Grilling- Gas or Charcoal
 

It's the big debate at work, and most of the people here are more intelligent than my co-workers. Which do you prefer gas or charcoal? Expensive setups or old fashioned BBQ pits? thanks.

I prefer charcoal...that's always given the best results!

Charcoal tastes better. I just use a $70 weber grill and it works great.

Im a charcoal guy myself, but not adverse to using gas if I need to. I just find I get can arrange the coals better to get more consistent cooking areas. I have to Fiddle with the control knobs on gas grills more when I use propane.

I've mostly used gas and love it. But... I've done a fair share of charcoal cooking as well. Yes, the taste or charcoal is soooo much better, but the convenience of gas is great. I'd like to get a smoker, one of those texas ones, and those are only charcoal.

Charcoal smells and tastes sooo much better. But gas tastes damned good still, and is a helluva lot more convenient. With gas its so quick and easy to fire it up, you find yourself grilling almost everything. Its really nice being able to go out fire up the grill, open up a hotdog, go to the grill, toss it on, and go. In 10-15 minutes you can easily fire it up, and BBQ yourself a snack, whereas thats just not feasable on charcoal.

I have no time for charcoal.

I use a gas grill with a smoker insert....hmmmmmmm...very nice.

Prefer charcoal, gas is 1000x easier imo.

I think it depends. I prefer gas for the slow cook foods like ribs and really thick cuts, and charcoal for burgers and the other quick meats.

hey this is the first time posting here- so hey hows it goin.

im not a real chef or anything but i went through culinary school so you know, my oppinion is obviously more valuable than anyone else's.
charcoal that burns at a lower temperature can impart more flavour because it smokes a little.
theres this japanese charcoal that burns at some insanely hot temperature. Japanese folks grill stuff really fast because it improves the flavour by keeping it natural. But if you grill with that stuff you get a lot of flavour from the burning fat smoke which is really where the flavour of grilled foods comes from.

so, yeah thats my two cents.
charcoal rocks

I have both, during the week for quick dinner, I use gas, (convienience), but if I have guests over or have time, I will use a hardwood charcoal, and fire up the charcoal bbq. better cooking, can control hotspots better, ( if you arrange your coals) better flavor.
That being said, I did just cook ribs on the gas bbq, and I will have to say it was the best ribs I have ever cooked. slow cooked for approx 1.75 hours.

I use all 3,charcoal, gas grill, and a turkey fryer. Steaks kick ass on charcoal!

I have my grill set up on natural gas. I just plug the hose into the side of the house and light up the grill. Works great cuz I don't have to fill up the propane tanks or anything. To get the smokey flavor I soak hickory wood chips in water and then put them in a pan and wait for them to start smoking and then grill away. That way I get the best of both worlds.

I'm partial to charcoal, I love the flavor.

I've done some cooking on gas grills, though, and you can't beat the convenience. I've never owned one, and I'm hesitant to buy one, because I know I am so damn lazy that I'd never use charcoal again.

Grilling with charcoal is better than gas but to "kick it up a notch" try grilling with some different types of woods... hickory, mequite, etc. Very very nice flavors as a result.

Who has time for charcoal? I have a natural gas BBQ and I can have grilled anything any time of year...

That said, I do appreciate a good slow grill on real wood or charcoal... Jerked chicken or ribs... cooked slow and low...

Gas, for the conveniance (throw a bit of wood chips above the burner and you'll get all the smoky flavour you could ever want). I like to grill year-round, where I live charcoal would be a big waste of time during the winter.
I also use my open fire pit with a grill thrown overtop once the fire settles down to a bunch of embers. Then after the cooking is done, get rid of the grill, throw on some more wood and enjoy.

Riiiight.

Charcoal here. If I have the time I start with a hardwood fire to make the cooking coals.

This is much closer than I thought it would be, but I am from Texas, and down here gas is the devil. Those of you who say there is no time for charcoal should try a chimney starter. Fill it with coals or wood in the top & newspaper in the bottom, light the paper it does the rest. I set mine in the pit come back in twenty minutes & have the perfect temp, never fails

THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.

