Stupid question about BBQs...

Noozan

I had planned to build a permanent BBQ in the garden (well I wasn't going to build it in the bathroom.. ) but on pricing up all the bits and pieces as well as bricks and delivery, it's coming in at a similar price to a gas barbecue.

So....how does food cooked on a gas bbq taste "barbecued"?! Do I have to buy something to add to it? I always thought that it was the charcoal that gave the unique flavour to the food.

Please help as I want to get one for this weekend. Thanks!

Str4berr3

there is something that makes the food taste better then the coal, i think it has something to do with wood, I have been told once that Gas BBQ can not replace a normal BBQ's taste, Also why buy a Gas BBQ when you can stick the food under the grill? Gas BBQ are expensive but also you have to think about the Gas Refills.

Pink.

I used to think the same that a gas barbeque just couldn't taste the same, and then we bought one, and became gas converts. We now use both a gas barbeque and a charcoal one, and honestly can't taste any difference between the two.

I think the barbeque taste comes from the juices of the meat (or whatever else you're barbequing) falling onto the coals. This causes smoke which rises and flavours the food.

During the week (when DH is not there to help) I use the gas one as it's much easier to manage with young children around. We used to keep the charcoal one for lazy weekend barbeques, but find we are using it much less frequently as the gas one is just as good for taste and sooooo much more convenient.

As for gas costs.......we barbeque a lot and usually only need to replace the gas cylinder once a year.

Pink

Queenie

I have a permanent bbq sited in our garden. We weighed up the cost + useage+storage factors. Ultimately, the storage aspect of a gas one was the main reason we resorted to a permanent one.

BBQ food is always more flavoursome if your meats/fish have been marinaded beforehand, so that will give your food a scrummy *outdoor* flavour. The hot metal of the grill will give your food the black char lines. The only thing I do when I'm BBQ'ing and I don't know if this is possible on a gas one .... I have herbs growing next to the bbq and I will often grab a handful of rosemary stalks and throw those onto the hot coals just before the food has finished cooking so the scented smoke flavours the foods. (Oh and I confess to buying hickory chips to toss on the hot coals too )

Lucie_2

My FiL has got a gas BBQ & I think it's rubbish. The food tastes nowhere near as nice as "proper" charcoal & it's a real pain to clean.
We have looked at gas BBQs on several occasions & always stuck with good old fashioned charcoal.

Noozan

Pink-winged wrote:

I think the barbeque taste comes from the juices of the meat (or whatever else you're barbequing) falling onto the coals. This causes smoke which rises and flavours the food.

So if there are no coals for meat juices to fall on with a gas bbq; does this mean I won't get that "flavour"? I don't know anyone who has a gas bbq so that I can try before I buy!