Posted on 05/18/2005 3:24:12 PM PDT by hsmomx3
We've been looking to possibly replace our charcoal grill with a gas grill.
The only thing that is holding my husband back is possibly not getting that same charcoal/grill flavor that you would get when cooking over charcoal.
Can anyone tell me if there is any way you can achieve this type flavor when cooking on a gas grill.
Thanks!!
Depending upon your husband's skill, you might be able to duplicate the taste he creates on his charcoal grill by putting a gas grill on High and then turning everything into carbon.
It's getting harder to find a plain old charcoal grill lately - I only found one or two models among all the gas grills the last time I shopped for one. I swear by charcoal though and will never go gas. I especially like to take fresh peppers from the garden, char their skins off over the coals, then sautee their juicy innards mixed with onions and a little olive oil. Yummy.
Discostu is correct
You can buy Hickory or Mesquite wood chips. You soak them in water for a while then place them near the burner. they add good flavor to the food. A bit smokey though :)
We had a big fancy gas grill, but the food it cooked just didn't taste as good as a charcoal grill.
You obviously have internet access. Have you tried doing a search for info on the internet comparing the two? I know for a fact there is allot of info on the subject.
I have a friend that has an apple orchard, I go there and pick up a box of dry sticks every year and at grilling time I soak a handful of sticks in water and throw them on the fire just when I put the meat on. Try any wood, grapevines, cherry, apple etc.
Hank Hill will tell you, "Taste the food, not the fuel".
Holy smokes. Reading back thru your vanity threads you post, is there anything your husband can decide on by himself?? It's always for something he doesn't know. LOL
I love it when people air their laundry on FR. It's better than reality TV.
Give the morons in Sacto a couple more years..& they'll outlaw charcoal/charcoal Bar-B-Q's
Clean air at any cost !
Dig a 2 X 4 foot hole about a foot in your ground. Fill it about half way with charcol. It takes time but get it good and hot. At the last 1/2 hour sprinkle some wet mesquete wood on top. Put a grill on top and go for it.
Of course, the secret is for it to be hot. No covering is necessary. Just turn the food, any food, once in awhile.
We use this pit all summer and it works fine.
Positives are great tasting food, done the way you want it. You can cook anything on it. No clean up. Just let it dry out and use it again and again.
Natatives are, even though we have a small roof over it, when it rains heavily water can be a problem.
BTW, always marinate meat before cooking for 1/2 hour in Gazebo Room Dressing. I think they have a web site. Tough stuff to get, but the best.
You may as well go in the house and put it under the broiler if you're going to use gas. We have a pellet bbq. It's better than charcoal and the taste is unbelievable.
Most of the flavor comes from the dripping fat charing on the lava stone.
Keep some fat on the meat and once the rock is seasoned don't clean or replace it too frequently. On occasion I'll pick out the really grungy rocks and toss in a new one to replace it.
Good luck.
Thank-ye.
(Read your profile--should read, "randog--all-around righteous dude....;^)
I used nothing but charcoal for years. My kids bought me a gas grill for Father's day one year. It took a little getting used to but I never looked back. In SoCal you have good enough weather that you can use it almost year round.
If you get a gas grill try getting some lava rocks or something like that. I get mine for a couple of bucks at the local Home Depot. Soak them in bacon grease for a day or so and then put them into the bbq over the flame diffuser. Turn the bbq on high and let them cook out for a while. An hour or so ought to do it. These will give you that smoky flavor you get from the charcoal.
Another thing you can try is to soak just about any kind of dried wood in water for a while before you fire it up and then put a couple of big chunks on the grill where the flames can reach them. If they catch fire, pour a little beer or wine or whatever you have to hand on them to put them out. The wood adds a great flavor. Personnaly I use hickory, apple and mesquite. Some folks like to soak wood chips and then wrap them in tin foil. Then poke a couple of hole in the tin foil using a toothpick. Put the package on top of the flame diffuser a few minutes before you start grilling and let the chips get really hot. They will start to smoke in the package without catching fire.
There are fanatics on both sides the fence that will only give up their gas / charcoal grill when you pry it from their cold, dead hands. Me, I just prefer the conveniance of having an excuse for the beer in my hand a couple of time a week when I decide to grill something.
Nothing like the taste of meat off a charcoal grill.
Gas might be easier, but better BBQ is worth the effort.
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