I second the chimney started. It cuts your time by a large chunk.

Also, if you are partial to hardwood coals, try natural lump charcoal.

gas.

i used to be a charcoal man.

then i bought a new gas grill,
and had the plumber hook up the gas line
from the house to the grill.

i never have to change a propane tank.
i never have to empty ashes.

a good cook can get amazing results
with either charcoal or gas,
so it's really about convenience for me.

also,
no restaurant i ever worked in had a charcoal grill.
they were all gas,
and they were all delicious.

'tis up to you cheif.

I agree with WarWagon. It really depends on what your grillin'. If I had to pick one: Charcoal.

Charcoal = better taste
Gas = higher convenience factor

For me, it's a wash.

Hmmm. Might have to throw me some brats on the ol' gas grill tonight.

I also have a chimney starter for my charcoal grill. I use the starter briquets made by weber. This will cut your charcoal readiness time even more. Plus, the pyro in me enjoys the flames.

Oh, and another plus for a chimney starter:

If you need to sear something at an exteme high heat (Tuna steaks are an example) you can cook right on top of the chimney starter (with a rack on top). If you let the coals go long enough, it acts like a jet engine, drawing air from the bottom.

Thanks again, AB

Get a good enough gas grill, with ultra good flavorizer bars, and use somthing such as a side steamer. You'll have your self somthing good enough you wont care if its Gas or Charcol.

I choose gas due to the precision of heat, and control.

I have both types. I prefer the flavor charcoal gives the food. The gas grill is convient for small amounts. But I still like cooking the best.

ive always been a fan of both with the slight edge to charcoal although as said before its a ton easier to just use a propane grill as theres no wait and it still tastes pretty damn good

I'm a serious "low and slow" barbecue junkie. I caught the bug about a year ago, and I have been honing my craft ever since. Of all the people I have cooked for, most of them think I should go into those BBQ competitions you see on food network, but I still have a lot to learn before I take that step.

Oh, and my vote (if it is not obvious by now) was for charcoal. Real BBQ isn't about convienience, it's about taste.

Charcoal tastes better but I only use charcoal on special occasions. It's too expensive and takes too long to get it going when I'me just cooking a regular meal for my wife and I. All other times it's a gas grill. Ready to cook in less than 5 minutes and $10 will last you a long time.

Gas is for grilling, charcoal and wood is for Bar B Q.
Grilling is quick.
Bar B Q takes hours.
It's just that simple.

I love using a charcoal grill. It seems so much more... natural. With a gas grill, I feel like I'm just using another cooking appliance (as in, I may as well be doing this in the oven or on the stove). With charcoal, I feel like I'm really grilling.

As far as it taking too long, this confuses me. It takes 20 minutes to get all the coals heated, but you can just start them and leave to go prepare your meat or whatever else you're cooking until they're ready. Cleaning it can be a bitch (ashes), but it's really not so bad.

good answer, I love my gas grill for a quick steak or hotdogs, or anything that I want to eat in 15 minutes or less. If I am bbqing it's a mixture of charcoal and mesquite for me.

Charcoal rules for cheap and fun flavor... ...notwithstanding carcinogens

I Disagree, when "grilling" a steak you don't need to cook it for hours, but the coals & wood give it some of it's flavor.
Now I know some of you might say that gas grills have smoker boxes, but I haven't seen one that duplicates the taste charcoal gives meat.

charcoal and chimney for sure. Hate the taste of the starter fluid but love the charcoal.

I use charcoal. I start it using those sawdust/wax block things. I don't use starter fluid.

Also, if you really read the instructions, most gas grills recommend 15 minutes or so of pre-heating.

They both have benefits, I suppose, but I like the smell of the burning charcoal.

Charcoal is better, along with wood chips to give it good flavor. Gas is easier, but nothing ever that easy is worth it.......... Unless she is REALLY easy :-).