Thinking of switching from gas to charcoal

[FarmerTan]

I just love it. I replaced the burner and ignition last year after owning it 10-12 years. It sits uncovered year round through Chicago winters without any ill affects.

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This looks like a possibility for me as well... Thanks!

 

[never-stop-learning]

My old, original, basic Weber 22" Kettle has provided our family with wonderful results for 30+ years. It has a few dings but still grills and smokes a wide variety of meats and veggies as good as the day we bought it.

 

[garyg]

I use, and love, the Big Green Egg, which has been with me for about 20 years, and has held up very well. I got it when no other grill would do. I lived on a windy hill, and the wind would get into other grills and mess with them. The BGE seals well enough that wind really isn't much of an issue. It's pretty easy. Open up the air vents, add charcoal if needed, tuck about 4 of those sawdust-impregnated wax squares under the charcoal, light'em, and come back in 20 minutes to a 600 degree grill (or less if you restrict air, or 700 if you use fresh charcoal). It imparts a good dose of smoke flavor to whatever you cook on it. Steaks on it are a dream. So is pizza, if you get the stone accessory. It doesn't seem to use up charcoal fast.

I switched to the BGE around 2010. Works a champ, I find easier to keep track of whether there's a spare bag of lump in the garage than to bemember if both LP tanks are full - or neither. THE BGE is vastly more versatile than a gasser, and the results taste better too. I had a high end gas grill prior (sold it for a couple hundred on Craig's List) but before selling I spent a couple months with a small Weber to see if I could live with the increased warm-up time (absolutely not an issue unless you are just a weenie griller) and the extra cleanup associated with charcoal (so little it pales in significance against the enhanced taste).

 

[emwolf]

I use a Weber kettle grill for most things, but slower cooking I use the Kamodo Joe egg. I've used gas grills on vacation and the only advantage in my book is the speed of heating it up. I use a chimney to start the charcoal, or on the KJ I use a fire starter square.

 

[TexLaw]

It's just been so long since I've been using a gas grill for the speed that I have gotten lazy.

I never have owned a gas grill.

 

[TexLaw]

the extra cleanup associated with charcoal (so little it pales in significance against the enhanced taste)

Do you mean dumping ashes? Indeed, that effort is neglegible.

 

[garyg]

Do you mean dumping ashes? Indeed, that effort is neglegible.

Yeah, I'd heard some folks whining about the extra "mess" of charcoal vis a vis using gas. I think I actually spend less total time with charcoal than lugging tanks to the LP place that whoops closed at 4 on Sunday instead of 5, standing in a line to get the little bomb filled etc. With lump its a side-aisle trip when at HD for something else. Heck my hardware now carries a couple brands of lump, but not propane ..

The BGE burns lump so efficiently that it's a short task to scrape out and dump maybe a quart? of ashes every 3-4 cooks. And the BGE when shut down shuts off all the Oxygen and saves the leftover charcoal!

 

[ylekot]

I also have a couple of these! They were originally sold via infomercial with Dick Butkus as the spokesperson....they actually work pretty well LOL NOT recommended as a normal use grill but they have come in handy for fishing trips and such

 

[ChiefHA]

I have a Weber Genesis II 3 burner gas and a Weber Jumbo Joe for when I want to use charcoal. Usually just cooking for the bride and I so it is big enough for us. Best of both worlds

 

[jdp93]

You can't go wrong with a Weber Kettle 22" grill and a charcoal chimney. The only downside compared to a gas grill is the start-up time, but I don't view that as an issue. I just do food prep while grill is heating.

 

[RayClem]

As long as you are in the market for a new grill, you might also want to explore the third option....the pellet grill. They have some pretty fancy ones that have a thermostatically controlled feeder on the pellet hopper. I have never used one, but they are intriguing.

 

[TexLaw]

Yeah, I'd heard some folks whining about the extra "mess" of charcoal vis a vis using gas.

That's like saying that powdered eggs are better because you don't have to deal with the mess of the shells.

And I agree that the "convenience" argument also is largely overblown (and, yes, may actually be in favor of charcoal). How about the "convenience" and "mess" of cleaning and maintaining a gas grill? And the lengths and expense folks go through to make gas grill food taste more like that from a charcoal grill? Talk about a lot of work to avoid a little. No, thanks.

 

[trentr]

I cannot speak to more expensive gas grills, but the cheaper ones which I have used are prone to rusted/rotted/burnt up burners. Then you end up replacing it with a universal fit that does not in fact fit and burns up even faster. I have tried to repurpose several grill bodies that I got tired of replacing burners in. The ole webber kettle just keeps on cooking. pros and cons on both sides.

 

[TexLaw]

As long as you are in the market for a new grill, you might also want to explore the third option....the pellet grill. They have some pretty fancy ones that have a thermostatically controlled feeder on the pellet hopper. I have never used one, but they are intriguing.

Pellet cookers are great for smoking and even higher heat roasting with smoke, but I've yet to see one that does a good a job of grilling as something you can buy for under $100. They don't cook with coals, and the heat is too localized (despite some attempts to diffuse). They can get pretty much up to gas grill temperatures, but not really charcoal temperatures, and you will go through pellets like nobody's business.

 

[Whisky]

I’m not sure that I’d count the faster heating of a gas grill as good thing. Waiting for the charcoal to get going is prime beer drinking and tall tale telling time with your friends.
My Webber kettle has been going strong for 2 decades but that PK grill looks really interesting.

 

[Whisky]

Looks like I just need to go hit up some garage sales and buy an old Weber.

You help me convince my wife I need to spend $370 on a new PK Grill and I’ll GIVE you my 20yr old Weber.

 

[FarmerTan]

You help me convince my wife I need to spend $370 on a new PK Grill and I’ll GIVE you my 20yr old Weber.

Anything for a friend, my friend!

I'm actually pretty sure I can get the War Department to allocate the funds for one of those PK's...

 

[David]

Maybe because I have 4 boxes (one not pictured) of lighter fluid

 

[Herrenberg]

I gave up on lighter fluid long ago. Wait as I might, I can still taste it in the meat.

 

[KeenDogg]

As long as you are in the market for a new grill, you might also want to explore the third option....the pellet grill. They have some pretty fancy ones that have a thermostatically controlled feeder on the pellet hopper. I have never used one, but they are intriguing.

I was looking at one today. The only hang up for me is moving parts. More to go wrong and needs a power source. Not a deal breaker though!