Barbeques - Gas or Charcoal
Discussion
Advice required please - for years we have bought £100 - £150 cheapish gas barbeques, each last 2-4 years and seemed convenient and hassle free. I dragged ours out last weekend and the current Mrs GG directed me to the tip with it - to be fair it was pretty knackered.
Anyway, I now cannot decide which way to go on gas vs charcoal and over the last weekend I have gone round and round trying to decide between the two.
We both work during the week and I have previously liked the simplicity of walking in, clicking said gas barbeque on and by the time I have ditched the suit we are ready to cook, finish cooking and leave barbeque until next time.
That said, I have not cooked on charcoal for some time but consider myself a reasonable 'cook' and like the notion of traditionalism. I have been recommended the Weber Performer Deluxe https://www.weberbbq.co.uk/product/performer-delux... with the chimney starter at a cost of c £450
or
Go gas with the John Lewis or Outback type offerings around the £350 - £400 mark
Now I don't want to hose into the Weber and find it takes an age/ faff to light and a ballache to clean the ash out and I never end up using it.
Or do I go for two, one cheapish gas one c£200 for everyday and a Weber Mastertouch 57 for weekends when I have the time/ inclination and have the best of both worlds or am I going to fall between two stools.....
Any real world advice would be much appreciated.
Anyway, I now cannot decide which way to go on gas vs charcoal and over the last weekend I have gone round and round trying to decide between the two.
We both work during the week and I have previously liked the simplicity of walking in, clicking said gas barbeque on and by the time I have ditched the suit we are ready to cook, finish cooking and leave barbeque until next time.
That said, I have not cooked on charcoal for some time but consider myself a reasonable 'cook' and like the notion of traditionalism. I have been recommended the Weber Performer Deluxe https://www.weberbbq.co.uk/product/performer-delux... with the chimney starter at a cost of c £450
or
Go gas with the John Lewis or Outback type offerings around the £350 - £400 mark
Now I don't want to hose into the Weber and find it takes an age/ faff to light and a ballache to clean the ash out and I never end up using it.
Or do I go for two, one cheapish gas one c£200 for everyday and a Weber Mastertouch 57 for weekends when I have the time/ inclination and have the best of both worlds or am I going to fall between two stools.....
Any real world advice would be much appreciated.
We've got a large brick built bbq (coals) that gets used at weekends and for parties, and a smaller gas roll-along jobbie for evenings after work or when there's just the 2 of us..
Prefer cooking on the coals (by far), but like the instant-on of the gas - TBH, I wouldn't contemplate getting rid of either..
Prefer cooking on the coals (by far), but like the instant-on of the gas - TBH, I wouldn't contemplate getting rid of either..
As above.
I had a gas one and BBQ'd regularly. The has gas one died and I replaced it with a Weber charcoal one and now find that I can't be bothered to use it half the time.
I might be doing it wrong, but I've found that from deciding to BBQ to starting to cook normally takes an hour.
Not useful when the kids are hungry!
I had a gas one and BBQ'd regularly. The has gas one died and I replaced it with a Weber charcoal one and now find that I can't be bothered to use it half the time.
I might be doing it wrong, but I've found that from deciding to BBQ to starting to cook normally takes an hour.
Not useful when the kids are hungry!
Thanks for your responses, you are confirming my thoughts that gas is by far the most convenient and to stick to one decent gas barbeque rather than either buying both and compromising on both or going for one decent charcoal.
Now I need to decide which gas one - I used to be indecisive but now I am not sure
Now I need to decide which gas one - I used to be indecisive but now I am not sure
If any of you guys haven't tried a chimney starter for coal then i suggest you give it a bash. 20 mins with that and you'll be ready to BBQ on coal.
I have been having impure thoughts about getting a gas BBQ, however, this isn't for the speed, its more for the easy temp control during long cooks.
FWIW i think that charcoal one you linked too seems very expensive for what is essentially this https://www.weberbbq.co.uk/product/one-touch-premi... with a table and gas starter which isnt needed when you use a chimney.
