A barbecue grill, or simply a grill, is used for slow cooking of food by heating it from below. There are many types of grills available in the market. The most popular are charcoal grills and gas or propane grills. Gas grills are easy to clean, and food cooks faster in a gas grill.
Most people, who love barbeques, prefer a charcoal grill because they feel that the distinct taste and
So, are charcoal grills indeed the best?
Just have a look at the benefits of a charcoal grill and find out for yourself.
Meat grilled in a charcoal grill has a distinct smoky feel to it, that connoisseurs feel can never be found in meat cooked on gas grills. Here are a few more advantages of using a charcoal grill, which make it the favourite of most professional chefs.
Advantages
- The dry, white-hot heat of charcoal sears meat quickly, creating a crusty, caramelized exterior and smoky flavour.
- It cooks the meat over a long period of time, so meat retains its tenderness and remains moist.
- Charcoal can burn hotter than gas or propane grills
- The slow and continuous exposure to heat due to slow cooking, causes the fat in the food to liquefy and get separated from the meat. This way the meat gets rid of excess fat and hence, fewer calories.
- Nutrients like proteins, vitamins, and minerals present in the meat remain intact, so it is much more nutritious.
- A big advantage of using charcoal grills is that not only can you control the temperature of the grill, but also shift the coals to change the temperature of different areas on the grill.
- Unburned charcoal can be reused
- Surface temperatures are cooler than metal grills
Disadvantages
In spite of so many advantages, charcoal grills come with a few drawbacks as well. A few of them are given below.
- Charcoal grills require cleaning after almost every use as there is ash
- Requires more time and attention
- They do not get up to temperature as fast as a gas grill (usually take about 5 minutes longer than gas grills)
- They become very smoky when being used
- Quite heavy as they are made of 1” thick ceramic
Ceramic charcoal grills- Kamado style cookers
Kamado style grills date back thousands of years. Ceramic charcoal grills are the most versatile and effective because the ceramic chamber retains heat and moisture more efficiently providing excellent insulation, high efficiency and the ability to maintain high or low temperatures over a long period of time.
Brands such as Kamado Joe and the Big Green Egg are excellent examples of a ceramic grill. Not only can these grills be used for smoking and grilling but baking also! The top and bottom air vents control your temperature, and it takes a little practice to get the feel of your grill. Here’s a video on controlling the temperature for different foods
The ceramic doesn’t rust like metal grills, and because of the insulation properties, they work really well in winter as well as summer. The domed lid and ceramic body create convection-style cooking, retaining moisture in your food.
In conclusion, the type of grill you choose is truly up to you and your lifestyle. There are many different types and sizes of grills, and this gives lots of options to suit your needs. Gas grills still seem to be the most popular due to convenience, but the reward from a charcoal grill is definitely worth it. Many people have both a gas grill and a charcoal grill!
Check out the Kamado Joe Grill here – and for a demonstration of the Kamado Joe, charcoal grill drop by The Original Flame!
Our Showroom address is 982 Highway 7 East, Unit 2, Peterborough, ON K9J 6X8
Submitted by The Original Flame author
Heating & Cooling Systems