Picking The Right Grill

Charcoal Grills

Charcoal grills are one of the most used types of grills. Charcoal grills utilize charcoal and lighter fluid to heat up and cook your food. Charcoal grills come in all shapes and sizes, and vary in cost. Charcoal grills also come in small sizes which are ideal for apartment dwellers or people with smaller homes. Once you have used your charcoal grill you can clean it and store it away.

One of the most noticeable features when using charcoal is the flavor of the food you cook. To cook with a charcoal grill you must buy charcoal briquettes and lighter fluid.  Charcoal is a one time use item and will need to be discarded after each use. Charcoal can be picked up at your local superstore, gas station or grocery store and is typically pretty inexpensive. Charcoal must be lit and allowed to burn for at least half an hour until the charcoal is but red embers. The best way to get the pile to burn is by stacking it in a pyramid.

Propane Grills

Propane grills are also useful for someone in smaller areas as they can also come in smaller sizes.

Gas grills work by a spark igniting the gas within the grill. Gas grills typically have a knob or button in which you push, which in turn activates a small hammer. The hammer hits the top of an ignition crystal. Then the burner mixes the gas with oxygen and spreads it all over the cooking surface.

Propane grills use propane gas to cook your food. If you want to cook foods quickly while still maintaining a grilled flavor you may want to consider Propane grills.

Gas grills unlike some of the other grills types have the ability to come with many different types of cooking surfaces. These different cooking surfaces include a BBQ surface, a flat grill and a ribbed grill. Some grills even offer these types of surfaces as non stick, which allow you to cook a whole array of foods that you would not be able to cook on a grill otherwise.

You will be able to cook your whole meal including side dishes if you plan correctly. Some gas grills even contain a Wok type surface for cooking pasta and rise dishes or a full rotisserie set that allows you to cook rotisserie chicken.

Natural Gas Grills

The easiest grill to use is by far the natural gas grill. Natural gas grills are designed to hook directly into your homes natural gas line eliminating the need to provide the fuel source. Natural gas grills are also one of the easiest grills to clean since you do not have to worry about cleaning out the charcoal or wood. Natural gas grills are a little more complicated than smaller grills so they require more room.

Smoker Grills

Smoker Grills are used when flavor is the number one priority. Smoker grills use wood to slow cook your meat. Flavor can be controlled by using different types of woods.

Some of the common types of wood used is:

Cherry

Similar to apple but slightly bitter because most Cherry wood comes from chokecherry trees. Use on Poultry -turns skin dark brown.

Sugar Maple

Smoky, mellow and lightly sweet. Use on Fish and Beef.

Hickory

The most highly used wood, both commercially and for home use. Has a strong, heavy bacon flavor. Use on Pork, Ham, and Beef.

Mesquite

One of the hottest burning woods. Predominately honey, earthy flavor with a slightly bitter aftertaste. Use on Beef, Fish and Poultry.

Oak

A lighter version of mesquite. Red oak is quite similar to Mesquite; While Oak is milder. Use on Beef and Fish.