Gas Grills vs Charcoal/wood Grills

[SoHoBBQ'r]

I have never had meat off a gas grill so i really dont know what the diffrence is. What do you guys prefer? I like using charcoal to grill something quickly but i am thinking about purchasing a gas grill to cook some quick steaks,fajitas,burgers, etc. What do you guys think? Id like to get some pros and cons, thanks for the input.:shrug: :D

[joe arras]

Gas is quick for sure, but I don't like them

[redneck cooker]

Think I'll just watch this develop....:stirthepot::roflmaoha0:

[TexLaw]

I don't want anything to do with gas grills. They cost far too much and they do not make good food. People bend over backwards, jump through hoops, and try to work up any number of gadgets and gizmos to simulate "charcoal flavor" or "wood flavor."

I don't want to hear anything about "convenience," either. First, convenience tends to taste like crap. If I want something quick, I would just as soon pan fry a chicken breast than grill it over gas. Second, we all know that you can use a weed burner or cajun cooker to get a decent charcoal fire ready in about the same amount of time as it takes to preheat a gas grill.

Nope. I want nothing to do with them.


TL

[Bull]

Think I'll just watch this develop....:stirthepot::roflmaoha0:

Yep me too:roflmaoha0: Where's Sly when you need him?:stirthepot:

[redneck cooker]

Yep me too:roflmaoha0: Where's Sly when you need him?:stirthepot:


O'well..:shrug:HTC will be along directly!!!:stirthepot::roflmaoha0::roflmaoha0:

[High Cotton Tom]

O'well..:shrug:HTC will be along directly!!!:stirthepot::roflmaoha0::roflmaoha0:

:o.....why you little....( ************* )

Redneck, you're gonna have to let Sly up for air sooner or later! :shrug:

I think gas VS charcoal is simple a matter of time and effort.
I know several people that just like the fact they can turn the grill on and be done in minutes.
Others don't like to have to mess with the charcoal and lighter fluid. (and forget about a chimney)
Most people are on this forum for a reason, they DO enjoy the time and effort it takes.

[redneck cooker]

:
Redneck, you're gonna have to let Sly up for air sooner or later! :shrug:


He's down for the count...:roflmaoha0::roflmaoha0:Aint no Tap out here brutha!!!:shock::roflmaoha0:

[Will32Rod]

At the risk of being chastised to HE** and back.
I do have a gasser and cook on it occasionally. The more ya cook on one the more it gets seasoned from drippings and tastes improve.
I mostly do sausage and chicken breast on it for a quick meal, and use the side burner for the veggie dish.
I have done steaks on it, but I do prefer a good hot bed of mesquite coals for steak.
I think BBI said in a thread some where that gassers have a place.
I would never spend a big chunk of cash on a gasser, I have a cheapie model.

[High Cotton Tom]

He's down for the count...:roflmaoha0::roflmaoha0:Aint no Tap out here brutha!!!:shock::roflmaoha0:

:o........:surrender:

[redneck cooker]

:rofl3::rofl3::devil2:

[PitBull]

I'm a wood and charcoal guy only and I like taking the time with the cooking. I must say though I had a built in gas grill many many years ago. It had been around for a long time and it had those lava rocks in the bottom. It produced the only good gas cooked meats that I've ever had. I mean they were really tasty. I bought a Weber gas grill a few years ago to take on vacation since there was a burn ban on. Even though I cured the thing, what came off of it was pitiful. When I got home I gave the grill to a friend of mine. I'll never have another one.

A gas GRIDDLE on the other hand....:roflmaoha0:

[bbqfans]

I've done the wood thingy for years and tend to enjoy the "WORK" it takes to get my "QUE" done.:D >YES< I do have a gasser, given to me by my BIL for a party I catered for him(Wedding Party).Now he just ask me to cook for him:shock: Everything else I have is for WOOD!!!!!I found another one in a throw away pile, picked it up and am re-furbishing it to sell at a garage sale.
The one BIL gave is just for conversation(to say I have one-you know,all bases covered).:roflmaoha0:

[Bayou Black Iron]

Learning to cook on a gas grill, just like learning to cook with wood, charcoal (or on a flat rock, with the sun as your heat source) takes time and practice but it can be done and it can turn out some mighty tasty food. Just like w/ any pit, the more that it's used and seasoned, the better the food that comes off of it is going to be. A pit (any kind), as is, right out of the box and without the cook taking the necessary time to develop the required skills (for that cooking method), is usually going to produce sub-par results.

