Charcoal or gas?

[Steve in Japan]

The chimney lighter thing is brilliant, that has become the highlight of my barbecue experience now. I have always liked playing with fire....

http://www.weber.com/weber-nation/grill-skills/mastering-smoke/using-a-chimney-starter/using-a-chimney-starter

 

[OzMike]

Get it as hot as you can and then stick a pizza in there - brilliant ! Butterflied leg of lamb also superb on the gas.....

I got a pizza stone with it and it is slightly raised, so that the bottom doesn't get all burnt.
I've cooked flat bread on it as well, very tasty.

 

[Superphil]

I use both, a charcoal kettle (Weber) for good stuff like whole chickens or joints of meat, steaks etc. I have a Cypriot rotating kebab BBQ which is ideal for, er, shis kebabs/souvlaki and souvla . A Tokat kebabi mangali (Turkish wood burning oven) for lovely Turkish style meat and veggie dishes. And a Weber gas BBQ that I just got, not sure what to try on it, Must get it up and running this weekend.

 

[dazzer6666]

I use both, a charcoal kettle (Weber) for good stuff like whole chickens or joints of meat, steaks etc. I have a Cypriot rotating kebab BBQ which is ideal for, er, shis kebabs/souvlaki and souvla . A Tokat kebabi mangali (Turkish wood burning oven) for lovely Turkish style meat and veggie dishes. And a Weber gas BBQ that I just got, not sure what to try on it, Must get it up and running this weekend.

You win [emoji122][emoji122][emoji122][emoji122][emoji122][emoji3][emoji3]

 

[narly101]

The perennial snobbish argument about whether gas is a proper BBQ or not. I use gas for all my BBQ needs, because it's cheap, efficient, and above all else convenient. I can also control the temperature with ease without the need to raise or lower the grill, and I can cook different foods at different temperatures. As for the taste, it's not the charcoal that provides the flavour, it's all about the food preparation, and good marinades.

But each to their own.

 

[Saladpack Seagull]

Gillingham Supporters Club swear that Calor Gas really brings out the flavour of the hedgehog.

 

[BigGully]

The perennial snobbish argument about whether gas is a proper BBQ or not. I use gas for all my BBQ needs, because it's cheap, efficient, and above all else convenient. I can also control the temperature with ease without the need to raise or lower the grill, and I can cook different foods at different temperatures. As for the taste, it's not the charcoal that provides the flavour, it's all about the food preparation, and good marinades.

But each to their own.

I can confirm that you are not BBQ'ing, but I agree it does makes a change to do your oven cooking in a different area of your house .......

 

[melias shoes]

Charcoal. Gas is just cheating.

 

[Superphil]

. As for the taste, it's not the charcoal that provides the flavour, it's all about the food preparation, and good marinades.

But each to their own.

If you cook some plain lamb or pork shish kebabs (like they do in the eastern Mediterranean) I assure you the ones cooked on charcoal will take flavour from the fact it's cooked over charcoal/smoke/fire, if you cook the same food on gas it won't take the flavour and IMO won't taste as good. Charcoal/wood has a significant impact on the flavour, that said, gas has merits too and is perfectly good at cooking an excellent BBQ.

Pedant alert: BBQ is the process of cooking using indirect heat, usually coals or heat around the outside of the food with a lid on the BBQ. Cooking directly over coals or gas flame is grilling.