Child Item

New BBQ purchase – talk me out of buying gas

Hey all.

I know the BBQ connoisseurs will talk up charcoal cookers, but I’m not sure I can be bothered. Am I misinformed that there’s a lot more work and preparation and clean up involved compared to gas?

I am happy to pay for a good gas BBQ as I love my food and want to learn more about the art of cooking great BBQ, so feel free to talk me out of buying gas...

Cheers,

Mick

Find more posts tagged with

Barbecue

Comments

Jackson

I'd say go for the charcoal BBQ. IMO, the biggest advantage a charcoal BBQ has over it's gas-fuelled bretheren is the flavour you get from the charcoal. Once you roast a leg of lamb or pork in your new charcoal BBQ, you'll never go back to roasting meat any other way. Make the jump!

cupofchloe

It is usual in the UK to have a charcoal BBQ, rather than a Gas BBQ.

The smell is amazing and you can add hickory smoking chips to add a beautiful smoked flavour to the meat.

In terms of clean up, it's pretty quick - you usally just chuck the coals away and clean down the grate. However the time it takes to get it burning is quite long and you will often end up with a less consistent cooking method - with some charred edges of meats or sausages that take ages to get hot in the middle.

This type of BBQ is for the patient person.

Kermit

MartyH

Hey Mick, it really depends on what you like to cook AND EAT! If you want to do stuff like roast pork with crackle, ribs, brisketts, you want to cook it slow and get the charcoal smoky flavor. Gas is easy and fine for snags and burgers but you might soon want to go for it and do big slabs of beast. Give it a whirl. Marty

ProjectPete

Charcoal better flavours and more fun but gas is still great and far easier to maintain.

Seriously,why not have both? I do and I love it. I do my special meals and showing off with my charcoal/weber but when I want to keep things simple and whip up sausage sizzle for example, I go with gas.

So it comes down to what you plan to use it for and of course your budget.

ProjectPete

But at the end of the day,if you can't be bothered with charcoal...don't. You'll only dread the effort and maintenance and never be happy with your BBQ

aly

Hey @Mick,

Tough one.

We received the Char Griller Deluxe as a gift and thought it was great! Being keen fisherman, we love that we can smoke some freshly caught trout on the griller.

Having said that, it is far easier to cook up some steak and snags on a gas BBQ. If we had have purchased a BBQ before receiving the griller gift, we would have gone gas as we'd definitely get more use out of it purely based on the effort involved.

Goodluck!

MoonshineBen

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/60#Comment_60

Since I started with charcoal, I haven't really gone back to gas, but have it there in case I want a quick cook. Charcoal cooking is a commitment, from preparation, clean up and maintenance - but the flavour's amazing. Add a good dry rub or marinade on it, and it's out of this world.

Kermit

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/63095#Comment_63095

What rubs do you use @MoonshineBen?

MoonshineBen

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/94045#Comment_94045

Hey @Kermit, I make and sell my own over on my website. There's a real industry beginning to pop up in small batch rubs as the BBQ scene here in Australia is really on the rise. You can try commercial ones as well but a lot of these have preservatives and the like to maintain shelf life.

Flavour wise, there are some classic flavours for different meats - beef is usually salt and pepper at its core, for pork, things like paprika and occasionally sugar. Chicken and lamb I've found you can be a bit adventurous with. My lamb rub has sumac in it, which is incredible flavour wise.

NickM

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/113343#Comment_113343

@MoonshineBen I'd be keen to see a few photos of your set up. I'm completely new but would love to get some advice on what to buy.

MoonshineBen

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/124243#Comment_124243

I'm doing a cook this weekend, will take a few shots for you.

Jason

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/131532#Comment_131532

Hey @MoonshineBen,

Hope all is well. Just noticed you still owe us a few pictures of your setup at home. Could we trouble you to share a few photos?

Thanks,

Jason

MoonshineBen

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/136129#Comment_136129

I do too, stay tuned!

JaneK

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/139125#Comment_139125

I'd love to hear ideas or suggestions on how to built your own fish smoker if anyone has any advice to offer?

Jane

lost89577

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/141351#Comment_141351

if you want smoke fish check out NZ web sites, they love converting old fridge for cold smoking. they use homemake or "Smokai" smoke generators (been around 10 years everyone copies them). Also you ncan use them to convert gas bbq for smoking too.

Walter

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/142809#Comment_142809

@lost89577 Nice idea.

I hope to get a smoker one day this year after some construction happens (stay tuned for a major project😎 )

In the meantime, I use my 4 burner LPG covered barbecue with a smoke box. and soaked chips from my local Bunnings.

Yesterday I actually "smoked" a brisket. It was a test for a future meal with my brother.

The setup is simple. Turn the far left burner on full, put the smoker box with soaked chips on top of the grill over the burner.

On the extreme right of the "warming shelf", place your dry rubbed brisket, put an aluminium tray under the meat to catch the juices, and close the lid.

I used a "smart bluetooth meat probe" to watch the temperature over the cooking period

I had to top up the smoker box a few times over the 4 hour cook, and the meat was tender, moist and beautiful.

The next attempt will include photos.

MitchellMc

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/142809#Comment_142809

Since this discussion was created five years ago, we have really widened our range regarding smoking and chargrilling. I'd encourage everyone to check out our amazing offer of smokers and charcoal BBQs. The range of accessories and smoking chips will undoubtedly have you covered for all those delicious smoked flavours. From Maple to Mesquite and Cherry to Applewood, there's something for everyone. We're really a one-stop-shop for all your barbecuing and smoking needs.

My dream unit would be the Oklahoma Joe's 'Longhorn Combo' Charcoal/Gas Smoker & Grill, which has separate cooking chambers for smoking, charcoal grilling or gas grilling. It's the best of both worlds with gas and charcoal.

Mitchell

Child Item