Of all the different ways that you can cook food, grilling has got to be the most delicious. There is a reason why people, particularly Americans, love their outdoors barbecue. It adds a delicious flavor to cooked meals, and it is also quite fun. There are plenty of angles to grilling the perfect steak, like the marinade you use and the technique itself –– which is actually trickier than you think. But the most important angle is the grill you use, and it can make the difference between a savory meal and a burnt/overcooked one.
So, what are the pros and cons of the different grills that you can find in the market today?
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Charcoal grills
These are quite possibly the most popular grills you will find in markets, and most people prefer those. As the name implies, these are simply operated by placing charcoal at the bottom and heating it. After that, you can start cooking your meal.
Pros
Cheap
Charcoal grills are the least expensive among the different types, mostly because they are very low tech and the setup is quite simple as explained earlier. The average one would cost you a couple of hundred dollars, and after that, you’d only be paying for charcoal as a running cost.
Easy to operate and produces high heat
It doesn’t require an expert to run a charcoal grill. Anybody could do it because there’s not much to it really. This kind of grill can also produce very high heat, and it can even become hotter than a gas grill. This is obviously perfect for cooking those thick steaks and getting just the right sear on your meat.
Excellent flavor
When it comes to flavor, nothing beats a charcoal grill. It gives the most delicious grilled flavor because the charcoal fumes really seep into the meat and leave a delicious aftertaste. So, if that flavor is all you’re after, this might be your best option.
Cons
Well, charcoal grills produce a lot of smoke, which can be quite overwhelming unless you have a charcoal chimney, and that is an extra cost for an extra piece of equipment. They can also be very hard to clean because they get really messy after a grill.
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Pellet grill
This is another very popular type of grills. It uses wood pellets as fuel as opposed to charcoal or gas. It is also operated by electricity, which is used to power the grill, which means you will need an outlet or generator for pellet grills. So, are they really worth the price? There are a lot of pros when it comes to using one of these, and you will find that it combines the taste you get with charcoal grills and the functionality and ease of use of electric ones.
Pros
Pellet grills produce a lot less smoke, for starters, yet they give out a delicious flavor. You can easily grill your food without having to suffer from the acrid smoke as you would with charcoal grills. They are also healthier, which is why they might not give out the exact BBQ flavor you’d get with charcoal. You can heat a pellet grill pretty quickly, compared to other types that might take longer.
Cons
Pellet grills aren’t exactly cheap, and it can be quite expensive to get and run one. They also require a power source to operate, so you can’t exactly take them out in the middle of nowhere to grill unless you have a generator on you. The last problem with pellet grills is the fact that their maximum heat can only go as high as 450F, which might not work with all cuts.
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Gas grills
Gas grills are quite convenient and they are very easy to operate, not to mention quite time-efficient. You just open the gas valve and turn on the burners, and a few minutes later, you can start cooking. There is no dirty charcoal to deal with and you don’t need a chimney for excess smoke. One of the best features about them is how easy temperature control is, and it provides a lot more control over the grill as compared to other options. They are easy to clean, but their biggest problem is the fact that they are pricey. They also use flammable gas, which can be quite dangerous around the place.
You need to spend some time reading up about each grill type and the advantages/disadvantages. Some can be really expensive, so it doesn’t make sense to get a grill that might not work for your place or cooking style.
