Charcoal only griller


 
I use charcoal when I have the time to do so. Since my wife and I have two sons age 4 and 16 months, this usually means weekends are when I do my charcoal grilling. On busy weeknights the Genenis EP-320 gets the nod.

Tonight I'll be doing cedar plank salmon on the Chargriller Super-Pro. That's the grill I use 95% of the time from late spring until Fall. My winter grill is the 22.5 OTG.

As another member mentioned earlier in this thread, there are things that the gas grill can do that the charcoal grill can't and vise-versa.

So that's why both get used a lot.
 
>>>As another member mentioned earlier in this thread, there are things that the gas grill can do that the charcoal grill can't and vise-versa.
<<<

I am glad to hear someone say that - it needed to be said.

This is not (or shouldn't be) a "me or them" thing. However, I do prefer my OTG Charcoal grill to ANY gas grill for general use. That does NOT mean that gas is no good, not on your life. It just means that I personally prefer charcoal, that's all.

FWIW
Dale53
 
If I had to choose only one grill, it would burn charcoal. I'm not sure if it would be a kettle or WSM. Nevertheless, I'm happy to have a gasser as well. It's great for grilling vegetables and can easily hit higher temps than charcoal. I view it as another tool in the box. When it is time to cook, I pick the tool best suited for the job at hand. If I want to do a bigger cook and fill the kettle with meat, I can grill other food on the gasser.

I have to add that the one thing I have not missed is a side burner. I use a burner in the kitchen where I have all of my utensils, seasonings, pots and pans at hand. That said, I do have an old Coleman gasser with side burner and I do use the side burner to light coals in a chimney. Once the tank is empty I'll need to decide what to do next as the tank on that burner is too old to be refilled. I do like how quickly propane lights lump.
 
I use all of the above. Sometimes gas, sometimes lump, sometimes char. It is all about what you are cookin, how you are cooking, and when does it need to be ready. All that matters is the finished product.
 
Charcoal only, except when at someone else's house. And then I usually complain about not having charcoal.

As people have mentioned, most foods take longer than 10 minutes to prep. Start your chimney, prep your food, put it on.
 
Originally posted by Thom E:
Of course, if cost isn't an issue, look in to pellet grill....or stick burners as some people call them.
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I will vouch for my stick burner!
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I hate gas, but I love gas... lemme 'splain.

I cook all of my "flamed" or "grill" items over charcoal or wood. BUT I have a couple of three-burner stoves that run on LPG, a turkey-fryer that is also fed off a 40# bottle & (my favorite) a seasoned wok/skillet made with a disc from a farm implement & heated with propane.

For grilling/smoking, it must be natural/organic. For eggs & hash browns, a cast-iron skillet (or wok/griddle) doesn't mind gas.
 
Our gas grill is rapidly falling apart so I decided to get a Weber Performer. So far I'm loving it.
The biggest difference between the two is the taste of the food. No way can a gasser compete with charcoal.
And with the gas assist starter it's proving to be almost as convenient as the gasser.
Now if I can just learn how to cook....
 
Mike;
I think you made an excellent choice. On thing for sure, if you take care of the Weber, you'll still have it 20 years from now. You sure can't say that about the last two gasser's I bought.

If you are new to charcoal, I can suggest two books for you:
1 - Cook's Country Best Grilling Recipes
On sale - http://www.cooksillustrated.co...e/detail.asp?PID=420

2 - Weber's Time to Grill
http://www.weber.com/weber/grilling-books

You might want to check Amazon for prices. Both books give specific details as to how to proceed.

My favorite is Cooks Country. I have NEVER been led astray by those people.

Dale53
 
As another member mentioned earlier in this thread, there are things that the gas grill can do that the charcoal grill can't and vise-versa.
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And what would that be? Tell me one thing that can be made on the gasser that wouldent be just as good or better over charcoal?
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Originally posted by Wolgast:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">As another member mentioned earlier in this thread, there are things that the gas grill can do that the charcoal grill can't and vise-versa.
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And what would that be? Tell me one thing that can be made on the gasser that wouldent be just as good or better over charcoal?
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</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I'll go the other way: Tell me one thing that can be done over charcoal that wouldn't be just as good or better over charcoal?

