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Gas or Charcoal BBQ?

pnewortham

pnewortham

Patron
Joined
Aug 8, 2019
Messages
8,130
I've always gone for charcoal, you can't beat the ritual of it, and the caveman in me loves cooking over fire.

But I'm starting to waver. Can I still get good flavour with gas, and is it really any easier to keep the thing clean?
 
I’ve had a gas barbecue for a few years and really it’s just an upside down grill. I don’t think you get the charcoal grilled flavour and to be honest on several occasions we’ve gone out and bought one of the large disposable barbecues, mainly for convenience because the gas one is an absolute ballache to clean. I won’t be getting another gas BBQ.
 
To be honest that's all we've done this year. The smaller £2 ones from B&M, does a great job, we had one last night. Just enough room + burning time for burgers, lamb kebabs, sardines. And no clearing up afterwards. Not sure I could contemplate spending decent money on any bbq now!
 
pnewortham said:
I've always gone for charcoal, you can't beat the ritual of it, and the caveman in me loves cooking over fire.

But I'm starting to waver. Can I still get good flavour with gas, and is it really any easier to keep the thing clean?
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I think you answered your own question!
 
Wood. Burnt in half an oil drum. With chicken wire on top. No cleaning. Just empty the drum when its cold. Chicken wire is available by the roll.
 
pnewortham said:
Ok, just been checking those out. But you're not cooking over a naked flame though? Just a metal hotplate, essentially?
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Absolutely right, I can't explain it, you still get a barbecue-esque taste, obviously not like charcoal but still great.

But the versatility is the one for me, I've got a 4 burner, I can cook burgers, sausage, chicken, steak etc at one side, toast buns further along, cook onions and peppers on the next burner and keep cooked stuff warm on the last.

I've also cooked breakfast on it, done stir-fry, pancakes, even did a prawn pad thai on it last week.

Doddle to clean too, it's just one flat surface so just wipe clean when you're done.
 
MBcha said:
Absolutely right, I can't explain it, you still get a barbecue-esque taste, obviously not like charcoal but still great.

But the versatility is the one for me, I've got a 4 burner, I can cook burgers, sausage, chicken, steak etc at one side, toast buns further along, cook onions and peppers on the next burner and keep cooked stuff warm on the last.

I've also cooked breakfast on it, done stir-fry, pancakes, even did a prawn pad thai on it last week.

Doddle to clean too, it's just one flat surface so just wipe clean when you're done.
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That’s appears to be a Very good piece of kit, but sounds as far away from a barbecue as you can get.
 
MBcha said:
Absolutely right, I can't explain it, you still get a barbecue-esque taste, obviously not like charcoal but still great.

But the versatility is the one for me, I've got a 4 burner, I can cook burgers, sausage, chicken, steak etc at one side, toast buns further along, cook onions and peppers on the next burner and keep cooked stuff warm on the last.

I've also cooked breakfast on it, done stir-fry, pancakes, even did a prawn pad thai on it last week.

Doddle to clean too, it's just one flat surface so just wipe clean when you're done.
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Blimey you're a culinary whizz. Can it do a good burned sausage though.
 
Henrys Cat said:
That’s appears to be a Very good piece of kit, but sounds as far away from a barbecue as you can get.
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Understand the scepticism and you're right it's not a traditional bbq, but the food coming off it is quality. I also have a small camping coal bbq that I finish things like kebabs on, just for the smokey taste.
 
MBcha said:
Understand the scepticism and you're right it's not a traditional bbq, but the food coming off it is quality. I also have a small camping coal bbq that I finish things like kebabs on, just for the smokey taste.
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That means you use 2 devices for outdoor cooking??
 
You should come here, they have BBQ's in a lot of parks that can be used by anyone. Electric hotplate style, and common courtesy to clean up when you've finished, but people respect that and they're always being used.
We had a gas bbq that we had out on our balcony which was great. Sure you don't get any 'charcoal flavour', but they're so easy and not actually hard to clean. Best brand out here is Weber, not sure if you have them in the UK?
 
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