Hi - Our current BBQ has rusted through and I'd like another.
I've found a cheap single gas burner on EBay - are these worth doing or stick to a cheap charcoal jobbie?
Never had a gas one - are they as good?
Is gas expensive?
Thanks all
Michael
[Edited on 26/7/11 by McLannahan]
[Edited on 26/7/11 by McLannahan]
by far the food tastes better on charcoal the other gass ones are just like a grill
I've got both, and both have their merits. The gas one takes no time to get up to temp and is massive, 5 burners. Could roast a small pig on it, plus it can cook with indirect heat. The charcoal one does make the food taste better, but takes ages to get up to temp. And, its small compared to the gas grill, but being small its very portable, so does get taken down to the beach every once and a while.
I prefer gas for the ease and speed. I hate the heating up and prep time for a charcoal bbq.
If you really want to add the tiny amount of taste the charcoal gives then just add a few brickettes to the lava rocks that most gas BBQs have.
quote:
Originally posted by joni
by far the food tastes better on charcoal the other gass ones are just like a grill
i made my stainless bbq at work , it uses a 600x400 grill i bought in belgium ....
ive got both, but recently gone back to a charcoal one, think it depends on how you generally use them. If after a hot day at work you want to come straight home with burgers in the fridge for a BBQ for tea then maybe a gas one is better, if more organised and generally have a BBQ on a leisurly sunday afternoon then i would go for a real one
There's no such thing as a gas BBQ, its an outdoor cookers.
Get yourself a Weber kettle bbq, I recently got one on the recommendation of a colleague and it's brilliant, everything tastes juicier and just, well, better!!!
Another good way of giving your 'bar-b' food a nice taste is to add some shavings of young wood from an apple tree to the fire. A mate showed me this years ago and it really gives the food a really nice taste. The younger the shoots/wood the sweeter the taste.
quote:
Originally posted by Doctor Derek Doctors
There's no such thing as a gas BBQ, its an outdoor cookers.
Thanks everyone. Seems like the consensus is the old traditional charcoal then!
Agreed... you can really taste the difference with a charcoal BBQ.
The preparation required for a charcoal one also adds to the 'sense of occasion'.
quote:
Originally posted by eznfrank
Get yourself a Weber kettle bbq, I recently got one on the recommendation of a colleague and it's brilliant, everything tastes juicier and just, well, better!!!
As someone that comes from Cyprus, barbequing is completely different back there, but we're quite obsessed!
First of all, gas BBQ's are fine, but it's not a real BBQ. Having said that, I'd still prefer a gas BBQ to an oven grill when it comes
to cooking burgers etc. If a gas barbie means you'll use and enjoy it more, then go for it.
I brought over a "fougou" from Cyprus which is a small charcoal barbecue, with rotating spits to make souvlakia/souvla - best import ever
Just thought I'd chip in and say that the charcoal "briquettes" here in the UK are absolutely rubbish. I'm used to and much prefer
charcoal which is just basically lumps of coked wood - you can tell because they actually look like bits of wood with grain etc. They light far
better, burn better and give a better taste!
Also another +1 here for applewood chips - amazing difference.
Oh, and just to add - to light charcoal quickly isn't very difficult - just use a hairdryer to get the coals burning fast. Can get it up to cooking temperature in a few minutes.
quote:
Originally posted by PSpirine
Oh, and just to add - to light charcoal quickly isn't very difficult - just use a hairdryer to get the coals burning fast. Can get it up to cooking temperature in a few minutes.
quote:
Originally posted by norfolkluego
quote:
Originally posted by PSpirine
Oh, and just to add - to light charcoal quickly isn't very difficult - just use a hairdryer to get the coals burning fast. Can get it up to cooking temperature in a few minutes.
Bit girly, use a mans tool, WWll flamethrower, you may want to ask the guests to stand back a bit
Pants, I just have TWO words for you;
Keep It Weber...
I'm gonna get a Q200 and a weber kettle when I gain employnent once more...
Pants ive had my Thermos Grill 2 Go for over 10 years, great for camping and i just leave it set up at home in the back garden under a cover, its the
one i take o the kit car shows
I too have both. Gas at home - it's quicker, cheaper (gas lasts around 18 months and we use it around 3 - 5 times a week Spring / summer. I
understand that the 'taste' comes from the fats etc. in the meat / veg dripping onto the heat and vapourising. I don't have the
patience to deal with charcoal then disposing of it without the risk of setting the wheelie bin on fire.
When we go the beach we bring a small portable Weber - it's fantastic. A chap in the village gave me a tip of having the charcoal higher at one
end - to have mixed temperatures for different food; this means less 'crispy' sausages.
I think for ease at use the gas is preferrable for us. IMHO of course.
Donny
Using a 'gas BBQ' (outdoor cooker) is like someone on here saying:
"Well I was going to build a Locost 7, but it was too much effort so I just bought a Sierra and put some '7' badges on it, now its a
Locost 7"
Original aussie 'real man's' bbq's were a disc off a disc harrow, supported on a couple of rocks with a fire underneath. A bit of
gumtree for firewood and the leaves for flavour. Fantastic. And the fat drained down the centre hole and kept the fire going. They stay hot for
hours. Everythings all manufactured and poofie these days!
Cheers,
Nev.
quote:
Originally posted by Daddylonglegs
Another good way of giving your 'bar-b' food a nice taste is to add some shavings of young wood from an apple tree to the fire. A mate showed me this years ago and it really gives the food a really nice taste. The younger the shoots/wood the sweeter the taste.
quote:
Originally posted by PSpirine
quote:
Originally posted by norfolkluego
quote:
Originally posted by PSpirine
Oh, and just to add - to light charcoal quickly isn't very difficult - just use a hairdryer to get the coals burning fast. Can get it up to cooking temperature in a few minutes.
Bit girly, use a mans tool, WWll flamethrower, you may want to ask the guests to stand back a bit
Why bother with charcoal in that case?
Mind you we once cooked a frozen pizza using a heat gun and gas torch whilst locked in a garage building a single seater!