It all depends in both cases how you implement your grilling. Charcoal itself doesn't impart flavor (at least not good flavor). Remember -- it's used to filter OUT flavors and odors. Wood provides flavor -- you can use wood with either. Grease also can add flavor -- that is where I would agree that charcoal can better burn grease for flavor than gas can.

Rich
 
Rich: "Tell me one thing that can be done over charcoal that wouldn't be just as good or better over charcoal? " - Thats a though one!

I still think a lump/briq fire taste ALOT better then a gas fire. Wood or not. After the taste its just a matter of heat controll right?
 
Mike B. Wilson;
I just noted that Cook's Illustrated has a later book out that you might want to look at (read the reviews - it appears it might be better than the one I recommended - if so, it should be REALLY worthwhile).

At any rate, I am going to order the newer book from Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Cooks-Il...868/ref=pd_rhf_p_t_2

Newer is not always better, but it is certainly worth a shot.
Dale53
 
Originally posted by Wolgast:
Rich: "Tell me one thing that can be done over charcoal that wouldn't be just as good or better over charcoal? " - Thats a though one!

I still think a lump/briq fire taste ALOT better then a gas fire. Wood or not. After the taste its just a matter of heat controll right?
Click to expand...

Hmm, that IS pretty good. I'm sure glad I thought of that one...
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It's all personal opinion, Wolgast. I just cooked steaks last evening over charcoal and stand by my preference.

Rich

Edit: But the aromas from good charcoal are nicer and stronger. Or was that the wood chunks? <shrug>
 
Grease, and the effects of what happens to it and the accompanying drippings do affect the taste of the finished product - at least when grilling. The evenly distributed heat helps, but what does our with heat is how much hotter charcoal & wood burns, compared to gas.

I know there are people claiming you can get hotter with gas, but that happens only in concentrated areas under ideal circumstances. Unless you are cooking sliders with an acetylene torch, don't talk to me about how hot your gas gets. Even these new sear burners are only a gimmick; an attempt to mimic the searing capabilities of charcoal.

I guarantee a black and blue sirloin has more flavor than a rare sirloin. You cannot do black and blue using gas. And no matter what fancy rod, ceramic, composite, infrared, ultraviolet, ion, or matter-antimatter pulse setup you're using, you will not have control over heat distribution like you do with charcoal/wood. The further you get from the originating heat source, the lower the temp. The lower the temp, the less likely I will be able to sear & seal the meat.

I am not talented enough to work around the shortcomings of gas to get as good a result as some of you might be able to achieve.
 
Originally posted by Ralph S:
I know there are people claiming you can get hotter with gas, but that happens only in concentrated areas under ideal circumstances.
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I'm surprised this is even up for discussion. Both of my gassers will go to full scale on the thermometer in about ten minutes. I've never seen temperature that high with charcoal. And having used both, I can assure that the gassers do get hotter except for perhaps sitting a grate on top of a charcoal chimney. (Kind of the "concentrated areas under ideal circumstances" you reference.)

Further in an industrial setting, solid fuels are ground to a powder to provide effective mixing with air in order to generate high flame temperature (e.g. coal fired boilers.) No such techniques are required with gas. And powdering the solid fuel is simply not used in a home grill.

In short, I do not agree with your claim.
 
@ Hank B
I'm not trying to be argumentative but any gasser can only go as high as the BTU's that are speced for that unit. NG or LP.
Charcoal on the other hand can be stoked with the right amount of air to achieve much higher temps than gas.


Tim
 
Walter, try using the same thermometer. The "scale" or range on any grill is relative only to its own readings. On top of that, I've noticed that charcoal grills tend to have a wider range than has. Many thermometers can be changed simply by twisting or turning a part on the back. Others can change because the lots was dropped while you were lowering it.

Don't tell me how quickly your gasser pegs its thermometer. Tell me an accurate and repeatable temp it can attain, them tell me how stable and even it is the grilling surface. Low, Hot, Ideal doesn't cut it.
 
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