thats how we start the stickburner...lol
Charcoal or propane which is better for flavor
- Thread starter Doc
- Start date
thats how we start the stickburner...lol
Wart
Banned
I'll consider your question an excuse to start a thread.
Propane does have a purpose, cut up 20 and 30 pound tanks make neat little firepots.
I can have lump charcoal going in 15 to 20 minutes, half hour at most. I prefer to take about 45 minutes.
Thing is the actual time to get a grill going isn't an issue. It's concurrent time, while the fire gets going I'm doing other things, prep work and such.
If one looks at it as taking the prepped food out to the grill, starting the grill, waiting for the grill come up to temp, then cooking on it, then the gas is faster.
But if you look at it as, put a fist of twigs in the grill, light them off using a plumbers torch, dump a pile of lump on te burning twigs, go to the kitchen and prep, go to the grill and spread the coals, back to the kitchen and finish prep, carry the food to the grill and start cooking, lighting charcoal takes about 3 minutes.
If I used a chimney I bet it would be less.
:shrug:
The above is for the Sportsman Grill. Burgers and steaks.
Now, lighting off the big 500+ sq inch grill (direct grilling smoking) can take a bit more time, using the above method takes about 10 minutes, sort of. Maybe. .
Thing is, when I light the big grill it's for a long haul, one hour at least (chicken, steaks for a group). more like 2~3 or 4 hours for ribs. And I'm playing for an external fire box for it (20 pound propane tank, thinking of going to a 30).
When lighting off the big grill and it's only wife and I the cooking done is for two or three days. Lunch and dinner left overs, ribs and chicken, whatever.
In short, the quality lump and chunks of wood brings to the table far outweighs the convenience of propane.
When I was growing in Africa, we half a 44gallon drum, loaded with wood that burned down. I've never really used charcoal, but do have a gas grill currently - for speed and also we don't tend to do much food, so not worth the hassle of getting a wood burn started.
My gas smoker just uses the gas to hold a steady temp and get the wood going. I like the fact it holds a very steady temp once it is set. It also produces smoke for a good 2 hours which is pleaty for most things. I rarely add more wood to it after the smoke stops.
chowhound
New member
It surprises me that the taste and convenience question has become a quality issue. The quality of the meal lies with who is fixing it. IMO.
I've used both, though like I said earlier, I am much more familiar with gas and have chosen it for my grilling heat source over charcoal, and I couldn't tell you I noticed any difference in taste or quality using charcoal over gas. Well, unless the wind kicked up the ashes while using the charcoal. Then I would say the food was noticeably grilled using charcoal.
If charcoal added flavor, wouldn't it come already flavored, like apple charcoal, or cherry charcoal?
I might just pull out my little charcoal grill, or use the bottom part of my WSM, and do a side-by-side comparison. I'm curious now if the quality of my food will change.
I've used both, though like I said earlier, I am much more familiar with gas and have chosen it for my grilling heat source over charcoal, and I couldn't tell you I noticed any difference in taste or quality using charcoal over gas. Well, unless the wind kicked up the ashes while using the charcoal. Then I would say the food was noticeably grilled using charcoal.
If charcoal added flavor, wouldn't it come already flavored, like apple charcoal, or cherry charcoal?
I might just pull out my little charcoal grill, or use the bottom part of my WSM, and do a side-by-side comparison. I'm curious now if the quality of my food will change.
What I was meaning was using the typical brickets which to me impart a taste I can sure taste and don't care for. Now I've had food smoked using real wood for charcoal that was excellent and all I tasted was the smoke from the wood used. I also not referring to smoking either but grilling meats such as steak on charcoal. I've even had excellent smoked food done in electric smokers and to be honest if they are worth their salt not many can tell the difference either. However those all use real wood that smolders producing smoke be it what ever means you get the wood going I don't think it matter much.
Wart
Banned
Well, yeah.
When I spread the coals I toss on a couple of chunks of wood. Of course care must be taken on how the wood and coals are placed.
Wart
Banned
And who is running the fire.
I've eaten from many gas grills, even cooked on a few, and I've eaten what I've cooked over my coals with wood, and there is no comparison.
I suppose if someone lights off the Kingsford and waits for it to turn white there is probably little difference between gas and briquettes.
Chunks of wood .... Hmmmmmmm
You mean like the briquettes with Mesquite in them?
They do.
I'll admit I have thought of getting a propane unit for convenience, then I remember what I make verses what I've eaten off gas grills and the thought quickly goes away. There is no comparison and I'll do the extra work.
AllenOK
New member
Profaners and Blasphemers! Propane?!?!?! Renownce your heretical ways!
If you all saw the post I made on the BBQ forum, you'll see the size of my cooker. In fact, you'll see not one, but TWO chimneys with live charcoal in them (notice the flames from the top). I have 5 kids who won't stop growing any time soon. As a result, I'm constantly having to increase the amount of food that I'm cooking. During the summer, I've been cooking an entire 10 lbs bag of leg-and-thing quarters for dinner. Cheap, easy, and extremely tasty when I brine them, then cook over live coals. The flavor is UNBELIEVABLE!
Wait a minute. Oh. Crap. The grill I use at work is gas.
*scurries around, grabs a paper bag, and puts it over his head.
Please leave me in my shame.
If you all saw the post I made on the BBQ forum, you'll see the size of my cooker. In fact, you'll see not one, but TWO chimneys with live charcoal in them (notice the flames from the top). I have 5 kids who won't stop growing any time soon. As a result, I'm constantly having to increase the amount of food that I'm cooking. During the summer, I've been cooking an entire 10 lbs bag of leg-and-thing quarters for dinner. Cheap, easy, and extremely tasty when I brine them, then cook over live coals. The flavor is UNBELIEVABLE!
Wait a minute. Oh. Crap. The grill I use at work is gas.
*scurries around, grabs a paper bag, and puts it over his head.
Please leave me in my shame.
leolady
New member
all last summer i was just using charcoal to light my oak wood... had a tree that went down a couple of years ago and was burning that down to embers then cooking my food
ohh my there is nothing in comparison how a nice juicy ribeye tastes cooked over oak coals or grilling some corn on the cob.......
ohh my there is nothing in comparison how a nice juicy ribeye tastes cooked over oak coals or grilling some corn on the cob.......
Another voice in the chorus. I lile the taste of hardwood charcoal. I do not like the taste of chatcoal lighter. I have a Weber that has a small has jet to make a flame under the charcoal basket. Lights my charcoal and does not add the taste of lighter. Five pounds of propane lasts the season.
I also have a chimney and sometimes use that.
I also find charcoal economical, because, if I put the cover on and close the vents it goes out and next time I just take out the basket shake out the ash and add more chatcoal.
The smoker is smother animal all together. I am hoping to convert the fire to propane for heat control. That will heat a pan of wood chunks which will make the smoke. After all the smoke is the flavor. I am also hoping for better flavor as I will not be mixing the flavor of charcoal and the wood chips.
Finally, the time element. Gas is quicker. I am therefore trading speed for flavor. IMHO
AC
I also have a chimney and sometimes use that.
I also find charcoal economical, because, if I put the cover on and close the vents it goes out and next time I just take out the basket shake out the ash and add more chatcoal.
The smoker is smother animal all together. I am hoping to convert the fire to propane for heat control. That will heat a pan of wood chunks which will make the smoke. After all the smoke is the flavor. I am also hoping for better flavor as I will not be mixing the flavor of charcoal and the wood chips.
Finally, the time element. Gas is quicker. I am therefore trading speed for flavor. IMHO
AC
