To Charcoal or To Propane - I BBQ Therefore I Am

[Notmuchlonger]

Al - those little tabletop models are okay for portable cooking or small spaces, but they usually lack the BTU output to produce a good crust on a steak or to effectively overcome colder weather. My big stainless gas grill hits about 750 degrees at the cooking grate. Those little tabletop models might struggle to hit 450-500.

Weber Q I have has hit over 650. If you need something for 2 people the Q is fine. 4 it works. Over that get a full sized grill. I have one and Im using it

 

[jdmorton]

Gas Is Quicker and Less of a Hassle...

...but I like the flavor of hamburgers and hot dogs over a charcoal fire. We have both. Since I do the outdoor grilling, I get to pick which one to use. I use the gas grill for chicken and steaks, as the heat is more uniform and easier to control.

Of course, charcoal has the advantage if you like to roast marshmallows .

 

[ERD50]

If you go with gas, consider piping natural gas out to the patio. Most burners can be easily converted to NG. Never need to worry about an empty tank, trips to refill, and NG is cheaper than propane.

We had the NG for years, switched to charcoal when we moved. Some things are just better with charcoal. Considering putting a second NG unit at this house, sometimes the convenience is needed, and for some things, it doesn't matter for flavor.

-ERD50

 

[Khan]

If you go with gas, consider piping natural gas out to the patio. Most burners can be easily converted to NG. Never need to worry about an empty tank, trips to refill, and NG is cheaper than propane.

We had the NG for years, switched to charcoal when we moved. Some things are just better with charcoal. Considering putting a second NG unit at this house, sometimes the convenience is needed, and for some things, it doesn't matter for flavor.

-ERD50

Just as a data point: The local Fire Department rebuilt several stations a few years ago, and they installed natural gas outdoor grills.

 

[TromboneAl]

Our propane tank rusts to the dangerous point in about 1.5 seasons. That's when I use the "exchange your empty tank for a full one" service designed for people who are too lazy to have their tank refilled.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

There have been quite a few taste tests where people were unable to tell the difference between burgers and chicken cooked on gas or charcoal, but others where a steak was found to taste better on charcoal. I'm not sure they fully normalized the temperatures and flare ups though, which may account for some difference.

All I know is that a burger cooked on a gas grill tastes far better than one I dont bother cooking because it'll take too much prep work

NML...the weber Q is a pretty good compact grill. But I cant see Al spending $200-300 for a small grill unless the gods of LBYM dropped dead in their sleep last night

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Our propane tank rusts to the dangerous point in about 1.5 seasons. That's when I use the "exchange your empty tank for a full one" service designed for people who are too lazy to have their tank refilled.

Yeah, I used that trick to get rid of all my old bottles with the old style valve for a lot less than buying new tanks.

They wised up to it a few weeks later and put up a sign with a $10 surcharge for changing valve types at the same time as buying a refill.

 

[W2R]

I cant see Al spending $200-300 for a small grill unless the gods of LBYM dropped dead in their sleep last night

Gosh, I hope not! I'm sitting on a brand new stimulus check that is just crying to be spent. If they even blink it will be gone in a flash.

 

[Rustic23]

Jazz,
This is a picture of the grill. I got it at Sam's for $135. Seemed like a good deal and so far it has been a dream to cook on.

 

[Midpack]

Simple. Food grilled on charcoal tastes better, but it's a pain to get right. Food grilled on gas is almost as good, and it's quick and easy. Most people go for quick and easy.

 

[Leonidas]

I'm considering becoming a triple threat:

Duo Grill

This model is on display at my local Lowe's. Propane grill with a charcoal grill attached, and you can add fire box that attaches to the side of the charcoal grill to use as a smoker. It looks like a good idea, but I'm not sure.

 

[mickeyd]

Aged oak w/ mesquite thrown in for kicks is my preference for grilling beef or chicken.

