innocence, I thought a chimney is a chimney. My son was visiting, not long after I made the switch to charcoal, and told me right away that I would be happier with a Weber Chimney.

It is NOT just the size, either (the Weber holds more charcoal than my generic). The generic would go out. I would be waiting for it to light (I do the timed method - light the chimney and so many minutes later go out to dump it in the grill). I would go out to dump it and learned that it went out without lighting the charcoal. So, I would have to start over again.

The Weber chimney has NEVER let me down. Never! You wouldn't think that something as simple as a chimney would exhibit a quality difference, but it sure does!

I have shared my findings with several friends (and sold a few Weber chimneys as a result).

FWIW
Dale53
 
Robert,

You're totally right. It's the size, the amount of air holes, and the steel cone inside that make the difference. It's so fast it surprises me.
 
I bought a Performer after the burner on my gas grill disintegrated into little flakes of rust. Thought I would end up buying another gas grill but after a few years I haven't seen the need... ended up buying an 18.5 WSM instead.

As others have said, you can do pretty much anything easily and well with a Performer, although long smokes need more tending than the same cook with a WSM.
 
Ever since I purchased my OTG in 2004 my Weber Genesis has been relegated to an overflow oven. Gasser works great for baking casseroles and appetizers when we have large crowds especially over the holidays.


HerbS
 
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