Cleaning the ash out is a 2 min job. Most of it all falls into the catcher underneath (i brush remainder down with a big paint brush) and you just walk to the bin with it!
I have been having impure thoughts about getting a gas BBQ, however, this isn't for the speed, its more for the easy temp control during long cooks.
FWIW i think that charcoal one you linked too seems very expensive for what is essentially this https://www.weberbbq.co.uk/product/one-touch-premi... with a table and gas starter which isnt needed when you use a chimney.
Cleaning the ash out is a 2 min job. Most of it all falls into the catcher underneath (i brush remainder down with a big paint brush) and you just walk to the bin with it!
Edited by scottri on Monday 23 June 15:09
Edited by scottri on Monday 23 June 15:11
PET HATE.
Gas Grills are not BBq's
BBQ has to be charcoal - otherwise you are just grilling outdoors.
MAN UP and buy a charcoal one - its your link back to when men were men and had to light fires to cook on.
CLICK CLICK CLIK gas flame? NO!
Weber kettle barbeque and not using tesco charcoal is the way forward.
Also - dont use firelighters - unless you liek a paraffin taint to your meat??, use either newspaper or a blowtorch to get it going.
Lastly - when finished, close all the vents (in and out vents) and let it snuff itself out. Then dont throw away the coals - they are excellent for lighting the next BBQ - using this method I can be cooking in under 40 mins on a red hot BBQ.
Gas Grills are not BBq's
BBQ has to be charcoal - otherwise you are just grilling outdoors.
MAN UP and buy a charcoal one - its your link back to when men were men and had to light fires to cook on.
CLICK CLICK CLIK gas flame? NO!
Weber kettle barbeque and not using tesco charcoal is the way forward.
Also - dont use firelighters - unless you liek a paraffin taint to your meat??, use either newspaper or a blowtorch to get it going.
Lastly - when finished, close all the vents (in and out vents) and let it snuff itself out. Then dont throw away the coals - they are excellent for lighting the next BBQ - using this method I can be cooking in under 40 mins on a red hot BBQ.
Just built up a Weber Spirit Classic E210 yesterday and christened it last night.
So simple to get everything up and running and quick as well.
Everything cooked to perfection.
Wouldn't go back to coals now, and believe that the premium you pay for Weber is reflected in the build quality.
Definitely recommended.
So simple to get everything up and running and quick as well.
Everything cooked to perfection.
Wouldn't go back to coals now, and believe that the premium you pay for Weber is reflected in the build quality.
Definitely recommended.
I have gas and two charcoal.
You need to use proper charcoal, not briquettes or you might as well just stick to gas.
I find I only use charcoal for grilling at parties. (when I need the extra sq footage)
A gas grill can produce quite good results if you throw in some previously soaked wood intended for smoking and cook by indirect heat.
I have had much better results with dry rub ribs on my gas grill and wood off to one side, much easier to maintain a nice 220F than in my charcoal smoker.
There are of course purists that will disagree, but for me is easier.
You need to use proper charcoal, not briquettes or you might as well just stick to gas.
I find I only use charcoal for grilling at parties. (when I need the extra sq footage)
A gas grill can produce quite good results if you throw in some previously soaked wood intended for smoking and cook by indirect heat.
I have had much better results with dry rub ribs on my gas grill and wood off to one side, much easier to maintain a nice 220F than in my charcoal smoker.
There are of course purists that will disagree, but for me is easier.
Yes charcoal is 'better' - but it's such a PITA to deal with for non-expert BBQ chefs that gas (in my experience) is easily worth the trade off.
Gas is so easy to fire back up in the evening once everyone has got the munchies again rather than having to wait an age to get the coals back to cooking temp.
In the summer I fire up the gas BBQ and cook the kids tea on it at a moments notice - I don't do that with my coal one.
Gas is so easy to fire back up in the evening once everyone has got the munchies again rather than having to wait an age to get the coals back to cooking temp.
