Barbecue Grills 101

The cold winter and spring days are almost over. Soon it will be summer and the best way to greet it is to fire up the grill and have a barbecue party! But if you’re new to grilling and are afraid to light a barbecue, don’t worry because we’re here to help you out.

First let’s talk grills. Some may prefer charcoal grills while some would rather use gas grills. Despite some expert grillers say, one isn’t necessarily superior to the other. Here’s a list of some of the pros and cons of charcoal and gas grills:

PROS:
• Charcoal Grills
– They are inexpensive and easy to find in the market.
– They get very hot.
– They produce a smoky flavor every time you grill.
– You get to play with real fire with charcoal grills.

• Gas Grills
– There are inexpensive models already available.
– They are easy to clean.
– You have the option of smoky flavor or not, with the use of wood chips in a smoker box.
– They can be preheated easier than charcoal.

CONS:
• Charcoal Grills
– They need to be manually lit and preheated for at least 20 minutes (or longer)
– Cleaning is more complicated because of the ashes.
– It is tough to keep a constant temperature because coals die down.

• Gas Grills
– They are typically more expensive than charcoal grills.
– They are more complicated to operate which also means that more parts can break.
Whatever grill you will choose to buy, remember that both types of grills need to be cleaned before and after grilling. Preheat the grill for at least 10 minutes for gas, 20 minutes for charcoal. After the grill is preheated, scrape the charred goo and gunk off of the grate using a brass-wire brush. You may want to leave the grease on the grate if you’re going to store your grill for winter, this will prevent the grate from rusting. Find out more information and tips about grills or barbecue techniques and recipes by calling Texas Country Barbecue.