Gas or Charcoal? How do you prepare your meat?

Contributor: Jaimes Jaimes
As the grill master in my house, gas is so much more convenient. I grill almost daily that way.
06/07/2011
Contributor: Gary Gary
I love all BBQ! However, to me at least, propane seems too much like indoor cooking. I will always own, buy, or opt to go with charcoal & fire whenever possible. I do think that the charcoal adds a pleasant flavor to the food, and aside from breaking glass, what is more fun than playing with fire!
06/07/2011
Contributor: Yoda Yoda
I only use real hardwood charcoal chips. It's gets so hot, burns a long time, it's cheap (compared to propane), and the taste is just without equal.
06/08/2011
Contributor: Yoda Yoda
I only use real hardwood charcoal chips. It's gets so hot, burns a long time, it's cheap (compared to propane), and the taste is just without equal.
06/08/2011
Contributor: B8trDude B8trDude
Hardwood charcoal all the way! Also can't stand it if it still moos, throbs, or squirts blood all over
06/08/2011
Contributor: That Man from Mars That Man from Mars
Definitely prefer it cooked over wood, but my next option is coal.
06/09/2011
Contributor: sexyintexas sexyintexas
Quote:
Originally posted by El-Jaro
Some people like to cook with propane (Butane is a bastard's gas). Some prefer the taste of charcoal instead. Which do you prefer?
Nothing like slapping the meat on coals just long enough to make it stop mooing
06/09/2011
Contributor: El-Jaro El-Jaro
If I could have a charcoal grill, I'd totally go for the wood chips, but would cook long and low to get that awesome red ring.
06/09/2011
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
Quote:
Originally posted by El-Jaro
Some people like to cook with propane (Butane is a bastard's gas). Some prefer the taste of charcoal instead. Which do you prefer?
My Man is a charcoal man, as was my dad. I am not fond of propane or gas for BBQ.

I think charcoal gives the food a unique flavor (yeah, it's bad for you etc, but we don't eat it ever day....just once a week or so) because the edges get all crunchy and black. We even cook our vegetables on the grill.

My Man does all the grill cooking. I'm not even allowed to touch the Weber. "Lookout, you're gonna get burned!" if I even go near it. What am I, a 3 year old? As for my cooking on his grills (he has two, a full size Weber and a small one) it would be as if I had to grow a penis first.
06/09/2011
Contributor: VieuxCarre VieuxCarre
I absolutely love the taste of charcoal on my food. It's one of those things that makes me think of summer.
06/09/2011
Contributor: zensgirl10 zensgirl10
charcoal!
06/09/2011
Contributor: Ivy Wilde Ivy Wilde
My husband cooks absolutely wonderful burgers on our propane grill. When he cooked the same burgers on his dads charcoal grill, they just didn't taste as good. There was this sort of burnt taste to them even though they weren't burnt.
06/09/2011
Contributor: ichigostrawberry ichigostrawberry
Either is fine, although I haven't experimented much.
06/09/2011
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
Quote:
Originally posted by Ivy Wilde
My husband cooks absolutely wonderful burgers on our propane grill. When he cooked the same burgers on his dads charcoal grill, they just didn't taste as good. There was this sort of burnt taste to them even though they weren't burnt.
If the food tastes burnt on a charcoal grill, you didn't let the coals totally turn to embers before cooking. I don't do this myself (My Man is the Total Master of the grill, I'm not even allowed to touch it. But, I do watch.) What My Man does is to start the coals with a round charcoal starting device (NO Boyscout Water, aka starter fluid!) It looks like a coffee can with a handle on it, you put the coals on the top of the little grate in the middle and newspaper, crumbled up, on the bottom) then when the coals are lit well, you dump them into the grill.


My Man then arranges the coals according to what he is cooking. Large things, like a whole chicken or turkey need a LOT of coals arranged into a hollow circle. Let's just say he's doing hot dogs or burgers or even steak. He waits until the coals are no longer giving off flames and are totally grey on the outside. He sometimes has some water, in case grease causes flare ups. When the coals are properly prepared, the food will taste like BBQ, but not burnt. Things tend to stay raw inside and burn outside if the coals are too hot and not ashed over.

Anyway, have him try until he gets it. It is so worth the extra work. We love our BBQ grill, I think we have had about 6 or 7 of them in the past 20 years or so, but it took him a few years to learn how to properly use them. A less stubborn guy could learn more quickly I imagine.
06/10/2011
Contributor: Mr. E Mr. E
My gas grill is fast, consistent and convenient.
06/10/2011
Contributor: Liz2 Liz2
I prefer charcoal but it is too much trouble so propane it is. The last place I lived did not allow charcoal anyway.
06/10/2011
Contributor: El-Jaro El-Jaro
One problem I had with charcoal is the "all or nothing" approach to it. You have to know many coals you'll need and not get too little (won't cook) or too much (you waste it).
06/10/2011
Contributor: lovemuscle n cookie lovemuscle n cookie
I use propane (taste the meat, not the heat ). I haven't had something grilled by someone who really knows what they are doing on charcoal to really taste what it can be like. My propane is more convenient anyways.
06/24/2011
Contributor: Wondermom Wondermom
in a bevis and butthead voice* heh you said meat

I don't care as long as it is well done.
06/24/2011
Contributor: PiratePrincess PiratePrincess
More likely than not we'll use gas, but nothing beats the taste of charcoal cooking.
06/24/2011
Contributor: tickle me pink tickle me pink
Propane is what we have, and I haven't tasted charcoal grilled in so long that I forgot what it tastes like! I'm fine with what we have, though.
06/25/2011
Contributor: El-Jaro El-Jaro
I'm going to be grill master at a social event coming up in the near future for the gaming group I'm in (Danse Macabre formerly known as The Camarilla).

I can't wait to show off some of the stuff I've learned here!
06/25/2011
Contributor: indiglo indiglo
Propane is so easy, but I prefer the smell and taste of smoking or charcoal.
06/25/2011
Contributor: Ms. Spice Ms. Spice
propane freaks me out (king of the hill, thank you very much.) but they both taste delcious
07/04/2011
Contributor: Acorn Acorn
I always had a charcoal grill growing up but my wife's family had a gas grill. We bought a gas grill because it's soooo much easier. I honestly don't taste the difference.
07/04/2011
Contributor: Beck Beck
Charcoal only here! Makes steaks just taste so much better
07/29/2011
Contributor: Diabolical Kitty Diabolical Kitty
charcoal tastes so much better.
07/29/2011
Contributor: beachluv51800 beachluv51800
nothing can beat the taste of charcoal, but as long as it gets done, I don't care
07/29/2011
Contributor: Gunsmoke Gunsmoke
Quote:
Originally posted by beachluv51800
nothing can beat the taste of charcoal, but as long as it gets done, I don't care
Theoretically gas adds no flavor at all. The burning gas creates heat, CO2 and water. There should be no flavor. If your gs grill is not tuned properly there is incomplete combustion that deposit carbon soot on the meat - not harmful but a nasty flavor.

Using charcoal will impart flavors onto food depending on what compounds from the wood were preserved in the charcoal making process. Since there is not that much flavor left from the charcoal - many people use unburned wood chips to add a smokey flavor.
07/29/2011
Contributor: Lucky21 Lucky21
I'm a charcoal guy. Love my webber & chimney. Maybe someday I'll get a gas grill, but I am not super incline to do it.
07/29/2011