# Grill, charcoal vs gas, whats your favorite?



## dafox (Jul 27, 2021)

I used gas for many years, got a charcoal grill this summer, like the flavor of the charcoal but can see the benefit of a gas grill. What's your favorite?


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## MarcelNL (Jul 27, 2021)

coal, but not charcoal lumps but the weber compressed stuff that is not way too hot to start and stays hot much longer.


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## tcmx3 (Jul 27, 2021)

grill? charcoal for sure.

that said these days I prefer the stove top for most things I used to enjoy on the grill. just less of a hassle and frankly I prefer the results. 

except for special occasions; nothing beats the grill for the 4th of July IMO.


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## Barmoley (Jul 27, 2021)

I really like the charcoal better for the flavor. I like the lumps, but like others I see benefit to gas or stove top. Less hassle and more control, charcoal is very cool though, there is something primal about it......


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## HumbleHomeCook (Jul 27, 2021)

Charcoal all day. To me, and I mean no disrespect, if you're going to use gas, just cook inside. Now, I could easily see benefit in having a propane burner to accompany the charcoal grill.

Get yourself some decent carbon and/or cast iron pans and you can do a lot on charcoal. And they really aren't that big of a hassle. Depending on what I'm doing, I can have mine ready in 20-30min's. That's really not a big and is just total time, not my active time. Put however many briquettes in the chimney, fire it up and setup the grill (cleaned out, fill with however many briquettes, etc. - couple min's). 10-15min's later pour lit briquettes into the grill and let cooking grate heat for another 10min's. Time to cook. As long as you prep appropriately and use your time right, it is no big deal.


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## M1k3 (Jul 27, 2021)

Charcoal for flavor.
Gas, especially natural gas, for convenience.


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## Pointless1 (Jul 27, 2021)

Had gas forever, went to Kamado style last summer and won’t go back. Actually not much more effort than gas and way better results. Use one of them (13 and 18 inch) at least once a week. Can even fit the little one start to finish after work for something like burgers.


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## Bear (Jul 27, 2021)

The only thing I use propane for is to light my charcoal.


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## tcmx3 (Jul 27, 2021)

of course the single best King of the Hill episode is when Bobby and Peggy secretly learn about how good charcoal is and go behind Hank's back like drug addicts.


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## rmrf (Jul 27, 2021)

HumbleHomeCook said:


> Charcoal all day. To me, and I mean no disrespect, if you're going to use gas, just cook inside. Now, I could easily see benefit in having a propane burner to accompany the charcoal grill.
> 
> Get yourself some decent carbon and/or cast iron pans and you can do a lot on charcoal. And they really aren't that big of a hassle. Depending on what I'm doing, I can have mine ready in 20-30min's. That's really not a big and is just total time, not my active time. Put however many briquettes in the chimney, fire it up and setup the grill (cleaned out, fill with however many briquettes, etc. - couple min's). 10-15min's later pour lit briquettes into the grill and let cooking grate heat for another 10min's. Time to cook. As long as you prep appropriately and use your time right, it is no big deal.



I use propane outside in a wok burner or a grill. It takes me 20 seconds to set up a propane grill and maybe a minute to setup the wok burner . 

The main reasons I cook outdoors is (1) to avoid heating the house in the summer (2) to make cleaning easier (deep frying) (3) for the handful of things I've haven't yet gotten to work as well indoors (salmon, swordfish, chicken thighs, eggplant). 

I'm not a huge fan of the taste from charcoal grills though so I might be an outlier. I've always wanted to try smoking/bbq for like brisket, pork butt, etc though.


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## rstcso (Jul 27, 2021)

Started over forty years ago using the Weber kettle, got serious into BBQ and built my own pit with a 48"x24" lump charcoal grill on the side. Also cooked briskets and pork butts on a Weber Smoky Mountain when cooking at home for the family. Went through many cheap gas grills, then a few years ago invested in a 36" American Outdoor Grill. As I'm getting older, the convenience factor outweighs the better flavor from using charcoal. If younger, the Big Green Egg or other kamado style grill would be in my back yard,


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## AT5760 (Jul 27, 2021)

I like charcoal flavor better. I switched to it from gas about 3 years ago. Gotta admit though, gas is convenient. When you have 3 hungry kids, charcoal after work isn’t worth the extra time a lot of evenings.


