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One of my boyhood memories is of watching my Dad struggle on the weekends to start a charcoal fire with lighter fluid (gasoline when there was no lighter fluid around). Looking back, I don't think we ever used the grill except on weekends because of his work schedule.
He would wait around for the fire to get hot before grilling up some
chicken pieces or hamburgers but my dad is one of those guys who
can't sit still. So he would get involved in some other project that
had to be done and forget about the fire. When he came back and
found the coals burned out, he would say something under his breath
and start all over again.
Now that I'm a dad myself grilling for my own family, I have the
choice of either gas or charcoal. At the moment, I use a gas grill --
I love how easy it is to turn on the gas valve, hit the ignite
button and instantaneously have a fire. But I'm very close to
picking up an inexpensive charcoal grill that I can use on the
weekends. Maybe it's getting your hands dirty arranging the
charcoal, the time standing around watching the coals get hot or
even the smell of the charcoal burning. Whatever it is, there is
something nostalgic about grilling with charcoal that I want to
experience again.
Yeah sure there is more clean up, you have to get rid of the used up
coals. And then there is always the possibility that the coals will
burn out in the middle of cooking. That wouldn't happen with a gas
grill, although there was a time I couldn't figure out why my steaks
were taking so long to cook until I realized the gas tank had run
out.
But there are also a lot of benefits to grilling with charcoal,
which leads me to this article. I wanted to look at the pros and
cons of grilling with charcoal and figure out how they affect my
style of cooking. I'm not even going to approach electric grilling
but it's something you may want to check out for yourself some time.
I put the question of gas vs. charcoal to a couple of my
professional chef friends who had opposite positions. Although their
preferences were different, they both came up with great reasons why
they choose their style.
One chef listened quietly while I ranted about the virtues of gas
grilling, waited until I was finished, and then said, "Yes, charcoal
grills are more work and what type of grill you use will depend on
your lifestyle and the amount of time you have available, but in the
end you can't compare gas grilling to charcoal grilling. Forget
about it, charcoal wins hands down."
When I asked why he was so enthusiast toward charcoal he
said, "Because with charcoal, you add more flavor and you can make a
hotter fire and heat is your friend."
The other chef I spoke with favored a gas grill for the convenience
and felt you could achieve the same great tasting food by various
cooking methods, food prep, and the use of woods for a smoky flavor.
Who's right? In my opinion there is no right answer and it really
just depends on personal preferences. It really depends on your
lifestyle and how often you plan to use the grill. Look at my list
of benefits for both gas and charcoal to see which fits best into
your lifestyle.
Benefits of Gas and Charcoal Grills
Gas
- Push Button Convenience
- No messy charcoal to deal with
- Easy to start
- Control temperature with a dial
- Control temperatures for longer periods of time
- Can still use wood for smoky flavor
- Wind is not a factor
Charcoal
- More heat
- Hotter grill
- Flavor from charcoal
- More intense smells
- More hands-on experience
For more tips on grilling and some simple techniques to take the guess work out, visit my web site at
http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/grilling.htm.
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