Barbecue novice ... advice please?
Question:Recently tried some disposable barbecues .. you know, those 99p jobbies from Lidl .. I have to say it was fun and the food was good. But, if I got the bug and wanted to have a permanent barbie in the back garden, what is best? A built in brick one, a portable charcoal one or a gas one? Does the charcoal really make the food taste better or is the gas one just as good and perhaps more convenient? And what is safest? Thanks ..
Answers:
I always use charcoal.I've been to barbecues cooked with gas and find tham, as others have said, a little boring taste-wise. I will concede they are cleaner and more convenient.
A built in one is fine if you have room but it might be better to get a cheap portable one first to establish the right spot in relation to prevailing breezes, you don't want to be enveloped in smoke all the time you're cooking! I find the best are large 1/2 barrel (laid on side) type. Make sure you've got plenty of airflow to the coals. I use firelighter blocks and find they do not taint the food if you don't start cooking until after they've burnt away.
Make sure you have a table next to it to keep your glass of wine on while you're cooking!!
I have never cooked on a built-in brick one, but as far as charcoal vs. gas, it all depends on what you want. The charcoal does give a better flavor, but you sacrifice convenience. The gas is much more convenient to get cooking faster. I live in a cold climate, and I barbecue all winter long on my gas one (brush the snow off and fire it up!), which I couldn't do on a charcoal grill. I have been thinking of getting a cheap charcoal grill to use in the summer just for the coal flavor.
I definatley prefer charcoal.
Gas takes longer and doesn't taste like you barbequed it at all.
You needn't build a brick one. Just buy a nice one for 80-100 dollars.
I've tried them all - and must say I much prefer my new gas barbie. I hated having to use fire lighters - and found they gave the food a funny taste. Gas is so convenient and heats the stones up quickly.
Get a gas grill. Then get some cast iron smoker boxes, and fill them with hickory chips, to flavor your meat. You haven't LIVED until you have experienced this. Trust me.
The coal vs. gas is a personal opinion. I myself do not like gas and I use a mesquite wood. It gives the food good flavor. Try both and you will taste a difference and if you don't then it really does not matter what you go with.
Talking as an `expert` barbie fanatic, I can say that gas bar-b-ques are much more convenient than charcoal grills. The downside to them, is that the food tastes as though it has been cooked on a normal grill, like the one in your kitchen.
Charcoal in comparison, needs to lit, left for 10 minutes to `burn` then another period to let the really hot heat cool down before cooking. But the food has that slight charcoal/burnt wood flavour which is difficult to get with a gas barbie.
Also the gas is much easier to clean than the traditional barbie.
I myself prefer the charcoal, and have a built-in one in the back garden.
What sort of barbie is a personal choice, As is a Brick built or portable, that would depend on, if you would be happy for it to always be in the same place,or would like to be able to use it any where in your garden. As a chef i prefer charcoal...but results are good with gas, and you can purchase wood chips such as Hickory to sprinkle over coals to add a smokey flavour
Get yourself a Weber first, and what's called a "chimney" for starting charcoal without lighter fluid. Just dump in the charcoal, crumple up a few sheets off newspaper, and stick in the bottom and light. In less than 5 minutes, you have coals ready to go. Lighter fluid tastes nasty, and is a waste of money. Look for charcoal made from REAL WOOD. Kroger's is made from real wood, and cheap. I think food tastes better on charcoal.
Gas is OK, but you have to watch out for flare-ups. Cheap gas grills suck, and you will end up incinerating food. You'll spend a few extra bucks on a better gas grill, but it will last longer, and will be easier to control. Clean ups are easier, and they're fast and convenient. I have and use both. Hope this helps.
BTW, a Weber is a kettle-type grill, with a domed lid. I wasn't sure what country you're from. I think they should be available world-wide. Don't believe the guy who claims Webers are "too aggressive". You can buy all sorts of inexpensive attachments, like grates that hold the charcoal to the sides for indirect cooking and smoking. True "smokers" are generally used for slow cooking large cuts of meat. If you're just getting started, a Weber is a great "first grill" for everyday use. Smokers are for more experienced backyard chefs.
I've been in BBQ for 25 years. I have two smokers purchased from Lowe's. I have the $25 Smoker and the $40 Smoker.
I use one for BBQ and the other for smoking. The only difference is the BBQ has a grill level that is higher for grilling rather than smoking though, they both are smokers. Where the water pan goes is where the pan for hot coals goes instead and that gives you grilliing power instead of smoking power and your meat will not burn.
Conventional grills burn the meat to fast like Webers...they're okay for the aggressive griller, but I prefer to kick back and chill in a chair and not have to check my meat every five minutes to prevent it from burninng.and it makes it hard for a Chef of my experience to manage the heat properly in those cheap grills that are better off used for a fast hotdog.
So when I discovered the Smokers...my problem was solved.
This is why you should get a smoker.
1. You can put on a Boston Butt and then go to work. When you get home in then evening it will be done. It smokes all day long on a ten pound bag of charcoal.
2. No matter how gard it rains on a rainy day, you can grill your meat and watch it cook. I love a Smoker and willl never go back to other types.
If you plan on building a brick grill in your yard I would consider your purpose to do it. If I do that I plan on selling Boston Butts and make money from my venture or it will just sit there most of the time going to waste.
Now on the other hand, the Smoker is more convenient because it's mobile which means that if it starts to rain you can move the smoker near the house closer to watch and manage.
The Smoker Grill is the best way to go here and always remember to use Hickory chips for flavor and throw some onion peelings and potato peelings on the hot coals while you smoke and grill. Thats my secret to good taste and when I smopke a led quarter from a Deer I make it taste like Roast Beef.
I get orders every year for Thanksgiving on my smoked Turkey's
Yup, the Smoker is the way to go.
charcoal isn't toxic! unless of course you decide to eat a bag full. I use gas myself, you can always but flavoured wood-chips if you want the smokey effect...try marinating everything and use soy sauce to keep meat moist while cooking
According to the HPBA (Hearth, Pation & Barbeque Association) there were over 17 million grills shipped last year. This includes gas and charcoal. Chosing one over the other is a matter of preference. I've always been a Weber kettle fanatic. I can cook almost anything in that thing, and have tried including: Thanksgiving turkey, tri-tip, salmon, kabobs, burgers, pork loin, hot dogs and on and on. The ability to cook with direct and indirect heat gives it a clear advantage over some gas grill models that will only provide you with one or two heating variations. I do have a little gas grill that I use for grilling (burgers and anything that will cook in under 25 minutes) which is convenient. It uses small propane canisters and is great for last minute grilling. As far as safety, I don't know that one is better than another (gas versus charcoal). There have been some health studies done on grilling food and the hazards of charring food--which is a possibility with both types of grills. Cooking low (heat) and slow is the way to go.
Weber also has a great site with fantastic phone support: www.weber.com. They have recipes and tips on how many briquettes to use and how long to cook--everything you need to successfully make your barbie permanent in your back garden.
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