Want to do some grilling? Who could blame you. Cookouts have become a fine national pastime. A few friends, a few drinks, and great food prepared underneath the open sky. This dream of lazy days with pleasant company all begins with choosing the perfect grill. And in choosing that grill, here's the first point of indecision that people usually come upon. Gas or charcoal?
The answer to this doesn't have to be any more difficult than posing a few basic questions to yourself and moving on from there. A thorough knowledge of your own lifestyle is all that really needs to be taken into consideration. Here are the points to think about before making your selection.
1) How do you feel about those open flames? If you hate the very idea of building a fire, then charcoal is not for you. You may want to think about this especially if you have no experience at all with a charcoal grill. If this is the case, then maybe the press of a button that its gas counterpart can offer is the way to go. No muss, no fuss, just push-button service to get it on and off.
2) Are you a control freak about the heat? A gas grill offers more precision in this area. If you're used to cooking on an electric stove, for example, then trying to gauge the level of heat of an open fire may not be something you feel like jumping right in to.
3) Is the smell of cooking food mixed in with smoke and fiery coals important to you? It's a smell that many of us associate with cookouts. And the only way to get it is with a charcoal grill. If it's only the taste of the finished product that you're after, then you can go with either one. Ambiance is the only thing that is really affected here. Taste tends to remain the same whether a gas or charcoal grill is used. Yes, taste tests have been conducted. Yes, there really was absolutely no difference between them.
4) Consider the area in which you live, and the available fuel within it. For example, do you know where to conveniently get charcoal in your neighborhood? You may be leaning towards grilling over an open flame, but if you have to take two buses and a mule to find yourself some charcoal, having the grill won't help you too much. The same consideration goes for gas. Either way, you'll have to figure out what's available to you.
5) How about the cost? This gets a little more complicated. Gas grills are usually more expensive to buy. However, since nothing can be easy, charcoal grills will cost you more in supplies in the long run. As part of your decision, you'll have to figure out whether paying now or paying later is more convenient for you. Always remember that whichever way you go, that great saying does usually hold true, however - "You get what you pay for."
Find the answers to these basic questions, and you will also have the answer to whether gas or charcoal is right for you. And this is the very first step on the path to happy grilling.
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