| There are a many barbecue grills to choose from. | | | | different grades of charcoal, but buy the best if you |
| Trying to find just the right grill for you can be | | | | go this route. |
| challenging. Let's review some of the different types, | | | | Ideally, you want to use natural charcoal. It's quite |
| and see just which one will fit your needs and | | | | different than what you get at your local grocery |
| lifestyle. | | | | store, but you will find it in stores that specialize in |
| First, let's talk about gas grills. They are the most | | | | organic foods. Once you have experienced using |
| convenient type of grill you can buy. They are easy | | | | natural charcoal you won't use anything else. |
| to start, and get up to temperature in a snap of the | | | | Nothing spoils the thrill of barbecuing more than |
| fingers. Best of all, you can be grilling, barbecuing in a | | | | having to deal with trying to light charcoal. Worse is |
| matter of minutes. | | | | trying to get it going with charcoal lighting fluid. Next, |
| Now, barbeque aficionados are going to tell you that | | | | is cleaning up and disposing of the ashes. |
| you aren't really barbecuing, that you are grilling. This | | | | Along comes technology! Now days, there are certain |
| may be true technically, but there are some sneaky | | | | brands of charcoal grills that start the charcoal for |
| little tricks available that you can show them about | | | | you very easily through propane gas assistance. And, |
| barbecuing that they won't have a clue about. | | | | then make it very easy for you to cleanup |
| First you can use barbecue rubs and marinades, just | | | | afterwards without getting the hands dirty. |
| like all the so-called barbecue experts use. You can | | | | Now with grills like these, barbecuing can be a joy |
| also cook with indirect heat, you can slow cook, and | | | | and the cooking results will be fantastic. |
| you can use a water smoker feature if the hood on | | | | Pros:o The results of using natural charcoal will make |
| your unit is high enough to accommodate it. You can | | | | the end results right up thereo The purist will now |
| even give your meat a smoky flavor that will | | | | talk youo Certain charcoal grills are now very easy to |
| impress. | | | | use, and are very versatileo A quality grill is around |
| For searing steaks, a high temperature is mandatory. | | | | $300 |
| An important feature of a gas barbecue is that you | | | | Cons:o Cheaper grills are a nuance when it comes to |
| can cook at very high temperatures that will lock in | | | | the charcoal factoro Cleanup and disposal can be |
| all those fine juices when grilling steaks for company. | | | | annoying in a cheaper grillo Natural charcoal is little |
| Most gas grills are setup for propane. To convert it | | | | pricy |
| to natural gas, (if you want natural gas) you are | | | | The third type of grill to consider is a wood pellet grill. |
| better off taking it to your local barbecue shop than | | | | Pellet grills have been around for a while, and are |
| doing it yourself. | | | | very easy to use. Pellets especially manufactured for |
| You can purchase gas grills very reasonably. But, be | | | | barbecuing are placed in a hopper and are feed to a |
| careful! You don't want it to fall apart after the first | | | | small fire pit by means of an auger. They come in all |
| week. The number one thing to look for is high | | | | kinds of flavors. |
| temperature capabilities. Better units reach 48,000 | | | | It usually takes fifteen minutes, or so to get a pellet |
| BTUs, or so. You can buy a quality grill in the low | | | | stove up to temperature. Once you do, it is time to |
| three hundred price range. Get a cover for it. The grill | | | | slow cook, and smoke whatever you are putting on |
| will last you twice as long. | | | | the grill. |
| Pros:o Gas grills are extremely convenient to use and | | | | Pellet grills are, in a way, the best of all worlds. |
| storeo Easily cook for a large crowd because of grill | | | | Getting them started is very easy and the results |
| size, and side burnerso With a few tricks you can | | | | are astonishing. They are sort of a convenient |
| become a gourmet cooko Gas grills are reasonably | | | | wood-burning pit. Which, is probably the best way to |
| priced....you can buy an excellent unit for $325o Gas | | | | get extremely good barbecue. |
| grills can be easily built-in or free standingo Of all the | | | | Pros:o Barbecuing results are phenomenalo Unit is |
| barbecue grills out there, the gas ones are the | | | | easy to use and easy to cleano Wood pellets add |
| coolest lookingo Steak will be grilled, eaten by the | | | | very good tasteo Pellets are fairly economical |
| time the purist get their hickory wood going | | | | Cons:o Units are fairly expensive, prices start at $475 |
| Cons:o Pricier than charcoal grills, cheaper than a | | | | or soo Have to have electricity available to run |
| Cadillaco The purist may stick up their noses at you, | | | | themo Not meant for fast grilling because of indirect |
| but there are pro barbecue folks that compete with | | | | heating, but you can grill, it just takes longer |
| gas grills | | | | In a nutshell: |
| The next type of grill is the charcoal ones. They are | | | | If you are in a hurry, or absolute convenience is a big |
| not as convenient as the gas grills, but the results | | | | factor, purchase a gas grill. If you want your |
| you can get with your barbecuing will be just one | | | | barbecuing to get a little bit better, but don't mind |
| notch above. | | | | charcoal, least look into a unit that starts your |
| Charcoal grills are the most economical of all in initial | | | | charcoal by propane gas. If you don't mind slow |
| price. They can also be a pain in the backside, mainly | | | | cooking and want the results right up there with the |
| because of charcoal itself. I won't get into all the | | | | pros, get a wood pellet grill. |