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## Rangen (Jul 27, 2021)

I am an unabashed partisan of the charcoal grill, specifically my Big Green Egg. There is nothing like charcoal flavor, and the heat you can get in an enclosed ceramic grill is astonishing.

However...it turns out that summer in the desert here means fire restrictions, which include no outdoor burning of anything, even charcoal in a closed grill. I am vexed. I'm willing to buy a gas grill, but I've never run into one that puts out the kind of heat I have come to rely on in my BGE. Any suggestions? Is there anything that will give me 700 degrees over the entire surface of my steak?


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## HumbleHomeCook (Jul 27, 2021)

It's hard for me to think of what I would grill that I can prep appreciably faster than it takes to prep my grill. Sausages and the like I reckon but even then I'm doing something to go with them.


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## HumbleHomeCook (Jul 27, 2021)

Rangen said:


> I am an unabashed partisan of the charcoal grill, specifically my Big Green Egg. There is nothing like charcoal flavor, and the heat you can get in an enclosed ceramic grill is astonishing.
> 
> However...it turns out that summer in the desert here means fire restrictions, which include no outdoor burning of anything, even charcoal in a closed grill. I am vexed. I'm willing to buy a gas grill, but I've never run into one that puts out the kind of heat I have come to rely on in my BGE. Any suggestions? Is there anything that will give me 700 degrees over the entire surface of my steak?



Might consider a technique change for those conditions. A lower heat with frequent flips and basting can produce amazing results.


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## GorillaGrunt (Jul 27, 2021)

Charcoal, specifically lump charcoal, especially the big green egg - unless wood is available. I cooked for a while at a wood hearth restaurant and I’ve decided that that’s the best way to go. as for a gas grill that answers @Rangen’s question, I’m sure it exists and it sounds like something that’s probably expensive.

I don’t know your grill budget but how about Napoleon? Also some Dyna-Glo models look pretty good from an article that looked at the heat specifically, and at a lower price — but I’m not sure what the trade off for that is.


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## JAKsQandBrew (Jul 27, 2021)

I have 3 charcoal cookers (ceramic and two charcoal smokers) and a wood fired santa maria. 

I use the gas grill every time I cook... to light the charcoal.

Other than burning wood logs down to coals for the santa maria, all can be ready to cook in the time it takes to prep most anything I'm cooking.


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## VICTOR J CREAZZI (Jul 27, 2021)

Kingsford Charcoal Original for me.


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## rmrf (Jul 27, 2021)

Rangen said:


> I am an unabashed partisan of the charcoal grill, specifically my Big Green Egg. There is nothing like charcoal flavor, and the heat you can get in an enclosed ceramic grill is astonishing.
> 
> However...it turns out that summer in the desert here means fire restrictions, which include no outdoor burning of anything, even charcoal in a closed grill. I am vexed. I'm willing to buy a gas grill, but I've never run into one that puts out the kind of heat I have come to rely on in my BGE. Any suggestions? Is there anything that will give me 700 degrees over the entire surface of my steak?



Fry pan on a stove top? The internet tells me a fry pan on a stove top can get to 700-900 F. I know my wok burner gets a lot hotter but I've never tried putting anything other than a wok on it. I'm also not sure a wok burner would be allowed in fire restricted areas as I've ignited oil accidentally in mine a few times and the flames were rather frightening.

I've intentionally caused flair-ups by adding oil to the meat in my propane grill and cooked on the flames. I cooked lamb shoulder steak that way and it tasted good. It feels stupid and wasteful however.

If you need your food to sit in an "air bath" at 700F without charcoal, I would think about a propane pizza oven. If you can cook a margarita, you're probably above 700F. If you want to do it indoors, I think I saw a video of alex the french guy sawing through the lock of his electric oven so he could open it while the cleaning cycle was on.


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## panda (Jul 27, 2021)

lump charcoal


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## coxhaus (Jul 27, 2021)

I have a big smoke and a 6-burner gas grill. I hate new gas grills because they have no flavor but once you season the gas grill then they work well. I don't buy charcoal. I use wood in my big smoker.


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## mc2442 (Jul 27, 2021)

While I prefer the flavor of charcoal, the convenience and heat control of gas has me leaning that way. Unfortunately I am one of the few units in my building without a balcony so I don't currently have a grill so I get by with cast iron on stove top/oven. I have yet to try a BGE or equivalent.


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## rstcso (Jul 28, 2021)

Rangen said:


> II'm willing to buy a gas grill, but I've never run into one that puts out the kind of heat I have come to rely on in my BGE. Any suggestions? Is there anything that will give me 700 degrees over the entire surface of my steak?


I've never owned a BGE, but I've been very pleased with the AOG 36PCT. It can get over 700 degrees and a steak-searing beast. I usually cook steaks sous vide and sear on the grill. Fifteen seconds, rotate 90 degrees for fifteen seconds, flip, repeat. This grill has the best grill marks of any grill or method of cooking I've used. The heat distribution is fairly consistent, better than any gas grill I'd owned before. Living in central Texas, it's used often to cook chicken, hamburgers, and vegetables (lots of corn). If I somehow outlive it, I'd buy another in a heartbeat.

Do your outdoor cooking restrictions allow gas grills?


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## esoo (Jul 28, 2021)

Many years ago, I cooked a store bought hamburger on my Weber Smokey Joe and thought it was pretty darn tasty. Later that week, I cooked another burger from the same pack on a Weber Genesis Silver. It was clear which was the better tasting burger - the one done over charcoal.


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## Bodine (Jul 28, 2021)

Lump for me, with the addition of what ever wood flavor I want to add at the beginning of the session.
Mainly I do butts, ribs, peppers for ancho powder, but while they are cooking I usually throw on some chicken as well.
Mostly smoking, not grilling, love my egg, but any high quality ceramic unit should be fine.


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## Rangen (Jul 28, 2021)

rstcso said:


> I've never owned a BGE, but I've been very pleased with the AOG 36PCT. It can get over 700 degrees and a steak-searing beast. I usually cook steaks sous vide and sear on the grill. Fifteen seconds, rotate 90 degrees for fifteen seconds, flip, repeat. This grill has the best grill marks of any grill or method of cooking I've used. The heat distribution is fairly consistent, better than any gas grill I'd owned before. Living in central Texas, it's used often to cook chicken, hamburgers, and vegetables (lots of corn). If I somehow outlive it, I'd buy another in a heartbeat.
> 
> Do your outdoor cooking restrictions allow gas grills?



Yes. I think the concern is about little embers of wood/charcoal floating off and igniting some dry desert plants. 

Thanks for your recommendation.


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## moderncooking (Jul 28, 2021)

Gas stove, charcoal grill.


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## boomchakabowwow (Jul 28, 2021)

i love both. two Webers. one Weber Genesis propane grill, and one Weber Kettle. they both have their place.

in wildfire season, i feel so bad lighting up my charcoal canister. the smoke generated will trigger some PTSD for my neighbors. i will fire up the propane grill. 

flavor wise the nod goes to charcoal, but not by the mile you would expect. there are ways to add smoke to my Genesis.


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## coxhaus (Jul 28, 2021)

The only way I have found to get close to Pittsburg red for steak is to use a 6-burner gas grill with all burners running wide open. It takes a lot of heat to cook Pittsburg red. Of course, you blow through a propane bottle pretty fast.


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## deltaplex (Jul 28, 2021)

Charcoal all the way; I vacillate between lump and briquettes depending on what I'm using it for. Oh, always add some soaked hardwood on top.


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## btbyrd (Jul 28, 2021)

Gas and charcoal are both my favorite but for different purposes. Depending on what is being grilled, I think a good gas grill is better for most people's needs most of the time. There is little flavor advantage to charcoal because it doesn't impart any flavor of its own; it's just carbon. (Wood fired cooking is a different story, of course.) The main advantage it has is being able to reach higher temperatures while emitting much less water (which is a byproduct of the combustion that occurs in a gas grill). This hotter, dryer heat can deliver a better high-intensity sear on foods than (most) gas grills can. And with a better sear comes better flavor. This flavor doesn't come from charcoal per se; it comes from the the high amounts of radiant heat. A suitably hot infrared element can deliver almost identical results.

Of course, high intensity heat isn't the way that you want to cook all or even most foods. For moderate heat grilling -- which is most of what you want to do with a grill -- gas works just as well as charcoal without the setup and cleaning hassles. And if you're cooking for a crowd, the convenience of a larger propane grill can't be denied. So for me, it's charcoal for searing (and yakitori) and gas for everything else. And for flavor, top marks go to wood coals (or a mix of wood and charcoal).


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## HumbleHomeCook (Jul 28, 2021)

deltaplex said:


> Charcoal all the way; I vacillate between lump and briquettes depending on what I'm using it for. Oh, always add some soaked hardwood on top.



Just say no to the soak. It's a myth.


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## Delat (Jul 28, 2021)

Rangen said:


> I am an unabashed partisan of the charcoal grill, specifically my Big Green Egg. There is nothing like charcoal flavor, and the heat you can get in an enclosed ceramic grill is astonishing.
> 
> However...it turns out that summer in the desert here means fire restrictions, which include no outdoor burning of anything, even charcoal in a closed grill. I am vexed. I'm willing to buy a gas grill, but I've never run into one that puts out the kind of heat I have come to rely on in my BGE. Any suggestions? Is there anything that will give me 700 degrees over the entire surface of my steak?



Infrared grills can get up over 700 degrees. I only use my grill for searing steaks after sous-vide, so infrared is perfect for me. About 45s per side for straight grill marks, flip and rotate for another 45s per side for a classic cross-hatch pattern. It’s actually possible to burn steaks on my infrared if you let them sit for 3 minutes without flipping. And the infrared element gets hot in about 30s, searing hot in a couple minutes.

I do prefer the flavor of charcoal grills but got tired of dealing with the hassle years ago.


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## YumYumSauce (Jul 29, 2021)

I really enjoy the process of charcoal grilling. Been messing with binchotan charcoal with the konro. But propane is convienient too. I use a propane wok burner to get the binchotan lighted.


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## Rangen (Aug 1, 2021)

OK, I think I've got the solution to my problem, which I would describe as follows:

I need very serious surface heat PLUS bathing in seriously hot air so I can make thick steaks come out the way I want (very pink inside, heat-abused outside)
My locality forbids charcoal/wood in the summer, for seemingly-valid fire danger reasons, so my beloved Big Green Egg is benched
My oven broiler is an electric element and almost completely useless.

One of the great super-hot gas grills recommended by people on this thread would likely have worked, but what I got was a thing called a Cajun Broiler. Actually, I have had it for months, but could not figure out how to put the darned thing together. Turned out that I was missing some bolts and nuts (I think it was a returned item, to judge by the rust already present when I opened the box), and that the propane inlet was exactly what it was supposed to be, not, as I thought, "oh that can't be all the parts, if I light that I had better write my epitaph first."

So I just got it lit for the first time, and I think it will solve my steak problem and my wimpy broiler problem, to say the least. Also apparently you can make pizza in it, broiling the toppings then setting the crust on the hot top surface to crisp up.

Looks as though it's going to be an outdoor cooking summer after all.


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## aboynamedsuita (Aug 2, 2021)

I recently learned that “solid fuel burning appliances” are regulated under fire prevention bylaws in my jurisdiction. Since it’s been so dry recently, open pit fires, charcoal cookers, etc. aren’t supposed to be used (ie prohibited). I’m glad I have a Napoleon propane grill/bbq since the konro is a no-no for the time being


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## YumYumSauce (Aug 2, 2021)

Interesting. I live in the desert and I dont think we have those restrictions for residential use. For sure camping and state/national parks and stuff tho.


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## Justinv (Aug 2, 2021)

A nice gas grill is convenient and predictable temperature. It also eliminates the desire to get a kitchen range with a rotisserie and indoor grill. I can’t say I use a rotisserie often but everything comes out delicious.


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## JASinIL2006 (Aug 10, 2021)

HumbleHomeCook said:


> Charcoal all day. To me, and I mean no disrespect, if you're going to use gas, just cook inside. Now, I could easily see benefit in having a propane burner to accompany the charcoal grill.
> 
> Get yourself some decent carbon and/or cast iron pans and you can do a lot on charcoal. And they really aren't that big of a hassle. Depending on what I'm doing, I can have mine ready in 20-30min's. That's really not a big and is just total time, not my active time. Put however many briquettes in the chimney, fire it up and setup the grill (cleaned out, fill with however many briquettes, etc. - couple min's). 10-15min's later pour lit briquettes into the grill and let cooking grate heat for another 10min's. Time to cook. As long as you prep appropriately and use your time right, it is no big deal.



Honestly, if you're going to cook in a pan, just cook inside. Other than keeping the house cooler, what's the point of a pan on the grill? Just seems odd that you'd recommend cooking indoors rather than grill over gas, but you'd cook in a pan over charcoal.


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## HumbleHomeCook (Aug 10, 2021)

JASinIL2006 said:


> Honestly, if you're going to cook in a pan, just cook inside. Other than keeping the house cooler, what's the point of a pan on the grill? Just seems odd that you'd recommend cooking indoors rather than grill over gas, but you'd cook in a pan over charcoal.




Fair enough and it's honestly something I rarely do. But I do know a lot of folks who like to use a pan for veggies, beans, whatever while they're preparing the main course.


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## GorillaGrunt (Aug 10, 2021)

That, if you’re already grilling something, and also depending on what kind of stove you have inside and what kind of grill you have outside vis-a-vis its ability to heat a pan, that could be your best bet for some things. I like to deep fry outside on a side burner if that’s an available option instead of doing it in the house because of the mess and the smell.


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## MontezumaBoy (Aug 10, 2021)

BGE (X2) with Lump (check the nakedwiz for info - The Lump Charcoal Database -- Naked Whiz Charcoal Ceramic Cooking)
Konro - Binchotan (thx to JKI for sourcing)

Been thinking of going with a stick burner for a more dedicated smoker but the Yoder pellet (YS640) smoker has me looking in that direction also just difficult to get one at the moment.


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## YumYumSauce (Aug 11, 2021)

JASinIL2006 said:


> Honestly, if you're going to cook in a pan, just cook inside. Other than keeping the house cooler, what's the point of a pan on the grill? Just seems odd that you'd recommend cooking indoors rather than grill oven gas, but you'd cook in a pan over charcoal.



Sometimes I throw my cast iron skillet or plancha right over the charcoal and cook things. 

I also cook things with gas outside in pans. I have an outdoor wok burner which has a much higher output than the range inside, great for searing or deep frying without the mess and smoke alarms going off.


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## DitmasPork (Aug 11, 2021)

dafox said:


> I used gas for many years, got a charcoal grill this summer, like the flavor of the charcoal but can see the benefit of a gas grill. What's your favorite?



I've never had the opportunity of using gas—but have always dug charcoal. Love the smoky taste, the ritual of building a fire. Only grill when visiting family since I live in a NYC apartment.


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## Rangen (Aug 11, 2021)

DitmasPork said:


> I've never had the opportunity of using gas—but have always dug charcoal. Love the smoky taste, the ritual of building a fire. Only grill when visiting family since I live in a NYC apartment.



This raises a question I have wondered about, especially when I have had to give up charcoal for the summer, due to local fire rules:

Is there any way to use charcoal indoors? I mean, I have been at Japanese restaurants where they grilled wagyu over binchotan (sp?). No one died of carbon monoxide. Any way to make this happen at home? Little grill? Hard Japanese charcoal or the equivalent?

If it's not an impossible dream, I'd love some tips.


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## btbyrd (Aug 11, 2021)

It's all fun and games until your bincho starts sparking and melts a hole in your flooring.


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## DitmasPork (Aug 11, 2021)

Rangen said:


> This raises a question I have wondered about, especially when I have had to give up charcoal for the summer, due to local fire rules:
> 
> Is there any way to use charcoal indoors? I mean, I have been at Japanese restaurants where they grilled wagyu over binchotan (sp?). No one died of carbon monoxide. Any way to make this happen at home? Little grill? Hard Japanese charcoal or the equivalent?
> 
> If it's not an impossible dream, I'd love some tips.



I've wondered about indoor grills too. Here's a Korean tabletop bbq grill. [I've no experience with these.]





Amazon.com: Primst Multifunctional Charcoal Barbecue Grill, Household Korean BBQ Grill, Portable Camping Grill Stove, Tabletop Smoker Grill : Patio, Lawn & Garden


Buy Primst Multifunctional Charcoal Barbecue Grill, Household Korean BBQ Grill, Portable Camping Grill Stove, Tabletop Smoker Grill: Charcoal Grills - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases



www.amazon.com


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## Justinv (Aug 12, 2021)

You would need one heck of a range hood to use an indoor grill and charcoal sounds like a really bad idea indoors.

Some ranges come with optional weak grills, whats the point? Use a broiler or a serious outdoor grill that can actually sear.


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## Justinv (Aug 12, 2021)

An airfryer is another good option indoors instead of a grill.


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## Rangen (Aug 12, 2021)

Justinv said:


> You would need one heck of a range hood to use an indoor grill and charcoal sounds like a really bad idea indoors.
> 
> Some ranges come with optional weak grills, whats the point? Use a broiler or a serious outdoor grill that can actually sear.



The point, for me at least, is my addiction to the flavor that charcoal provides. I agree that for serious heat, I'd pick one of the options you mention. That doesn't solve the addiction problem, though. Visions of little skewers sizzling on a small charcoal grill are but one of the withdrawal symptoms.


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## JASinIL2006 (Aug 12, 2021)

YumYumSauce said:


> Sometimes I throw my cast iron skillet or plancha right over the charcoal and cook things.
> 
> I also cook things with gas outside in pans. I have an outdoor wok burner which has a much higher output than the range inside, great for searing or deep frying without the mess and smoke alarms going off.



I have a wok burner, too, and it's really great for deep frying stuff, simmer a huge stock pot of stock outside, and of course, for cooking with my big-a$$ wok. No comparison with an indoor gas stove in BTU department. The wok burner is like an inverted jet engine. I love it.


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## FiveAgst1 (Aug 13, 2021)

Got a big green egg about a year ago. Since then my gas grill has been used twice, pretty much only when I'm in a rush.


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## cantdecidewhichone (Aug 14, 2021)

I definitely prefer charcoal as well. I have a Sunterra with brasero. I burn wooden logs on the left and cook with the embers that fall. This is a traditional Argentinian style grill.


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## FiveAgst1 (Aug 16, 2021)

cantdecidewhichone said:


> I definitely prefer charcoal as well. I have a Sunterra with brasero. I burn wooden logs on the left and cook with the embers that fall. This is a traditional Argentinian style grill.
> 
> View attachment 137974
> 
> ...


That looks like it's a lot of fun to use!!


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## coxhaus (Aug 29, 2021)

Has anybody converted their gas grill to use lava rocks? I am working on my gas grill and thinking about it. I need to add a second lower rack to hold the lava rock instead of those little metal shields. The lava rock retains heat better from what I am reading.

I am sure charcoal will still be better if you have the time.


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## luuogle (Aug 30, 2021)

The gas grill is much more convenient if only grilling off a couple of things otherwise I prefer charcoal over gas a significantly better-charred flavor using charcoal over gas.


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## boomchakabowwow (Aug 30, 2021)

cantdecidewhichone said:


> I definitely prefer charcoal as well. I have a Sunterra with brasero. I burn wooden logs on the left and cook with the embers that fall. This is a traditional Argentinian style grill.
> 
> View attachment 137974
> 
> ...


this is so awesome. makes me want to gather up some friends and horses and go rob a train. it 's so chuckwagoney.


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## sansho (Aug 30, 2021)

coxhaus said:


> Has anybody converted their gas grill to use lava rocks? I am working on my gas grill and thinking about it. I need to add a second lower rack to hold the lava rock instead of those little metal shields. The lava rock retains heat better from what I am reading.
> 
> I am sure charcoal will still be better if you have the time.



i had them in a weber genesis gas grill and took them out.

heat retention can mean different things (or be a consequence of different things), so i won't say that i see no point to it. i see a point to an insulated cooker or firebox. i don't see the point to increasing the thermal mass which is basically what lava rocks do.

the main benefit i see to them is increasing evenness of temp distribution across the cooking surface.

however, having the grill be responsive to changes in burner output is useful to me, so i removed them.

they're also porous and get kinda nasty with juicy drippings or other sources of moisture. depending on your environment, this promotes corrosion of what they're in contact with. i experienced this. for this reason, i suggest some other kind of ceramic material if you really want to go that route.


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## M1k3 (Aug 30, 2021)

coxhaus said:


> Has anybody converted their gas grill to use lava rocks? I am working on my gas grill and thinking about it. I need to add a second lower rack to hold the lava rock instead of those little metal shields. The lava rock retains heat better from what I am reading.
> 
> I am sure charcoal will still be better if you have the time.


Ceramic briquettes/tiles won't hold onto grease.


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## tcmx3 (Aug 30, 2021)

Rangen said:


> This raises a question I have wondered about, especially when I have had to give up charcoal for the summer, due to local fire rules:
> 
> Is there any way to use charcoal indoors? I mean, I have been at Japanese restaurants where they grilled wagyu over binchotan (sp?). No one died of carbon monoxide. Any way to make this happen at home? Little grill? Hard Japanese charcoal or the equivalent?
> 
> If it's not an impossible dream, I'd love some tips.



Ive only seen it in person once, and it was at a very expensive restaurant and the hood was SERIOUS business. not the sort of thing I think you would want to pony up for to have installed in your house.

I dunno personally when it's not grill season I just lie to myself and say "oh this will just make it all the better when I can actually grill"


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## Rangen (Aug 30, 2021)

tcmx3 said:


> I dunno personally when it's not grill season I just lie to myself and say "oh this will just make it all the better when I can actually grill"



Sounds about right. I just have to get used to the idea that here, grill season is winter.


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## coxhaus (Aug 30, 2021)

I have given up on lava rocks. Sounds like they don't last and they can cause flare ups with age. I am now looking at Ceramic briquettes. I found these made in the USA. I am adding a metal mesh screen inside my gas grill to put the ceramic briquettes on above the gas tubes and below the grates.

Amazon.com: Grill Greats A-4806-45 45-Pack Briquettes for Grilling, 315 Square Inch : Patio, Lawn & Garden

I use my gas grill 3 or 4 times a week during warm weather. And in Texas that is 9 or 10 months a year. I am a heavy user. It is quick and fast and keeps the heat out of my kitchen during the summer.

I have 2 older grills right now. I am rebuilding one and plan to trash the 6 burner one. I have to light the 6 burner one for each gas tube. The auto lighters are all burned through. The big 4 burner is a commercial model which was built better so I am rebuilding it. I go through gas grills every 3 years or less. I had a Barbeque Galores that did last but they moved out of town so I could not get parts any more. They had nice burners.


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## karaRobert (Jul 9, 2022)

I have the natural gas version installed and it is so nice not to worry about propane. I use these Weber Summit S-460 Built-In, easily controls flare-ups, etc. Entire product is sturdy and well constructed. The four burner configuration allows me to do indirect cooking, plenty of room for all kinds of meals.


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## Michi (Jul 9, 2022)

Charcoal tastes better. And is a lot more work. Not really practical in my situation.

I do have a patio where I could fire up a charcoal BBQ, but the patio is downstairs, two sets of stairs and a good 30 meters horizontal distance away. Whereas my gas-fired BBQ is on the deck upstairs, all of about 6 meters away from the kitchen. So the gas BBQ wins.

But, if you want maximum flavour, go for charcoal. Yes, it's more work. And you have to keep the fire hazard in mind. And you have to get rid of the ashes. And you have to plan ahead at least half an hour to get it fired up.

But the flavour can't be beat, IMO.


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