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What is the point of barbecuing outside if the food tastes the same as it does cooking inside.
Do you ever see chefs barbecuing on a gas grille?
Charcoal makes such an extreme difference in the taste, without it, you're just cooking with gas.
Actually yes, frequently on commercial gas grills <bold>. There are things you can do with a gas grill that you really can't do inside the house. If your wife has any say in it or you want to remain sleeping inside the house instead of with the dog outside.
Also most gas grills now have either flavorizer bars or old time lava rock to create smoke from dripping juices which you cannot do inside. Well, you could but I doubt one would want to clean up afterwards or really ever get the smell out.
Not to mention you can add wood to a gas grill just as you can a charcoal grill. I've got an steel wood chip box (Lowes/Depot) that sits on part of my flavorizer bars and it adds whatever smoke I want.
So, not really "just like cooking with gas".
BUT, with that being said I also have and cook on a charcoal grill because it cooks some things differently. Not better per-say, just different.
So, I have essentially zero cooking skills and have used a grill only a couple times in my whole life. Have always been interested in getting one and learning how to use it, and I've been seeing them on sale lately with summer ending...so, I think I'm finally going to make that happen.
Keep the grill off of the deck if you cook chicken with the skin on. I'm serious about this.
You can get a women's grill- gas. It makes ok meat.
Or you can get a man's grill that makes food much tastier- charcoal.
I suggest a Weber Kettle grill. For beginners, Kingsford competition briquettes heat fast and burn well. Depending on the type of meat, take some wood chips (easily purchased), soak for 30 minutes prior to using. When the charcoal is ready, dump the wood on top and place the meat on. Wonderful wood flavor.
Trouble? I use a chimney starter - lump starts quicker than briquettes.
I kind of meant it's more trouble for a beginner. The only thing when using lump in a chimney is that you can't fit the same amount due to the irregular sized pieces. So what I do is light a very small amount of lump in the chimney and pour the hot coals on top of a larger pile already arranged inside the grill. No muss and no fuss.
...So what I do is light a very small amount of lump in the chimney and pour the hot coals on top of a larger pile already arranged inside the grill. No muss and no fuss.
That's called the "Minion method," credited to Jim Minion. It's designed for long cooking times at a controlled low temperature.
Charcoal is the way to go and once you learn the basics of direct and indirect heat cooking it's so easy. The perfect steak on charcoal is 2 minutes each side direct heat with super hot coals. Finish off 10 minutes on indirect heat you get the perfect sear with the juices still intact.
It's ALWAYS my intent to cook low-and-slow if I'm using lump charcoal in my offset or Big Green Egg.
But what unit being used was not stated nor what charcoal was being used for was it? I believe the statements was "The only thing when using lump in a chimney is that you can't fit the same amount due to the irregular sized pieces.", which indicates (to me) that direct cooking was what was being commented on, not indirect "Minion Method".
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Well, you could but I doubt one would want to clean up afterwards or really ever get the smell out.
I believe the statements was "The only thing when using lump in a chimney is that you can't fit the same amount due to the irregular sized pieces.", which indicates (to me) that direct cooking was what was being commented on, not indirect "Minion Method".
