The Great BBQ Fuel Forum

Summer’s back, meaning it’s time to revisit a heated debate

With barbecue season upon us, it’s a good time to bone up on your barbecue game. That might be difficult, given the dizzying array of barbecue choices on the market. We take a quick look at the various options out there in terms of their heat source: gas, charcoal, or electric.

Gas

Gas barbecues, like the name says, use a gas to provide the heat to cook meat. The gas may vary, but commonly it is propane, butane, or natural gas. Of the various barbecue methods, gas might be the happy medium—you get the flavour of an open flame without the learning curve of cooking with charcoal or hardwood. But, as they do use an open flame, which can flare up, gas grills need to be kept a safe distance from structures—like your house—to avoid fires. And that means space is needed,
something your average apartment or condo dweller may not have. Nonetheless, gas barbecues are relatively simple to use, as they make it easy to provide a constant level of heat, making them the go-to choice with many backyard chefs.

Charcoal

Charcoal grills have exploded in popularity in recent years. The reason? It’s all about the taste. No other heat source, arguably, captures the flavour of smoke the way that charcoal does. Another benefit of charcoal is that it can be started and used with almost no open flame, making some varieties of charcoal grills okay to use in smaller spaces (some buildings might still not allow charcoal barbecues on balconies, though). It’s also a slow cooking option and requires a lot of patience and time to learn how to cook with those black lumps. Charcoal is also dependent on atmospheric conditions to take BBQ to the max. On humid, windless days, there may not be enough oxygen for the charcoal to burn constantly.

Electric

Finally, electric grills are another option for barbecue aficionados. These will use electricity as their heat source, making them ideal in many cases for apartment balconies, and some varieties can even be safely used indoors. Although not as popular as gas, and often more expensive, electric grills are quick and convenient. For those seeking optimal flavour, however, electricity may not be the way to go. For obvious reasons, they don’t quite capture the flavour of smoke, and they may not provide the intense heat required for searing. They are easy to use however, providing instant and predictable heat at the press of a button, making them ideal for quick meals and rainy days.

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