Gas VS charcoal grills

[Vigilant]

Get a hot water heater blanket. I used to use moving blankets before i built my insulated smoker.

i used moving blankets to "insulate" my Traeger rather than buy their $100 insulation kit. The old saying, you gets what you pay for got me there, turns out moving blankets melt to the back of your smoker! Should have got the insulation kit!

 

[Rookie]

That sucks. I never had that problem with the blankets I used. I never knew Traeger sold insulated blankets either.

 

[femurphy77]

I recently upgraded from a chargriller with sfb and several tried and true mods but recently upgraded to a Good One Open Range. The Open Range is a purpose built rather pricey unit whereas the chargriller has been an acceptable learning tool. I haven't given up on the chargriller yet though as I still have a couple of mods I want to try. Both have served me well and will probably continue to do so. Damn all this talk about smokin' meat has me ready to break out the grills!

 

[Rookie]

You're telling me they're put away?!?

 

[femurphy77]

You're telling me they're put away?!?

Guilty as charged. Unfortunately VERY busy the past 3 years but I have been promised that this year will be different!

 

[Vigilant]

That sucks. I never had that problem with the blankets I used. I never knew Traeger sold insulated blankets either.

Traeger sells a kit that wraps around the body of the grill looks like the shiny silver fireman's suits they use at airports. I was too cheap to buy one after the $800 grill(kinda like an $800 pistol ina $12 Uncle Mikes). I learned my lesson though!

Insulation Blanket for Texas Grill | Traeger Wood Fired Grills

 

[JettaKnight]

Y'all and your fancy high priced grills.

The best I can do is a pit: Kabob Pit

 

[Vigilant]

Y'all and your fancy high priced grills.

The best I can do is a pit: Kabob Pit

I mean, heat is heat right? You're $20 Kabob Pit is just as good as the Big Green Egg for less than the cost of near ANY BGE accessory!
(Very much purple implied)

 

[indiucky]

Y'all and your fancy high priced grills.

The best I can do is a pit: Kabob Pit

Perfect......Here's a pic of Churchmouse grilling for the first time...Look at him...Just a kid really lol.....

 

[Hohn]

My cheap-gas grill is collecting rust on the patio. Like every gas grill under $400, it is pure unadulterated JUNK. Crappy burners. Terrible heat distribution. Leaks heat like a sieve.

Last year I bought a weber Kettle for $150. I've seen many kettles last 10 years or more.

So, do I want a 10 year grill for $150 or a 2 year one for $300? Hmmmm...

Also, since the kettle is the Glock of grills, you have the massive aftermarket accessory store at your disposal.

I'm also a huge fan of knowing BEFORE I cook whether I have enough fuel to actually make the meal.


My LP tanks are only used with a Camp-Chef stove, which is a great product for the money.

 

[SMiller]

My cheap-gas grill is collecting rust on the patio. Like every gas grill under $400, it is pure unadulterated JUNK. Crappy burners. Terrible heat distribution. Leaks heat like a sieve.

Last year I bought a weber Kettle for $150. I've seen many kettles last 10 years or more.

So, do I want a 10 year grill for $150 or a 2 year one for $300? Hmmmm...

Also, since the kettle is the Glock of grills, you have the massive aftermarket accessory store at your disposal.

I'm also a huge fan of knowing BEFORE I cook whether I have enough fuel to actually make the meal.


My LP tanks are only used with a Camp-Chef stove, which is a great product for the money.

You seen the slow n sear? I am forced to believe it is the way to make perfect reverse seared meat not to mention a great way to smoke pork butts.

Not a plug for the product as you can do the same thing with firebricks and a water pan.

 

[myhightechsec]

My dad was one of the best bbqers in the St. Louis region and he made do with a dozen concrete stacked blocks in a U-shape and a old iron grate from a city sidewalk. He would start at 6 in the morning and time the doneness by when he finished his 3rd six pack of Budweiser. (somewhere around 3 PM.)

 

[JamesV]

I've had my weber 22" kettle for over 20 years, then inherited one that's probably older then mine. Def need the chimney starters with the Kingsford and wood chunks adied depending on what's on.

Then last year my girl talked me into getting a propane, so I got a weber.

The difference is def time and flavor. Only time both kettles come out is for company on the weekends. Have to say the propane is used for the weekdays, works def gets in the way, and if we have a busy weekend but still want to grill out.

 

[Hohn]

You seen the slow n sear? I am forced to believe it is the way to make perfect reverse seared meat not to mention a great way to smoke pork butts.

