| The great American barbecue is a traditional way to | | | | longer periods of times without having to replenish the |
| bring family and friends together on a pleasant sunny | | | | fuel. One disadvantage is if you run out of gas and |
| afternoon but the sun isn't the only thing heating up | | | | don't have an extra tank, your grill cools quickly and |
| these days! Over the years, there have been many | | | | you could sabotage your barbecue efforts. |
| heated debates about which types of grill cook meats | | | | The ability to raise and lower the heat with a gas grill |
| better; natural gas or charcoal grills. | | | | gives you the option of controlling the temperature of |
| Die-hard grilling aficionados affirm that the flavor and | | | | the foods being grilled. You will never have to worry |
| process of cooking with charcoal grills can't be | | | | about the wind since the heating comes from below |
| matched but with the majority of new grill purchases | | | | and they heat more evenly over the surface grates. |
| being gas models, there are obviously fans in that | | | | With a charcoal grill, you do not have the ability to |
| camp as well. | | | | regulate the temperature and will have to rotate the |
| Tom Maley, Owner of Jack's BBQ on North Market, | | | | food to find hot spots and then to cold spots for |
| uses a gas based grill for his barbecue offerings. | | | | proper and thorough cooking. |
| Jack's has been a Shreveport staple for more than | | | | For some, this little bit of extra work is acceptable in |
| thirty years. "When this restaurant first opened, we | | | | order to get that genuine barbecue flavor for their |
| used to use a wood smoker. Over time, I found that | | | | steaks on a grill, burgers or ribs that they swear natural |
| we get a better result with a gas grill. In fact, charcoal | | | | gas grills just don't provide. |
| can be drying to meat if left on the grill too long." | | | | Shreveport resident Ronald Monsour prefers a gas |
| Although reluctant to share any secret recipes or | | | | charbroiler for his home cooking use. He does admit |
| proprietary tips, he offers one word for keeping meat | | | | that a wood grill is best for long cooked meats such |
| flavorful with a grass grill: marinade. | | | | as brisket but if it's a steak or small meal, gas is his grill |
| The case for gas or charcoal seems to be divided | | | | of choice. "We make an all purpose seasoning and |
| along three main points: convenience, cost and taste. | | | | homemade sauce that gives the meat distinct flavor. If |
| Charcoal grills require quite a bit of afterwards clean | | | | you really want a good taste, marinade your meat |
| up while gas grills require you to heat the grates and | | | | overnight and throw the meat on an extremely hot grill. |
| scrape with a wire brush. The ash residue left by the | | | | It seals in the flavor." Monsour also adds that tongs |
| charcoal will have to be cleaned out and thrown away. | | | | and spatulas are a better way to flip your meat to |
| Sue Cobb with Cobb's BBQ made some transitions | | | | avoid penetrating the meat and losing the juices. "Be |
| with their barbecue preparation as the demand | | | | sure to let your meat sit 4-5 minutes after you take it |
| required. "When we changed from a small rotisserie to | | | | off the grill so the juices can be reabsorbed," he adds. |
| a commercial sized pit, we went from charcoal to | | | | When it comes to cost, the charcoal grill is much more |
| hickory wood. Hickory wood provides us with great | | | | inexpensive than a gas grill. The smaller models are |
| flavor and burning capability." Cobb also advised that | | | | great for someone with no backyard or limited grilling |
| "you just don't want to cook over gas with no flavor" | | | | space. |
| and offers the following tip: place wet hickory chips on | | | | Charcoal grills may not have the ease of natural gas |
| the grill for added flavor. | | | | grills when cooking a barbecue, but for serious |
| Gas grills have push button starters for an instant fire; | | | | barbecue connoisseurs, it's the ritual that counts. The |
| although you still have to heat it up. It will take at least | | | | primitive thrill of cooking outdoors will keep this debate |
| 30 minutes to heat the charcoal to the required | | | | heating up for years to come. |
| temperature. In addition, with a gas grill you can grill for | | | | |