Gas vs. Charcoal Grilling: Where Do You Stand?
It’s summertime and the grilling is easy. It also means it’s grilling season in the food media. In the New York Times over the weekend there was an almost whimsical story about the evolution of the backyard grill.
Apparently the consumer gas grill was developed in 1960 by a fellow named Walter Kozoil. In the ensuing 47 years, gas grills have come to outsell the charcoal variety by roughly 30 percent (10,137,500 gas vs. 6,845,000 charcoal in 2006). The issue that seems to be too hot for any of the magazines or newspapers to touch is the age-old argument about which is better, a gas or a charcoal grill, though the Times piece does mention that many upscale grills now allow you to use both charcoal and gas.
Weigh in and read on about the Battle of the Fuel Sources.
Me, I’m afraid I just use a Weber Kettle Grill (invented in 1952 by Weber employee George Stephen) that I replace when it falls apart, usually every four or five years. Smart man, that Mr. Stephen.
I use hardwood charcoal that I put in a simple chimney starter. I like the taste the charcoal imparts, and I don’t grill enough in the course of a year to worry about the potentially carcinogenic effects of eating meat grilled over charcoal. I have also on occasion used with great success a Big Green Egg, but the model I cooked with had a relatively small grilling surface. It is, however, a great tool to make backyard or rooftop barbecue. My friends and neighbors Kathy and her husband, Roy, have invited me over for killer ribs, brisket, and pork shoulder she makes on her Big Green Egg, which she is slavishly devoted to.
A note about the the health dangers of eating charcoal-grilled food: In the Times piece mentioned above, David Schardt, a senior nutritionist at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, says, "We looked at the research a few years ago. There is an inexact risk about consuming meat that has been overly cooked." Apparently, the article went on, "There is some concern about barbecuing: When the food is charred or burned, it forms compounds that are potentially carcinogenic. But someone apparently would have to eat a lot of charred meat for this to become a concern."
Now back to the debate. Steven Raichlen in The Barbecue Bible lists his grilling fuel preferences as wood, hardwood charcoal, and gas, in that order, though he admits he often fires up one of his many gas grills for the the sake of convenience.
Bobby Flay in Boy Meets Grill expresses his preference for his gas grills, because, he says, "the real flavor boost (from grilling) comes from marinades and seasonings, and from quick searing directly over a very hot fire—which a good gas grill does as well as charcoal."
So with chefs, experts, and food media types split like a butterflied chicken on the subject, I’d like to ask the Serious Eats community: Gas or charcoal for grilling and why?
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18 Comments:
For flavor--Charcoal. Gas is easier and fast, but why rush if you are backyard? Love Webber--it's simple and effective, and generates a steady fire.
Wood is great for imparting smokiness, if it's what you are looking for... mmm, brisket!
dbdtron at 9:11AM on 07/23/07
Charcoal, without a doubt. There's something very satisfying to me about not only making my own food, but also building the fire it'll cook on. I use hardwood chunks on top of charcoal when I need to smoke.
josh! at 9:33AM on 07/23/07
they both have their place. when i come home from work at eight o'clock and want to throw a steak on the grill, the last thing i want to do is light a charcoal fire. although i know the standard thought is that charcoal is better for smoking, it is not the briquets that give the smokey flavor, but the woodchips, which can be added just as easily to a gas grill. the advantage of the gas grill for smoking, i have found (as in inexpert smoking neophyte), is that it is much easier to maintain the constant temperature over long periods of time required for smoking. still, i have been experimenting with charcoal for smoking, and when i have nothing else to do for an entire weekend day, it sure is fun.
carriebwc at 9:41AM on 07/23/07
We have 3 charcoal grills at my house, all courtesy of my in-laws. The first was a wedding gift of a Brinkman smoker, the kind with a water pan sitting directly over the charcoal and two tiers of racks. We use it once a year to make the best smoked turkey for Thanksgiving. When my father-in-law moved to an apartment, he gave us his two other grills. One is a "small" grill made of cast aluminum. It will last forever and we use it for grilling for family meals like burgers and steaks. The last is a huge charcoal grill that is older than I am (that's old). It came with a smoker box, a rotisserie that can be used for roasts or shish kebobs, a thermometer for telling the temp inside the grill, and a little door on the front for adding more charcoal without opening the top of the grill. We use it for smoking racks of ribs or for my special rotisserie pork roast. I suppose we could get by with fewer grills, but then we wouldn't be eating as well as we do! Oh, and a shout out to the Barbecue Bible, it is worth the price of the book for the recipe for Dimple's Barbecued Chicken.
