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Those who face the world of grill inevitably wonder whether traditional charcoal or gas cooking is better. There are several thoughts about it, but one type of grill is not necessarily better than the other since both have different characteristics, advantages and disadvantages.
Both charcoal and gas grills can cook different foods, including meats and vegetables, but with different results. However, the aspects that must be considered to go beyond simple culinary preferences because the choice of these appliances includes practical evaluations, which we will deal with below.
Difference between a Gas Grill and a Charcoal Grill
To evaluate which grill is most suitable for your needs, you need to consider several aspects such as the type of cooking desired, usability, maintenance and price.
Cooking
Identifying which is the best taste obtained between a gas or a charcoal gas grill is really complicated. The gas grill cannot easily reproduce the authentic flavor of wood or charcoal cooking.
The difference can be seen above all with steaks, hamburgers and other cuts of beef with high protein and sugar concentrations. The strength of a charcoal grill is the caloric yield of the fire and the aroma released by the wood.
Today, gas grill models on the market allow results similar to those typical of charcoal models because they can be used with specific smoking wood, although this is sold at a cost that is not exactly cheap.
Usability
In terms of practicality and ease of use, the gas grill certainly proves to be a winner compared to the charcoal one.
The charcoal grill can also reach very high temperatures, and if you exceed in this sense, the risk of the formation of compounds harmful to health is real. Therefore, using a grill thermometer could be very useful, especially for beginners that are sold separately.
On the other hand, a gas grill allows precise temperature control. It offers the possibility of differentiating the temperatures in the different cooking zones to allow the simultaneous preparation of different recipes.
Using the lid, cooking is simplified and further customized, as it promotes the evaporation of fats, which will be deposited on the meat, forming a sort of caramelization.
Maintenance
The gas grill offers the great advantage of being very simple to clean, also allowing frequent use. Otherwise, the charcoal grill tends to dirty the surrounding area a lot, impractical if you intend to use it on the balcony.
Price
The gas grill has a much higher cost than the charcoal one. The price of gas is lower than that of the charcoal. If you intend to use the grill very frequently, fuel is an expense that will certainly be evaluated.
Pros of the charcoal grill
- It reaches significantly higher temperatures than a gas grill.
- It gives an unmistakable aroma due to the fumes of fat burning and dripping. It is vaporized and returned to food in the form of flavor.
- The smoking procedure is more effective than simple in charcoal grills.
- The price, charcoal grills are definitely cheaper
Cons of the charcoal grill
- It is more dangerous and demanding than gas devices, where just turning the knob to put out the fire
- It takes at least 20 minutes for the embers to be ready
- Dirty definitely more
- It requires knowing how to manage any flare-ups
Pros of the gas grill
- Maximum comfort and control, always ready in a few minutes. With a simple knob, we can raise or lower the temperature of our gas grill
- Simplicity of cleaning
- Wide range of accessories, medium-high end gas grills are often also equipped with a rotisserie
- Safety, there are no sparks or embers that can fall. If there is a problem, just turn the knob and turn off the grill
Cons of the gas grill
- Greater difficulty and less effective smoking
- Less temperature uniformity in the cooking chamber is based on which burners are on-off or near or not near the burner
- Significantly higher price than charcoal grills
- Risk of ending the cylinder on the most beautiful or with a spare cylinder
- Environmental impact on the extraction of fuel
Final verdict
Both models are valid, but we recommend the charcoal grill to the grill’s purists and those who do not intend to give up its characteristic taste. Those looking for ease of use and ease of maintenance, on the other hand, should direct their choice towards gas grills. You may visit sites like https://grillscapes.com/collections/lynx for more grilling options.