I just like to cook (all methods)...BBQing, grilling, frying, boiling, cooking in 5 qt. or 30 gal. cast iron pots, cooking indoors, outdoors, roasting wieners on a stick :shock:, whatever. Part of that love is in learning to use all of the tools and equipment at our disposal...that's part of the challenge :) This might not be everybody's philosophy, but it's mine...ya never know what situation you might find yourself in.

With that being said I have a big charcoal grill, a small offset, a trailered offset, a gasser, way too many pots :rolleyes:, fryers, etc. and I'm looking to add all the time (heck, I even want to buy me a hotdog cart :shrug:). I like cooking on, or with, all of them and I really feel like they all have their place and that with time and practice, each can produce quality food (I'm not saying that I can but that it can be done :)).

Gas, charcoal or wood...you decide.

Ya know, when I'm cooking, I'm always drinkin'...maybe it's just the drinkin' that I like :idea:

[bbqfans]

I didn't mean to badmouth any other type of cooking, I just rather enjoy the "wood way" of doing my food. I too, enjoy ALL types of cooking and am versed on most ant kind of equipment(being a grill cook/Chef for many years),and can , as a lot of others, cook most anything and LOVE to cook for others:D
That being said-"here's to the died in the wool STICKBURNERS":thumbs:
HIP-HIP-HOORAY

[Will32Rod]

[QUOTE=Bayou Black Iron;583077]Learning to cook on a gas grill, just like learning to cook with wood, charcoal (or on a flat rock, with the sun as your heat source) takes time and practice but it can be done and it can turn out some mighty tasty food. Just like w/ any pit, the more that it's used and seasoned, the better the food that comes off of it is going to be. A pit (any kind), as is, right out of the box and without the cook taking the necessary time to develop the required skills (for that cooking method), is usually going to produce sub-par results.

I just like to cook (all methods)...BBQing, grilling, frying, boiling, cooking in 5 qt. or 30 gal. cast iron pots, cooking indoors, outdoors, roasting wieners on a stick :shock:, whatever. Part of that love is in learning to use all of the tools and equipment at our disposal...that's part of the challenge :) This might not be everybody's philosophy, but it's mine...ya never know what situation you might find yourself in.

With that being said I have a big charcoal grill, a small offset, a trailered offset, a gasser, way too many pots :rolleyes:, fryers, etc. and I'm looking to add all the time (heck, I even want to buy me a hotdog cart :shrug:). I like cooking on, or with, all of them and I really feel like they all have their place and that with time and practice, each can produce quality food (I'm not saying that I can but that it can be done

Gas, charcoal or wood...you decide.

Ya know, when I'm cooking, I'm always drinkin'...maybe it's just the drinkin' that I like

How does it go Elvis.....Drinkin gives ya somethin to do while yer cookin...or....Cookin gives ya somethin to do while yer drinkin?:roflmaoha0:

[whiskeynwine]

C'mon guys. There is room for everybody in the pool. The only input I have is to use the same reasoning when buying a gas grill that you used when you purchased you smoker or pit. Buy cheap, get cheap. The only gas grills worth buying are those made by DCS. Check them out and you will see why.

[gsmith]

Learning to cook on a gas grill, just like learning to cook with wood, charcoal (or on a flat rock, with the sun as your heat source) takes time and practice but it can be done and it can turn out some mighty tasty food.
Gas, charcoal or wood...you decide.