Library Lady at 9:46AM on 07/23/07
Does anyone else notice that sometimes the gas grills impart a particularly petroleum-esque flavor to foods? Sometimes in restaurants, it's particularly obvious to me. Don't own a gas grill myself.
lemons at 9:50AM on 07/23/07
I have a smoker / grill made from 1/4" thick steel pipe. It is 18" in dia. and 36" long. There is an air flow adjustment at the right end and a chimney on the left. Due to the heavy duty nature of this cooker it maintains temps very well. I use a chimney starter for natural hardwood lump charcoal. It's ready in 20 minutes.I also use apple wood chunks for smoking pork and chicken but prefer hickory for beef. I've been smoking and grilling for 30 years and never had a gas grill. I've had several webers through the years but purchased present cooker 10 years ago. Gas grills are convenient but the taste is just not there.
Colorado Jim at 10:08AM on 07/23/07
It's all about wood. In my humble opinion, if you are going to grill, it should be over a wood fire. Lamb over a wood fired grill is the way it should be.
(Go ahead, make your wood jokes....)
Judith klinger at 12:05PM on 07/23/07
We've got a gas grill with lava rocks, and I have to admit that I love the speed and ease of it. I don't find that my food tastes "gassy" at all. Having been a lifelong summercamp kid I can build a mean fire BUT I'm inept with charcoal grills. There's always lighter fluid involved, and THAT makes your food taste monkeyfunky.
Go gas!
missbhavens at 12:20PM on 07/23/07
i'm happy with my gas grill, and an electric smoker for when I want that woodsy-smokiness.. I grew up on charcoal and lighter fluid, and honestly, I do enjoy the "monkeyfunky" flavor from time to time (at the beach house, etc..) but at home, I've never felt the need.
We're looking at a wood-fired pizza oven though...
daryn at 12:38PM on 07/23/07
I love my gas grill for its convenience. And I think it still provides a smoky flavor because of those "flavorizer bars" in it (I use a Weber gas grill). Although if I ever get a place with a backyard, I will be sure to buy myself a charcoal grill. It doesn't hurt to have both if you've got the space for 'em.
Marvin at 1:06PM on 07/23/07
We use a gas grill for two reasons. One, it's really easy to stop by the store on the way home, fire it up, go inside to season the meat and prep the veggies, then grill it all. Presto, tasty dinner. When we want wood smoke, a steel box with soaked chips laid on the "grate" does the trick.
Two, my wife has celiac disease and commercial charcoal uses wheat straw as a binder (verified with a call to Kingsford), so we're playing it safe.
BerryK at 1:46PM on 07/23/07
I use gas for the convenience factor, but have a Weber kettle I use when time permits. I see daryn mentioned a wood fired pizza oven, and I too have been looking at plans for making a pizza/bread oven in the yard.
Vitello Tonnato at 5:53PM on 07/23/07
Gas grills suck.. They are worthless. Use your range instead, less bugs.
NYBITECLUB at 7:46AM on 07/24/07
I use my gas grill 3 or 4 times a week - year round!!!
DebiGirl at 9:34AM on 07/24/07
My father gave me Weber charcoal grill for my 22nd birthday, and after we put it together he christened it with his Miller Genuine Draft before we cooked our first meal.
There doesn't seem to be quite as much romance waiting for a gas grill to be ready.
sawyerriley at 5:20PM on 07/24/07
CHARCOAL , or a a wood fire when camping. Know &love people who use gas,but just don't get it. I'm with nybiteclub, you might as well cook it inside.
smokingina at 1:22PM on 07/28/07
Charcoal Rules - while it takes awhile to get the fire going - the result is far superior than gas.
I do like the ease of gas but hey that is what kitchen stoves are for.
I have a black Weber and would never dream of using a gas grill.
surfnbklyn at 1:19PM on 07/30/07
I cook on a propane powered custom grill and many people taste that i get a heck of a lot of flavor. i've been to many cook outs and contests w/ the hardcore charcoal experts w/ their cans of bud light, to each his or her own, i just wonder how many competitions the people w/ the strongest opinions have won?
joessausage at 10:52PM on 08/20/08