 

[TromboneAl]

But I cant see Al spending $200-300 for a small grill unless the gods of LBYM dropped dead in their sleep last night

Well, I can get one for $139 on Amazon, plus I'd save the cost of replacing the flavorizer bars on mine, and it should use a few dollars worth less of propane each year. But it's true, I'm considering going one more season with mine. I'll see how much mold it has in it when I take it out of the shed.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Hey...smoked mold might be good eats!

 

[nvestysly]

I Have Gas!

Oops! Did I say that? Well... it's true - I have a gas grill and love it. Convenient - turn it on when I want it, then turn it off when I'm done. Just smoked a brisket yesterday, smoked pork, chicken and ribs. Gas works for fast and slow cooking.

If you live in an area that has natural gas piped into your house it's even more convenient. Simply connect the natural gas to your grill and you never have to buy/exchange any propane cylinders.

We bought our Kenmore over 20 years ago and it's still kicking. We just change out the burner and cooking grates every 5 - 7 years and just keep going. We keep the grill covered with a good quality cover when it's not in use.

 

[bright eyed]

hey danny - good to see you around...

i was going to post the exact same thread! guess gas is the winner...

anyone have thoughts on cast iron grills?

anyone use the hardwood they have at trader joe's or other places? similar to using charcoal or different technique?

 

[dizzy]

+1 for both. Gas for quick and easy, weber kettle for low and slow. (including our traditional t-day slow smoked turkey.)

dizzy

 

[Goonie]

Food grilled on gas is almost as good, and it's quick and easy. Most people go for quick and easy.

I go for sloooow and easy. Since I ER'd, words like "quick" and "hurry" aren't a part of my lifestyle.

 

[Rambler]

hey danny - good to see you around...

i was going to post the exact same thread! guess gas is the winner...

anyone have thoughts on cast iron grills?

anyone use the hardwood they have at trader joe's or other places? similar to using charcoal or different technique?

I have one with cast iron grates, that I really like. It puts a professional looking sear on the steaks. I turn mine 30-45 degrees after 2 minutes for a beautiful cross hatch...I have a stainless grill as well, with stainless grates. It doesn't seem to do as good a job at the sear as the cast iron, and was so much more expensive.

R

 

[rocketdog]

I've never used a gas grill, I've always used charcoal. I like the time it takes to get the coals ready. It's nice to hang out and drink beer with buddies while the coals heat up. I guess it is part of the "barbeque ritual" for me.
rocketdog

 

[DblDoc]

+1 on charcoal. I can see the speed advantage of gas but have always used charcoal. I save the propane for brewing beer.

DD

 

[TromboneAl]

But I cant see Al spending $200-300 for a small grill unless the gods of LBYM dropped dead in their sleep last night

Well, I got the current one out of the shed, and I think I can get a month or two more out of it. I could break the rusted flavorizer bars with my pinky, but if I'm gentle, they'll be OK.

The trick will be to freecycle it before it's too far gone.

Two questions on the Weber Q grills: Concerning the little 14.1 ounce propane tank. How long does it last, and can you have it filled at the gas station just like with the regular tanks?

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Al, I freecycled an old gas grill with no burners, no cooking grates, a broken igniter and one wheel ready to fall off. So no worries.

I believe those little propane tanks are disposable. Having said that, I now fear you're going to try to figure out how to fill them yourself. If I should see a little mushroom cloud somewhere to the northwest, I'll know what happened.

I think someone makes a coupler to hook a big gas bottle to the weber q, but I think its expensive. At a few bucks a bottle for the throwaways its a long payback period.

As far as how long it'll last, roughly a little less than 1/20th the time a regular gas grill 20lb bottle lasts...

 

[TromboneAl]

OK, thanks. One more season with the big Weber, then I'll get a Q. Just the right size for cooking a "fattie."

The adapters cost $20

 

[Danny]

Is the Weber Q a charcoal grill with a propane startup to get the coals red hot quickly - hence the small propane canister?