Grilling on a Charcoal Grill

Are you process or result oriented? Adventuresome or safety minded? What’s important to you when you travel: the journey or the destination? These are some pretty philosophical questions, but the answers will help you choose the right barbecue grill. I’m referring, of course, to the great debate that has divided grill jockeys for decades: charcoal versus gas.

Most professional grill jockeys prefer charcoal and with good reason. Charcoal generally burns hotter than gas, so you get a more truly grilled taste. Charcoal grills are more versatile than gas grills: It’s easier to toss wood chips or herbs on the coals and you get a better smoke flavor. Not to mention the fact that they give you something to do during the barbecue (in other words, they require constant attention), which will make you feel like a real pit master, not a cook whose stove happens to be outdoors. Charcoal grills cost a lot less than gas grills and you can use them to burn both charcoal and wood. Visit a barbecue festival, like Memphis in May or the Kansas City Royal, and you won’t find a gas grill around for miles.