In the summer I fire up the gas BBQ and cook the kids tea on it at a moments notice - I don't do that with my coal one.
Quickmoose said:
I always considered a gas BBQ to actually be a standard gas hob, from indoors, dressed up to look outdoors-y and plonked 'outside'....
ie
not a BBQ
For a BBQ you need coals, to cook food that has a black crispy outer, with a raw-ish disease ridden inner. End of.
Gas BBQ's heat up lava rock, which in turn incinerates the outer skin of your bangers and leaves the inner nice and raw ie
not a BBQ
For a BBQ you need coals, to cook food that has a black crispy outer, with a raw-ish disease ridden inner. End of.
I have a similar thing to this to get our charcoal BBQ going and find its a lot quicker than just throwing a load of charcoal and firelighters in the bbq itself:
http://www.thegassuperstore.co.uk/weber-portable-c...
http://www.thegassuperstore.co.uk/weber-portable-c...
Wow - feelings run pretty deep on the Charcoal side!
I don't argue that in an ideal world I would have the time and inclination to barbeque over coals but as The Curn says, frankly it needs to be up to temperature quickly and minimal hassle to get going especially with hungry child/ wife to feed.
I fully subscribe to using decent charcoal for the best results and interested in the chimney starter (KTF?), in practice is this particularly/ noticeably faster to get the coals to a cooking temperature, waiting 30-40 minutes before cooking would mean eating too late during the week, if I was confident on the temperature being correct within 15-20 minutes max I would consider it. I agree with Scottri that the Performer seems expensive compared to the equivalent without the table and I am leaning towards this if I go down the two barbeque route.
That said, perhaps I may be better off with two barbeques for a total budget of £400ish - I am still going round and round in circles but any recommendations for a gas one?
Oscarmac - I like the sound of the Napolean with both in one, they appear quite expensive and I couldn't see any option for the charcoal burner on the website, any pointers?
Again on the basis I have got through four cheap ones I agree with Amiablechimp it is worth the money within reason to buy a decent one and if I end up going for one, the Weber Spirit is in the running. Does anyone have experience of indirect cooking/ smoking (hickory etc) over gas?
I don't argue that in an ideal world I would have the time and inclination to barbeque over coals but as The Curn says, frankly it needs to be up to temperature quickly and minimal hassle to get going especially with hungry child/ wife to feed.
I fully subscribe to using decent charcoal for the best results and interested in the chimney starter (KTF?), in practice is this particularly/ noticeably faster to get the coals to a cooking temperature, waiting 30-40 minutes before cooking would mean eating too late during the week, if I was confident on the temperature being correct within 15-20 minutes max I would consider it. I agree with Scottri that the Performer seems expensive compared to the equivalent without the table and I am leaning towards this if I go down the two barbeque route.
That said, perhaps I may be better off with two barbeques for a total budget of £400ish - I am still going round and round in circles but any recommendations for a gas one?
Oscarmac - I like the sound of the Napolean with both in one, they appear quite expensive and I couldn't see any option for the charcoal burner on the website, any pointers?
Again on the basis I have got through four cheap ones I agree with Amiablechimp it is worth the money within reason to buy a decent one and if I end up going for one, the Weber Spirit is in the running. Does anyone have experience of indirect cooking/ smoking (hickory etc) over gas?
GrandGinge said:
I fully subscribe to using decent charcoal for the best results and interested in the chimney starter (KTF?), in practice is this particularly/ noticeably faster to get the coals to a cooking temperature, waiting 30-40 minutes before cooking would mean eating too late during the week, if I was confident on the temperature being correct within 15-20 minutes max I would consider it.
I would say it might be nearer 20 before its ready rather than 15 - 20.You put the coals in the top, stuff newspaper in the bottom then go round the newspaper with a match. After 10-15 mins you have white coals with flames coming out the top then around 20 mins you have white coals and no flames. Then you just tip the contents into the kettle, put the grill rack on and off you go.
I have this Tesco one when it was on offer for £3 http://www.tesco.com/direct/tesco-fire-starter/391...
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