Ya know, when I'm cooking, I'm always drinkin'...maybe it's just the drinkin' that I like :idea:

I saw that in that chevy chase/las vegas vacation movie, nothing like some chicken cooked on a radioactive rock :roflmaoha0:

I have a weber baby q that is an awesome tailgate grill but I need to replace the cooking grate and can't find one. I'll probably have to to cut one out of expanded metal until the cast iron replacement grates are available

[bigwheel]

Well can't argue about wood coals preferably S. Texas Mesquite being the very best option for either fast or slow direct grilling (also called cooking real bbq) but as far as the difference twixt gas..charcoal or electric I can't tell a lick of difference. They are all just heat sources not flavor sources..less somebody put some wood chips in the briquettes. I cooked with Mesquite lump for a long time and never could detect any mesquite flavor in the finished product. I think there are some active imaginations around this place.

bigwheel

[Northsider]

I cooked with Mesquite lump for a long time and never could detect any mesquite flavor in the finished product. I think there are some active imaginations around this place.

bigwheelCome on BW you're killing me here bud. :o

You honestly don't taste the difference between gas, electric and good ole South Texas mesquite lump(carbon)? I know I can, the embers that fly off of cracklin mesquite lump and flys over and on the meat is flavor, or at least it is to me. I'm fairly new to the smoking but I've been grilling since I was knee high to a cabrito and imho there's a huge difference. There's no room for gassers at my house. :D

[Bayou Black Iron]

Come on BW you're killing me here bud. :o

You honestly don't taste the difference between gas, electric and good ole South Texas mesquite lump(carbon)? I know I can, the embers that fly off of cracklin mesquite lump and flys over and on the meat is flavor, or at least it is to me. I'm fairly new to the smoking but I've been grilling since I was knee high to a cabrito and imho there's a huge difference. There's no room for gassers at my house. :D

Ya just need to take the time to learn how to use 'em....everything out there is built to cook on. Can ya taste/ see differences...yep. Can ya make it all good...yep!

A few years ago, my cook top died...front of the cabinet, drop in model. Can't buy 'em anymore...had to find somebody to rebuild the face of my cabinets before I could drop in the new model. In the meantime, I learned to cook things in the microwave that other people said was impossible...learn to use all of your tools :) Or don't...do whatever makes you happy.......

One last thing...I don't care how ya cook or what ya will or will not cook on...just keep cookin'...that's what we're all here for.........

After a time and as I get older...I learned, don't close your mind to anything.........


That Chevy...he was a hell of an actor :shrug:

[ezgoin]

When grilling, especialy at high temp, most of your smoke flavor comes from fat that's being rendered and burning off creating the smoke. I have a Charbroil Pro infrared gasser and a Brinkman Pro charcoal. I guarantee that if you didn't watch me cook it, you couldn't tell which one i cooked it on.

Now smoking is something different. I can tell if something has been cooked on a Southern Pride or an Ole Hickory or something similar using gas. Not saying it's bad, but you can tell the difference.

[totally smoked]

Well..I was gonna leave it alone, but now I can't. BBI..I have to agree with cookin with what ya got. I remember Dad cookin in a pit that was 6 cinder blocks dug in the ground with a wire grate for the meat. Taters in foil buried in the coals, and us a shuckin corn to wrap in foil with butter to lay on top of the grate pop had. Long run for a short slide...My dad bought a gas grill when I was probly 12...didn't want to, but missed the q'n..we moved alot..so it was easier than diggin a new pit everywhere we went. I didn't know it then..an I'm sorry I can't tell him know..what a great thing he taught me. Cookin..use what ya got..If you can afford more..use it :thumbs:

[joe arras]

[
Ya know, when I'm cooking, I'm always drinkin'...maybe it's just the drinkin' that I like :idea:[/QUOTE]

I can identify with dat:thumbs::thumbs:

[jptexas]

Think I'll just watch this develop....:stirthepot::roflmaoha0:

that's unusual:chef::stirthepot:

[Woodman]

I don't want anything to do with gas grills. They cost far too much and they do not make good food. People bend over backwards, jump through hoops, and try to work up any number of gadgets and gizmos to simulate "charcoal flavor" or "wood flavor."

I don't want to hear anything about "convenience," either. First, convenience tends to taste like crap. If I want something quick, I would just as soon pan fry a chicken breast than grill it over gas. Second, we all know that you can use a weed burner or cajun cooker to get a decent charcoal fire ready in about the same amount of time as it takes to preheat a gas grill.

Nope. I want nothing to do with them.


TL

I agree with Doak. Ever since I bought my Weber Kettle 2 years ago, I am totally sold on charcoal grilling. Gas grills do not achieve the level of heat necessary to grill a steak properly. Great steakhouses are above 1300 degrees on their grill temps. Gas grills "steam" food into submission and add NO good flavor. They are not that much quicker either. It takes some time to get one up to temp. You can have a chimney of coals going in about the same amount of time!!! CHARCOAL!!!!!!

