Have we had this year's charcoal v gas barbecue thread yet?

[Billy the Fish]

Anyone having problems lighting the coals should get a lighter chimney. It has it ging in 10 minutes every time and your coals are hot and ready to cook on.

 

[WATFORD zero]

No self-respecting real man would use anything other than Charcoal

Although i do have a chimney starter

which has the coals ready in 15 mins

 

[JJ McClure]

Have always used charcoal. Had to buy a new BBQ this year after our old trusty one finally succumbed to rust at the end of last summer. Was thinking of getting a gas one but couldn't make myself do it so stuck with the coals. If your going to cook on gas you might as well do it indoors. Have to say the chimney starter works extremely well.

 

[Justice]

BBQ's always smell nicer than they taste.

 

[Hillian1]

No self-respecting real man would use anything other than Charcoal

Although i do have a chimney starter

View attachment 55453 which has the coals ready in 15 mins

I'm going to buy me one of these bad boys.

 

[upthealbion1970]

Charcoal and takes about 30 mins from lighting to cooking

 

[OzMike]

Charcoal is always best, but there is a thought that the coating it leaves on the food could lead to cancer over time.
I have a gas one here but I put lava rocks over the gas jet area, when they glow red with the heat it is like coals and when the fat drops onto it the flames from it gives a really good flame grilled taste.

 

[Badger]

Charcoal is always best, but there is a thought that the coating it leaves on the food could lead to cancer over time.
I have a gas one here but I put lava rocks over the gas jet area, when they glow red with the heat it is like coals and when the fat drops onto it the flames from it gives a really good flame grilled taste.

Have you been reading The Daily Mail?

It's not a PROPER barbecue unless it's charcoal, and the meat isn't cooked unless it looks like charcoal.

 

[OzMike]

Have you been reading The Daily Mail?

It's not a PROPER barbecue unless it's charcoal, and the meat isn't cooked unless it looks like charcoal.

Have I been reading the Daily mail...........................not very likely is it, just my informed opinion and I like my steak medium rare, 3mins on each side thanks very much.

 

[pasty]

Bloody Hell. Charcoal obviously. Otherwise it's not a barbecue.

Is the correct answer.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

I bought a new state of the art, all singing, all dancing, gas barbeque a couple of summers back. Have hardly used it though, due to it being so fiddly to operate. It's back to a basic charcoal one for me next summer l think. Does exactly the same job, at a fraction of the price.

 

[Willy Dangle]

Ooh, smoking, nice. I do it a bit on my Weber, hoping to build a combination smoker and wood oven, hoped it would be this year, but maybe for next year.

Scary, I will be building something similar. Pizza in garden.....can't wait

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Kitchen, proper oven, real grill, food properly cooked, so no five hours on the toilet afterwards.

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Summerhealth/Pages/Barbecuefoodsafety.aspx

 

[Mowgli37]

It is simply not a barbecue if charcoal isn't used!

 

[Blue3]

Just purchased an off set smoker will be cooking two legs of lamb in it tomorrow

 

[Triggaaar]

I use charcoal, and light with one of these:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Weber-7416-...d=1403904194&sr=8-4&keywords=charcoal+lighter

then cook in one of these:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Weber-57cm-...UTF8&qid=1403904254&sr=8-3&keywords=weber+bbq

Cooks plenty of food with no drama, tastes great.

 

[jackanada]

Dont get gas barbecues. I have an indoor one, commonly called a hob, and it pisses on any outdoor version.
Also gas ones don't get hot enough for me. One firelighter, massive cone of lumpwood charcoal on top. Have a drink or two. Knock cone flat. Do some steak and get some char on some big hunks of meat. Eat steak and have another drink. Push all the coals to one side and use combination of indirect heat to the side and the direct heat above to cook everything else.
Only problem is you have a meal that starts with steak and finishes with a leg of lamb and some ribs and took in a mountain of dead animal parts inbetween.