Propane vs. Charcoal

[BBQ_power]

Hello!
Okay, so I'm getting a new BBQ this season, and the big question is Propane or Charcoal. What do I get?? Why??

[Schultz]

If you can afford it, both. You can get a small Weber charcoal grill for about $150 or so. I have both and still use both, but I am finding more and more that I am using my kettle more than my gas grill. It takes about the same amount of time to light a chimney of lump and preheat the grill than it does the preheat a gas grill. And, oh the flavour from a real charcoal cook.

[Jasper]

I personally, and everyone else in my family, prefer the taste of food cooked over charcoal. I've always been a propane BBQ'er for many years until last year when I bought a Weber 22" One Touch Silver charcoal BBQ. They're about $120-$130. My big propane BBQ stayed under the cover all summer and I'm in the process of selling to a friend later this spring. I cooked and smoked everything on that Weber all year...steaks, burgers, pizza, whole chickens, smoked ribs, smoked lamb and even smoked turkey on Thanksgiving and Christmas! Lighting the coals with a chimney is easy, takes about 15 minutes.

The only thing about charcoal is it can get a bit messy. You have to clean up ashes and your clothes can end up smelling smokey. If you don't like getting your hands dirty propane or gas might be better for you. Then there's the topic of which charcoal to buy...lump vs briquettes. In my opinion lump is better, smells better, food tastes better, burns better. Check out this charcoal review site.

As for my Weber, that is now going to be a reserve BBQ as I just bough a large Big Green Egg last month.

[mikita21]

You can Barbecue (as opposed to "grilling") on a gas grill, but for the love of money, WHY WOULD YOU? If you have nothing else, it can be done, turning the gas grill into a smoker with judicious use of water pans, wood chips, etc. But if you can go to wood/charcoal, you really should. At the end of the day, a gas grill is just that -- a grill.

If you are serious about this marvellous style of cooking, or even just relaxing with this, the real fun is in all the stuff you get to experiment with, and especially the woods, charcoal (lump vs briquette, even different brands!); then the rubs, sauces and the rest. It just makes learning fun, and food delicious.

[kevinv]

I have both and use both. Iove the taste of charcoal for most cooking. If I were looking today, I would lean to charcoal because you can do so much more then grill.

[Dave Kloostra]

I bought a used kettle, and it came with an electric starter. I still use my chimney on the WSM, but for the kettle I use the electric. Plug it in, come back in 5 -10 min and you are good to go.

[Iamarealbigdog]

Propane for the speed and convenience, here I do hamburgers and occasionally sausage

Charcoal for taste, I cook chicken steak and anything I want to be proud of.


When have you ever hear “Hmm that great tasting propane broiled steak...”

[HONCHO GREGORY]

Got a old gasser, take the guts out of it. throw some charcoal in it. cook something.
You be the judge