People who have been to BBQ’s at our house start asking if the fire department was there. HA ha ha. That seems less funny each time I hear it. NO, not quite.
We, my wife and I, were doing a barbecue fundraser for the High school baseball team. We were cooking burgers and dogs by the dozen on my gas barbecue. I’ve had it for several years and it has always done a fine job. However on this day it would falter and stumble early in the game, leaving us with lots of uncooked meat and hungry patrons. Not the combo we were looking for. Since the barbecue didn’t just quit but burned part of the hose up, the situation called for quick action. So off I ran looking for the necessary parts. However, living in a small town, the parts eluded my hunt. I then had to think quick. So I went to my Dad’s house and persuaded him to allow me to borrow his barbecue. Not as easy as it seems since I had just partly incinerated mine. I then loaded it up and headed for the crowd. We set it up in record time and got back to pumping out the food.
In the end, the barbecue was a success and the disaster was nothing more than a little spice to add flavor to the experience. I simply converted my gas barbecue to briquettes and we are barbecuing more than ever.
Thanks to this little mishap I had the opportunity to experiment with barbecuing with briquettes. Having been a propane gas barbecue guy for years I relished the idea. I have to say that I like it better. A little less convenient, but not much. I used a chimney to start the briquettes so no need for starter fluid and it only took 15 minutes or so to get the briquettes ready to dump in to the barbecue. The flavor was better and the cooking process went off without a hitch.
If you are considering buying a barbecue and are leaning toward gas because you think using briquettes is too hard or slow or hard, consider giving it a try. The results are noticeably better and the process is pretty straight forward. Anyway, you don’t have to wait for a cooking disaster to give it a try.
Have a great summer.
paddio
seriouswriter
ecolumn
I feel that both charcoal and gas barbecues give you the same taste. The difference between Charcoal and Gas really boils down to how much you use your barbecue? If you only use it a few times a year then a charcoal is your best bet as they are cheap and easy to setup. If you use your barbecue on a regular basis then a gas barbecue is for you as they are more cost effective over time. The most important thing you must take into consideration is that you purchase a well built quality barbecue. You can tell if the barbecue is going to be good quality if the manufacture gives you a ten year warranty with the product. I would strongly advise against buying supermarket brands as they are some of the cheapest and most unstable barbecues on the market. I would suggest to anyone that the Smokey Joe Portable barbecue is a great addition as it is ideal for both home and away use.
Thanks for the comment and the BBQ advice.
The difference for me between the charcoal BBQ and the gas BBQ is the flavor that the smoke from the briquettes give the meat. I use a mesquite briquette and I really like the favor it adds to the meat. With a gas BBQ this can be duplicated by using a smoke box. I was just very satisfied with both the flavor and the cooking experience. I think for most of us who BBQ its more than just a way to get some cooked food but a way to make the food that is enjoyable. For me, the charcoal briquette process added to the experience.
I appreciate your product recommendation and liked your site.
KeenBBQ
I think the advice about quality is sound, I would just add that you should buy the best BBQ you can afford if you use it often and keep in mind that flimsy and BBQ don’t work well together. If it feels flimsy in a store it will feel worse a year from now.
Thanks for the tips - I am considering a gas grill, but will rethink that option now!