Not a plug for the product as you can do the same thing with firebricks and a water pan.

It's on my list for this summer for sure! Great product. I wonder how long before Weber co-opts it?


Lately I've been searing steaks right on the chimney starter. I just take the center circular insert out of my main grate (I have the "deluxe" kettle) and place it on top of the chimney. This is the best way I know of to get REALLY high heat.

As long as the steaks aren't huge, it works very, very well to sear over the chimney. I got the idea from a YT video with Adam from mythbusters.

 

[hoosierdaddy1976]

It's on my list for this summer for sure! Great product. I wonder how long before Weber co-opts it?Lately I've been searing steaks right on the chimney starter. I just take the center circular insert out of my main grate (I have the "deluxe" kettle) and place it on top of the chimney. This is the best way I know of to get REALLY high heat.As long as the steaks aren't huge, it works very, very well to sear over the chimney. I got the idea from a YT video with Adam from mythbusters.

There was an episode of good eats where Alton brown approximated a restaurant broiler by putting his steak on a rack under the chimney starter to eliminate flare ups

 

[CountryBoy19]

Alright, I've got my flame suit on because I know my opinion isn't popular... I contend that a quality gas grill, run by somebody that knows what they are doing can make food that will easily compete with that of charcoal. As a matter of fact, I've had this debate before and offered to do a blind taste-test with some unbiased taste-testers and nobody has ever taken me up on the offer.

Gas flat sucks. It won't get as hot and doesn't have the flavor of coal. No burners to replace, tanks to fill or rust to worry about. Not sure what is to be touted about it unless mediocre food is your goal.

Almost all of your statements seem to be biased; like they're coming from somebody that hasn't used high-end gas grills, only the cheap garbage.

How hot are you cooking that gas won't get as hot? My gas grill tops out at 900, do you actually need to go higher than that? Flavor? The Weber flavorizer bars plus a chunk of wood on top of the burners seems to impart a flavor that wows guests all the time for me. Do charcoal grills not rust? Yes, they lack burners that can rust, but the other parts can still rust. Not sure what is to be touted? Mediocre food? Convenience is the #1 thing to be touted... oh, and you won't be getting any mediocre food off my gas grill. It's a WHOLE lot more about the food, the prep, and the seasoning than about the cooking apparatus IMHO.

Brand does make a difference but even more importantly, stay away from anything that is "self lighting" and never use lighter fluid. Here's a link for a great website that tests and ranks various charcoals: The Lump Charcoal Database Rankings-- Naked Whiz Charcoal Ceramic Cooking .

Don't let the page name throw you, it's legit. There is a TON of information on that site to help make decisions such as the one you are mulling over.

Chimneys are a quick way to get your charcoal lit: How To Use A Chimney Starter | Weber.com ,

[video=youtube;BlN9jCNdvLY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlN9jCNdvLY[/video]

Why stay away from self-lighting? That is the only thing that brings charcoal grills into competition with the convenience of gas grills.

 

[femurphy77]

Alright, I've got my flame suit on because I know my opinion isn't popular... I contend that a quality gas grill, run by somebody that knows what they are doing can make food that will easily compete with that of charcoal. As a matter of fact, I've had this debate before and offered to do a blind taste-test with some unbiased taste-testers and nobody has ever taken me up on the offer.


Almost all of your statements seem to be biased; like they're coming from somebody that hasn't used high-end gas grills, only the cheap garbage.

How hot are you cooking that gas won't get as hot? My gas grill tops out at 900, do you actually need to go higher than that? Flavor? The Weber flavorizer bars plus a chunk of wood on top of the burners seems to impart a flavor that wows guests all the time for me. Do charcoal grills not rust? Yes, they lack burners that can rust, but the other parts can still rust. Not sure what is to be touted? Mediocre food? Convenience is the #1 thing to be touted... oh, and you won't be getting any mediocre food off my gas grill. It's a WHOLE lot more about the food, the prep, and the seasoning than about the cooking apparatus IMHO.


Why stay away from self-lighting? That is the only thing that brings charcoal grills into competition with the convenience of gas grills.

Personal preference; I'm not fond of the flavor imparted by the fuels they use in the charcoal to make it self starting.

And I will agree to an extent with your statement of high end gas grills. Get away from the low end stuff and go with purpose built, purpose designed competition level equipment and they probably are on par with charcoal/stick burners. The thing I've found in my limited time in the arena that it doesn't really matter what you're using as long as YOU know how to cook with it! What works, what doesn't work etc is critical regardless of how much it cost you or what the fuel source is. I'm transitioning from a big box Chargiller converted and modified into a good backyard smoker to a purpose built smoker designed, built and marketed (originally) by a nationally competitive smoker. It doesn't use the same techniques as the big box griller so I've started the learning curve all over again and yet at the same time I continue to refine the chargriller because for me at least part of the fun in smoking meat is getting the most out of the equipment.

 

[SMiller]

I use that easy light charcoal one time the food was the worst tasting I've ever had in my life I just use a Weber Cube, set it in and go.

Pretty easy to tell the difference expecially on something like burgers gas vs. Charcoal you can always taste the difference.

 

[CountryBoy19]

Personal preference; I'm not fond of the flavor imparted by the fuels they use in the charcoal to make it self starting.

Ah, I thought you were talking about the self-lighting (propane ignition) charcoal grills; didn't realize you were talking about the charcoal itself. I agree on that, stay away from self-lighting charcoal.

And I will agree to an extent with your statement of high end gas grills. Get away from the low end stuff and go with purpose built, purpose designed competition level equipment and they probably are on par with charcoal/stick burners. The thing I've found in my limited time in the arena that it doesn't really matter what you're using as long as YOU know how to cook with it! What works, what doesn't work etc is critical regardless of how much it cost you or what the fuel source is. I'm transitioning from a big box Chargiller converted and modified into a good backyard smoker to a purpose built smoker designed, built and marketed (originally) by a nationally competitive smoker. It doesn't use the same techniques as the big box griller so I've started the learning curve all over again and yet at the same time I continue to refine the chargriller because for me at least part of the fun in smoking meat is getting the most out of the equipment.

I concur!

FWIW, I'm an all-weather griller; My wife once took a picture of me shoveling a path through 16" deep snow to the grill so I could grill mid-winter. She put it on facebook and people were astonished that I would go through that trouble to grill. To me its a way of life!

 

[phylodog]

Almost all of your statements seem to be biased; like they're coming from somebody that hasn't used high-end gas grills, only the cheap garbage.

How hot are you cooking that gas won't get as hot? My gas grill tops out at 900, do you actually need to go higher than that? Flavor? The Weber flavorizer bars plus a chunk of wood on top of the burners seems to impart a flavor that wows guests all the time for me. Do charcoal grills not rust? Yes, they lack burners that can rust, but the other parts can still rust. Not sure what is to be touted? Mediocre food? Convenience is the #1 thing to be touted... oh, and you won't be getting any mediocre food off my gas grill. It's a WHOLE lot more about the food, the prep, and the seasoning than about the cooking apparatus IMHO.


Why stay away from self-lighting? That is the only thing that brings charcoal grills into competition with the convenience of gas grills.

I'm definitely biased, I grew up eating food off of gas grills and it wasn't until I joined the Army and was stationed in Louisiana that I discovered the difference that someone who knows what they're doing with charcoal/wood could produce. There is a difference between a steak served in a high end restaurant that was cooked under a broiler or over a gas grill and the steak you can get at the Weber Grill downtown which uses charcoal exclusively. Whether the difference is worth the (what some consider) inconvenience of charcoal is up to the individual but there most certainly is a difference.

Most people that I've encountered who choose gas primarily due to its convenience are the same folks who aren't really all that concerned about the flavor (my parents are evidence of this). There are those who are, you being an obvious example, and I'm sure you're capable of cranking out wonderful results. I'm not saying food off of a gas grill is inedible but I've never had food grilled on a gas grill which was the equivalent of food cooked over coal. There is more to it than just the heat.

I love to cook and I really love to cook outdoors. The challenges of cooking over and controlling fire are enjoyable to me. I spent 20 years working with nothing but a Weber kettle and through trial and error I learned how to fine tune that thing to produce just about anything I wanted. Adjusting vents, adding briquets at the right time to maintain temps, arranging the coals and food to get a desired outcome was a great learning experience. Last year in Canada I smoked a pork but on a cheap bullet style smoker that was missing the bottom half. I dug a hole the sand, planted the top half over it and controlled the temps by opening up and closing the "fuel hole" I created in the sand. I'd have never even considered trying something like that without the experience I'd gained with the kettle.

The second best steak I've ever had was from Ruth's Chris and they cook under an 1800*F broiler so charcoal or wood isn't a requirement to produce good food. The best steak I've ever had I cooked myself with the aforementioned reverse sear method and I seared it at probably close to 1000*F after it had been brought up to temp slowly with a touch of smoke. The difference is there but few (in my experience) can produce what I would consider really good food over gas.