[Ol Dad]

I agree with BBI on this one. If ya like to cook, get good at using it all.
I bought an infra red grill made by Charbroil last year and I am amazed at how well it will make a perfect steak. For years I would not cook on a gasser because of the flare ups caused by the fat catching on fire. This infra red design will not let it happen and you can cook at very high temps. Several friends have bought one after they tasted steaks off of mine.
It is just another tool to make good food with, ya just gotta learn the dos and donts of how to use it.

[gatorpit]

I have a gaser for one reason and one reason only. I have three little kids who don't care if their hotdogs or hamburgers are cooked over gas. Quick and easy. For me and cooking real food, charcoal is always better for more flavor. It is for weekends. Gaser for weekdays.

[BlackScreaminMachine]

In Connecticut, and during the week I do like to Grill I do use my Gas grill. It takes care of food fine. If I had the time, or the energy to care I would buy a regular Weber and use it off the Back Deck.

When it comes to smoking I like my WSM because there is a diff in the flavor. I guess I need to decide, and plan time ahead appropriately to be able to get the coals going and then dispose properly.

It's a preference for sure. :shrug:

IMO I think Charcol taste better :stirthepot:

[redneck cooker]

I have a gaser for one reason and one reason only. I have three little kids who don't care if their hotdogs or hamburgers are cooked over gas. Quick and easy. For me and cooking real food, charcoal is always better for more flavor. It is for weekends. Gaser for weekdays.

Cause you aint learned how to use a smoker yet?!!!:roflmaoha0::roflmaoha0:

[bbqfans]

I'm gonna burn sticks. That's my story and I'm STICKING with it:DPUN

[Half Fast BBQ'n]

Cause you aint learned how to use a smoker yet?!!!:roflmaoha0::roflmaoha0:

Now, that there is funny :smack::rofl3::rofl3:

[bigwheel]

Well if a person could smell mesquite in Mejico lump..they should be able to smell the Pine in Kingsford briquettes..which I aint never met nobody able to do that. Once the wood has been turned to carbon the flavor is gone. It just puts out heat. I can't smell the Oak in Ozark Oak either. I have a real highly attuned smeller. I will side with the fealla who say you have to watch him cook it to know if it charcoal or well seasoned gasser. The flavor from both is like the man say..fat hitting the fire. Now if you want to burn to coals and break out the shovel..I will side with ya. Now that has Mesquite flavor.

bighweel

Come on BW you're killing me here bud. :o

You honestly don't taste the difference between gas, electric and good ole South Texas mesquite lump(carbon)? I know I can, the embers that fly off of cracklin mesquite lump and flys over and on the meat is flavor, or at least it is to me. I'm fairly new to the smoking but I've been grilling since I was knee high to a cabrito and imho there's a huge difference. There's no room for gassers at my house. :D

[Northsider]

Big wheel, My uncle (Mom's brother)makes carbon (lump) mesquite charcoal the old way. He takes a bunch of freshly cut mesquite trees and puts them in a pile and covers them with dirt and then he sets the inside on fire and it slow burns for about 4 to 7 days depending on the size of the pile. Then he'll take a track hoe and mow it all down and spread it out. Then the workers hand pick up the lump charcoal by hand and put it in burlap sacks. It a very old technique and in no way can Kingsford compare to this. The mesquite (Lump) actually retains some flavor because of the fact that the trees are still very green and freshly cut. Kiln processed mesquite lump is a whole different animal all together and doesn't retain a whole lot of flavor due to the chemicals they're cured with. Next time you're by a Mexican meat market stop and get you a bag and you'll see what I'm talking about, I promise you wont be sorry.

As far as gas grills go, I foolishly mentioned something about it to my wife and she stated "she's been wanting one for years for her to use" so it looks like I'm gonna have to make room for one after all :banghead:. But like BBI said I guess the more you learn about different cooking tools the better off you are. :shrug: We'll see how it goes, besides if momma ain't happy she'll make my life a living hell. Any suggestions on a particular brand?:shrug: