Charcoal Grill And Gas Grill User Guide

Nothing reminds us more of summer than the smell of a nice smoky barbecue. Having a backyard barbecue has been an American pastime for decades and is great for picnics and family get togethers.

Using a traditional charcoal grill is inexpensive and helps flavor the food with that smoky barbecue flavor, especially if you use wood chips. Wood chips can be burned down into charcoals and then used alone or in addition to the charcoal for a distinctive smoky flavor.

Advantages to using a charcoal grill are that they are usually inexpensive and there is the added smoky flavor.

Disadvantages are that the charcoal is messier, takes a bit of skill in lighting and it takes longer, because you have to wait until the charcoals are ready before adding the food.

Gas grills have become very popular because they are convenient and fast, you don’t have to wait for the gas grill to warm up, and they usually light instantly. The food cooks quickly and there is less preparation and clean up involved. Barbecue foods cooked on a gas grill are easy and convenient but they don’t always have the distinctive smoky flavor that comes from a traditional charcoal grill.

The grill you choose is up to you they both have advantages and many people use both. Today we are going to talk about each type of grill and you can decide which works best for you.

Charcoal grills come in different shapes and sizes there is the kettle grill, such as the Classic Weber Grill, then there are box grills, barrel grills, and drum grills. Many are also designed as smokers so meats can be cooked slowly and take on that mouth watering smoky taste.

Different charcoals can be used with your charcoal grill the most common are briquettes which are made from wood burned to a carbon state. Briquettes light quickly and some contain additives that help them to light even faster. There are also better quality charcoals made from hardwood which burn hotter and slower than briquettes.

If you really want a smoky flavor added to your meats than you should go for the barbeque wood chips. When making authentic barbeque the food is slowly cooked over wood chips for that smoky barbeque flavor. Usually food grilled for less than 20 minutes don’t take on that smoky flavor, so go with wood chips for slow cooking or smoking.

To light a charcoal barbeque you can use self igniting briquettes, charcoal lighting fluid, or an electric fire starter. The best way to light the briquettes is to create a pyramid shape with the coals and then ignite with lighter fluid. Let the flames burn out and let the coals ignite and burn long enough to form a gray ash on the surface. Once the ash is formed the charcoal should be well lit and hot enough to spread out so that you can add your meat and other barbeque ingredients.

If you are using an electric fire starter you can have your coals already spread out, with a layer below and above the fire starter, when you light them. If you are interested in buying a charcoal grill we have many charcoal grill reviews on this site.

Summer grilling has become a favorite pastime and many people grill several nights a week thanks to the ease and convenience of gas grills. Gas grills aren’t usually designed for slow cooking they are usually for fast and convenient easy grilled meals. Just head out to your Grill and hit the electronic ignite button and let the grill warm up. Then you can place your meats and vegetables on the different burners on the grill. Many gas grills have 3 or 4 burners so you can control the heat and cook different items at different temperatures. Many also come with a side burner where you can warm up a pot of beans or sauce or steamed vegetables.

With a gas grill you can cook all of your meal outdoors and enjoy nature while not heating up the house. Many even have extra grills you can use for warming bread or hamburger buns. You can get a simple gas grill for a couple of hundred dollars or you can get really extravagant, and get a gas grill with every function imaginable for a thousand dollars or more. Gas grills are also the center piece for most outdoor kitchens that homeowners have been adding to their homes.

Which ever grill you choose is a personal decision but the good news is that there is a grill for every need and every budget. We hope to help you find the best outdoor gas grills when you decide it is time to buy a gas grill.