Topic: Question, for Biggreenarms, IM4DHERD, Exanimate, charcoal or gas grill?

[The E-Man]

I have a question for my expert BBQ, Herd friends, Biggreenarms, IM4DHERD, Exanimate. Do you prefer a gas or charcoal grill and why? I'm bouncing back and forth grilling with both.

[mr_ash_1995]

Recently bought a Kamado Joe (ceramic grill), I love the lump charcoal.  Plus, I like using the wood chunks for adding additional smoke flavor.

E-Man, it really depends on how much you want to spend, what you want to cook and time you want to spend grilling.  For example, I bought my grill because I can cook at high temperatures for searing or at low temps for smoking.

Do you spend a lot of time grilling?

[herdfan429]

Both. Get a duel fuel grill. Walmart has one for about $300

[biggreenarms]

I have a charcoal Weber kettle and a propane grill. I like them both. It's all about preference really but I probably like the gas better just for convenience.

[The E-Man]

Recently bought a Kamado Joe (ceramic grill), I love the lump charcoal.  Plus, I like using the wood chunks for adding additional smoke flavor.

E-Man, it really depends on how much you want to spend, what you want to cook and time you want to spend grilling.  For example, I bought my grill because I can cook at high temperatures for searing or at low temps for smoking.

Do you spend a lot of time grilling?

I haven't been grilling that much, however,  I plan on doing more grilling this Summer. I've been told many times how well my BBQ taste, I'm not bragging btw..:) maybe it's my natural soul-brother roots, lol...On a serious side, I'm looking for more of a (in depth flavor) as opposed to grilling a steak at a high temperature, does that make sense? I know a lot of Herd Fans on here are great BBQ grillers. The Kamado Joe (ceramic grill) and lump charcoal sounds great. I'm going to look at the Kamado Joe very seriously, Thanks!

[The E-Man]

Both. Get a duel fuel grill. Walmart has one for about $300

I've never seen or heard of a dual fuel grill, thanks!

[The E-Man]

I have a charcoal Weber kettle and a propane grill. I like them both. It's all about preference really but I probably like the gas better just for convenience.

I've used gas over the last 20yrs. I recently had an awaking using charcoal and the BBQ tasted awesome!

[biggreenarms]

I've used gas over the last 20yrs. I recently had an awaking using charcoal and the BBQ tasted awesome!

Some wood chunks and a pan of water do tremendous things to meat inside a propane grill. But I agree, nothing like charcoal for flavor.

[Big Ol' Hillbilly]

I have the Char Griller Duo from Lowes. It has both propane and charcoal. It's perfect because when I have time to sit back and I'm not in a hurry, I can get that awesome charcoal flavor, but I also have the speed and convenience of the propane side when I'm in a hurry. I also bought the smoke box attachment that allows your charcoal side to be used as a smoker or doubles as a second smaller charcoal grill. My only complaint is the width.

http://m.lowes.com/pd/Char-Griller-Duo-Black-Combo-Grill/1245537

http://www.walmart.com/ip/15118563?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&adid=22222222228009664529&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=m&wl3=42531214592&wl4=&wl5=pla&wl6=60819432926&veh=sem

[mr_ash_1995]

On a serious side, I'm looking for more of a (in depth flavor) as opposed to grilling a steak at a high temperature, does that make sense? I know a lot of Herd Fans on here are great BBQ grillers. The Kamado Joe (ceramic grill) and lump charcoal sounds great.

Remember, you can use the lump charcoal in a regular Weber-style charcoal grill...you don't need to use the old-fashioned briquettes.  If you decide on a propane grill, you can make the "smoke pouches" to add a little smoke.  BTW, for my steaks, I typically use indirect heat and do a reverse sear for an added touch. 

Thinking about putting some ribs on the Kamodo Joe tomorrow morning...using a modified version of the 3-2-1 technique.  Let us know what you end up buying. 

[Scottyo614]

Hey biggreenarms any tips for the wood and water pan in a propane grill? When we moved down to Tennessee I got my grandmas grill. All I've ever cooked on is charcoal until this. My meat is tender and falls off the bone, shoulders are also solid but something is missing to me. Her and her family loves it but I just feel like I'm missing a flavor that used to be there.

[biggreenarms]

Hey biggreenarms any tips for the wood and water pan in a propane grill? When we moved down to Tennessee I got my grandmas grill. All I've ever cooked on is charcoal until this. My meat is tender and falls off the bone, shoulders are also solid but something is missing to me. Her and her family loves it but I just feel like I'm missing a flavor that used to be there.

When I use the propane grill to cook low and slow like for ribs, I use indirect heat. I put a square foil pan under the grill rack on the indirect side on top of the burners that are off. I fill the pan about half way with water. Once I'm ready for smoke I use large wood chunks on the side with direct heat. The water, propane and smoke mixture works pretty well. There's also some science to it to like regulating heat. Here's a link to a good article about using water pans.

Water pans
Some smokers, like the Weber Smokey Mountain, come with a water pan. Water pans are not designed for making gravy although you can use it for that if it is clean. In my articles on the best setups for different grills and smokers, I advocate using a water pan under the meat or over the fire for smoking. Here's why:
1) Water helps you keep the air temp down to 225°F, a temp I recommend you learn to hit with regularity (read my article on calibration). In a vertical smoker like the Weber Smokey Mountain, where the water is directly above the coals, the water will never go higher than the boiling point, 212°F. That's a law of physics. In many other cookers, like a Weber kettle, where the water pan is along side the coals or at a distance, even if the air temp is 225°F, the water will not likely go above 180°F because it cools as it evaporates, a process called evaporative cooling. The AmazingRibs.com science advisor Dr. Greg Blonder explains it thus "Think of a hiker in Death Valley where the desert floor can be 140°F. Hikers will not get hotter than about 100°F because their sweat cools them."
2) Water helps stabilize the temp in the cooker and minimize fluctuations because water temp takes longer to rise and fall than air.
3) A water pan can block direct flame when you need to cook with indirect heat.
4) A water pan becomes a single radiating surface and evens out hot spots.
5) Water vapor mixes with combustion gasses to improve the flavor.
6) Water vapor condenses on the meat and makes it "sticky" allowing more smoke to adhere. This smoke enhances flavor and sodium nitrite in the smoke creates the smoke ring.
7) In electric smokers where there is little air movement because there is no combustion, the pan can add humidity to the atmosphere in the cooker to help keep the oven from drying out your food. In cookers that have combustion going on, sooooo much air is moving through the chamber that the water vapor has little impact on the humidity. This can vary significantly depending on the design of the cooker. Also, if there is an oil slick from drippings on the water, it cannot evaporate.
8 ) The humidity keeps the meat surface moist, it evaporates and cools the meat, and that slows cooking . This allows more time for connective tissues and fats to melt.
Try to use hot water. Cold water will cool your oven down a lot and should only be used if you are running hot and need to cool it down. And fill the pan to just below the lip so you don't have to keep opening the lid to refill. Put it above the hottest place in your cooker so more water will evaporate.

http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/what_goes_in_the_water_pan.html

[mr_ash_1995]

Hey biggreenarms any tips for the wood and water pan in a propane grill?

I've never used the water pan / wood suggestions that "biggreenarms" made.  However, I've used the homemade smoke pouches when I used propane.  For a long, slow cook, it would require a lot of pouches.  Dont know if it would work.  Although, the pouches worked well with my beer can chicken.