Charcoal or Gas BBQ: Which is best?

Longer days, warmer nights and afternoons spent around the family barbeque – this is what we call summer. As we seem to be tumbling our way through the summer months, our calendars are becoming increasingly busier with alfresco dining, family days in the sun and (of course) BBQs. This means that one big decision needs to be made, will you pick a charcoal or gas BBQ? And which is best?

If you’re not a grill master then picking out the perfect BBQ can be a challenge. Knowing exactly which kind of outdoor BBQ grill to choose, especially with so many on the market, can be overwhelming. Are gas BBQs too expensive? Will coal BBQs be too much hassle? Do I need a big BBQ grill or will a small gas BBQ do the trick? Fear not, we are here to help.

The great British BBQ is a beloved tradition across the country. Not only are these outdoor grills a great investment but are super handy to have ready to fire up at a moment’s notice. To help you choose between which fuel is best, we have listed the pros and cons of each. Will you opt for the old-fashion charcoal BBQ or will you step into futuristic grilling with a new gas BBQ?

Pros of Gas BBQs

If you like to be the king of the kitchen, then a gas BBQ is for you. It’s hard to deny that gas barbecues offer convenience when it comes to last-minute alfresco cooking, not to mention the additional features that often come with them.

Although cooking on charcoal is more popular amongst passionate grill-masters, it takes significantly more skill to light and maintain. With a gas grill, all you need to do is flick a switch and let the gas do the work for you. If you opt for a gas barbecue with cast-iron cooking grates, it works towards even cooking temperatures and creates fantastic residual heat.

The best outdoor gas BBQs are not only heaps easier to clean than charcoal versions but there is no sacrifice when it comes to the flavour of your food. Regardless of whether you’re cooking a variety of meats for the family or a pair of juicy steaks for a romantic dinner, your food will get that wonderful colouration and even cooking from the high-heat surface. Gas grills often come with an array of helpful features, take stainless steel flavorizer for example. These stainless steel bars sit underneath the cooking grate and are made to collect and catch drippings and juices from the food you’re cooking.

Gas BBQs often receive a bad rap from grill snobs but for most families just looking to cook outdoors with relative ease, they get the job done. Outdoor Gas BBQs allow you to get cooking with the flick of a switch and control your cooking temperature with ease.

Cons of Gas BBQs

While gas barbecues are on the rise, they do come with a couple of downfalls. One of the most common is that a gas barbeque often costs more than the back-to-basics charcoal models. But let’s get down to the differences in cooking and grilling functions…

It may sound obvious but gas barbecues run off GAS. Gas runs out. When you are cooking a large meal of the gas BBQ, it is certainly worth your while checking that you have enough gas in stock to finish the job. Nothing puts a damper on your grilling experience more than realising that you are out of propane when you have a house full of guests waiting to be fed.

In some cases, you don’t get as much of an authentic smokey BBQ flavour as you do with charcoal. By using gas instead of coal or wood chip fuel, you are taking away the wood or coal smoke flavouring from the meats and vegetables you are cooking. Flavour can also sometimes be impacted by reduced heat retention, due to gas-burning at a lower temperature than coal.

Pros of Charcoal BBQs

Good food that is cooked over charcoal can be left with a subtle smokey, chargrilled, and tender taste. Those who are passionate about grilling or outdoor cooking appreciate and search for this flavour when choosing an outdoor BBQ. As wood or charcoal smoulders, it releases a slew of water-soluble substances that dance around the enclosed BBQ and into the flavour of the meat. This process is more popular amongst those who use charcoal barbecues.

In many cases, but not all, charcoal BBQs are cheaper and more simplistic in design than outdoor Gas BBQs. Charcoal grills are typically less expensive due to the fact that they have fewer moving parts to break down.

Cons of Charcoal BBQs

Charcoal grills are a traditional option, but tradition often comes with a few downfalls. One of the most common downfalls of charcoal is that it takes significantly more skill to cook on a gas BBQ. To create a meal fit for royalty (or your friends and family) you will need to know the tips and tricks of how to cook a charcoal BBQ.

Temperature control is more difficult to maintain with live fire than gas and it’ll take a keen eye, care and plenty of practice. These barbecues can take a while to get up to the right temperature, and it can be difficult at first to adjust the heat to your liking.