Cooking Nice

Charcoal or gas: which is the best choice in a BBQ? People have been arguing this point for many years. There are pluses and minuses to each, but many people have a strong loyalty to whichever type they prefer. But if you’re new to barbeque cooking and you don’t know where to start, here’s a look at the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Gas

* Fast. It only takes 10 minutes or so before you can start cooking.

* The heat is controllable. It gives you the flexibility of pacing the cooking. Sometimes you need to cook something over low heat for an extended period, and other times it needs to be at a higher temperature for less time. Gas can help you easily manage these requirements.

* Flexible. The side burner can be used for cooking veggies, and the rotisserie is useful for slow roasting of large cuts of meats.

* Taste. Some people don’t like the flavor of food prepared on a gas grill. Plus, you won’t get the aromatic flavor of wood smoke that you will with a charcoal flame.

* Easy cleaning. You don’t have to sweep away ashes. Drip trays will take care of most of the mess, and turning the heat up for 10 minutes or so will burn off the rest so it can be easily scraped off.

* Cost effective. You can get eight hours of grilling out of a single propane tank.

* Your upfront costs might be higher, but there are a lot of different price points to fit most budgets.

* It may prove to be more cost effective in the long run especially if taken good care of, but this depends on the changing prices of gas.

Charcoal

* The flavor and aroma of wood smoking can’t be matched.

* Initial cost is low, but it may not be efficient in the long run.

* They’re slow, both to get started and throughout the cooking. From the time the briquettes are lit and have burned down enough to start cooking, 40 minutes have probably gone by. This won’t work for the times when you have a sudden desire to barbeque.

* Timing is critical. There’s no way to regulate the heat, so it’s important that you watch your food carefully while it’s cooking.

* If you barbeque a lot, the expense of charcoal briquettes can really add up.

* Cleaning out ashes is a tedious job. The grate is hard to clean, and it takes a long time for the unit to cool down enough to clean it.

Hopefully you’ll find these BBQ tips useful in your choice of charcoal or gas. You should choose the one which fits not only your budget, but also your lifestyle. Those who lead busy lives might prefer a gas barbeque because they require less time in order to fully cook a meal. But if you have lots of time, charcoal grills win hands down for flavor.

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