Charcoal vs Gas, what do you use?

Dyce51 said:
...When they make the briquetes they use a glue that contains traces of arsanic...
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According to Kingsford, here's their ingredients...
wood char (heat source), mineral char (heat source), mineral carbon (heat source), limestone (uniform visual ashing), starch (binder), borax (press release), sodium nitrate (ignition aid), sawdust (ignition aid). The mixture and high compression forms the briquettes.
 
Most of your briquette type charcoal is made from furniture scraps, coal dust, borax and petroleum binders (info taken fron BBQ USA by Steven Raichlen)

Borax is a cleaning agent and is used widely by the cosmetic industry

mineral-carbon sorbents are from waste products of the petrochemical industry.

Lime stone powder is commonly used for decarbonation, basically finely ground rocks,

Sodium nitrate (not to be confused with sodium nitrite) is a type of salt (NaNO3) which has long been used as an ingredient in explosives and in solid rocket propellants, as well as in glass and pottery enamel, and as a food preservative (such as in hot dogs), and has been mined extensively for those purposes.


Saw dust is taken from many different sawmills and wood shops giving you a wide blend of different woods.

Lump charcoal is solid chunks of hardwoods available by type of wood....ie. oak, cherry, hickory etc. All natural wood no additives, and no chemicals or bonding agents so all you get is the pure wood flavor.
 
Here where I live down in Brazil by the Amazon River gas grills are real rare. The only person I know that has one brought his from Miami. We only get lump hardwood charcoal which makes great coals. So, aside from the fact that there are not many options to do otherwise I also think it makes the best BBQ. We grill quite a bit of fish here as well as meat. I have been using paper towel soaked in either used or fresh cooking oil to start the fire. I pile up the charcoal leaving a hole in the middle where I place the oil soaked paper. Cooking oil burns real hot and for a long time and in no time great coals are produced. And, cooking oil certainly does not contain anything that would contaminate the food.

dk
 
I have a 7 in 1 grill/smoker
I prefer charcoal over gas, but I will use gas also for certain things, like a quick meal or temps getting low(seasons) I'll turn gas on but I also have the charcoals going at the same time.
if smoking its always charcoal burning!

as for the bad effects of charcoal, bring'em on, thats the least of my worries or man kind!!! cuz theres other things out there that are way worse that you are subjected to.
heck grilling is so fun, its a art forum, nothing better than slapping a dead animal on the grill :)
 
but out of curiousity what does lump charcoal cost ? since I see what Dyce51 & other said, but if its not about same price or easy to get, I'm still gonna use the normal charcoal. just curious.
 
I know here in my neck of the woods the Hickory and Mixed Hardwood Lump coal is cheaper than Briquetes. But you do use a lil more of the lump as well...
 
hey chilehunter, I get mine at a local meat market here, It is priced about the same as briquetes but Dyce it right that you will use a bit more per smoking. I actually use gas for most all grilling (convenience) and the lumps for smokin a briski with a brewski. Did I say "a" brewski....oops
 
Add another to the mix...what about pellets. Ran across a bunch of Pellet grills down at the ever popular feed store. Never used one!
 
quote from Hillbilly chili//

I actually use gas for most all grilling (convenience) and the lumps for smokin a briski with a brewski. Did I say "a" brewski....oops :shocked: I mean several brewski's


I kinda finished your quote for ya :lol:

but back to subject, I saw some pellets today at homedepot, the bags never said for grilling or let alone for anything but it was in the grilling area, plus they were made out of pine I think, I didnt pay much attention to them cuz I thought they were for those ceramic fire pits/stoves (or whatever you call them?) but since bigdawg mentioned pellets, it made me wonder.
but pine! (even if just half pine) seems like not a good choice for grilling IMO cuz of the resin from pine = bad taste.
I can get(& have) chunks of hickory, mesquite wood. is this what you're talking about "lump charcoal" is it ? & I always thought it'd be to much smoke then, so only added some into the charcoal.
just curious.
 
BigDawg said:
Add another to the mix...what about pellets. Ran across a bunch of Pellet grills down at the ever popular feed store. Never used one!
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I dunno much about pellet grills....
 
Here's some good info on wood pellets although I've never tried. http://www.amazingribs.com/bbq_buyers_guide/smokers/pellet_smokers.html

"Hardwood pellets look like rabbit food. They are about the width of a pencil and as long as two erasers. Pellets are made by compressing hardwood sawdust. They have no additives or binders, and if they get wet they turn into a pile of wet sawdust. They are an excellent source of compact energy and smoke flavor, and because you can precisely control the amount of fuel you can control the temp. No hot coals, no flareups. Because they burn a form of wood, pellet smokers are allowed in BBQ competitions and they have been winning top prizes at many of them. A commercial Fast Eddy's cooker won the top prize at the very prestigious Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue in 2004."
 
POTAWIE said:
Here's some good info on wood pellets although I've never tried. http://www.amazingribs.com/bbq_buyers_guide/smokers/pellet_smokers.html

"Hardwood pellets look like rabbit food. They are about the width of a pencil and as long as two erasers. Pellets are made by compressing hardwood sawdust. They have no additives or binders, and if they get wet they turn into a pile of wet sawdust. They are an excellent source of compact energy and smoke flavor, and because you can precisely control the amount of fuel you can control the temp. No hot coals, no flareups. Because they burn a form of wood, pellet smokers are allowed in BBQ competitions and they have been winning top prizes at many of them. A commercial Fast Eddy's cooker won the top prize at the very prestigious Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue in 2004."
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OH! It's for smoking! I was trying to think of how I would set the grill up so they didn't fall through the grates. :shocked:
 
POTAWIE said:
Here's some good info on wood pellets although I've never tried. http://www.amazingribs.com/bbq_buyers_guide/smokers/pellet_smokers.html

"Hardwood pellets look like rabbit food. They are about the width of a pencil and as long as two erasers. Pellets are made by compressing hardwood sawdust. They have no additives or binders, and if they get wet they turn into a pile of wet sawdust. They are an excellent source of compact energy and smoke flavor, and because you can precisely control the amount of fuel you can control the temp. No hot coals, no flareups. Because they burn a form of wood, pellet smokers are allowed in BBQ competitions and they have been winning top prizes at many of them. A commercial Fast Eddy's cooker won the top prize at the very prestigious Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue in 2004."
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Nice to know...appreciate the info...
 
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