One of the best parts of summer is cooking out on the grill. Who wants to turn on an oven indoors and heat up the house? Plus, food always tastes just a little better when prepared on the grill. Whether you love to host friends and family for cookouts or you simply enjoy preparing meals for your family on the grill, it’s important that you choose the best grill for you!
Different grills have different heating and fuel sources, and each of them have pros and cons when it comes to how your food tastes.
Here is a comparison/contrast of different grill options:
- GAS AND PROPANE GRILLS
Per the Hearth Patio and Barbecue Association (HPBA), 72% of US households have grills giving over 200 MILLION people the ability to enjoy outdoor cooking. The majority of these are natural gas and propane grills. Within this subset of grills there are lots of styles and options to choose from. Gas and propane grills operate similarly. They have burners that emit around 40,000 BTUs of heat and cook your food from beneath with either direct or indirect heat. They conveniently heat up quickly and can come with a plethora of accessories to add to the outdoor cooking experience, such as side burners, lights, food thermometers and more! While gas/propane grills offer the perk of heating up quickly, the don’t do a whole lot to add additional flavor to the foods being cooked. If you are a person who likes to decide to cook out last minute, or you are cooking for large groups of people, a gas/propane grill is a great choice for you. 50 Grilling Recipes for Summer
- KAMADO GRILLS
Kamado Grills are also known as ceramic smokers or “egg grills”. They are a bit more sophisticated than charcoal grills and have just recently become popular. The kamado grill has an elongated shape reminiscent of the outline of an egg. It is a heavy grill made from thick ceramic material. It can weight between 150-500 pounds! The lid to the kamado grill is attached at the base and is not generally removeable. It is connected to the base of the grill with heavy duty, spring-loaded hinges. You use all-natural, hardwood lump charcoal with a kamado and it can take about 45 minutes to an hour to pre-heat it. According to some grilling/barbecue enthusiasts, hardwood lump charcoal adds the best flavor to your food. One appealing thing about kamado grills is the versatility of cooking that they offer. You can get an accessory for them called a “heat deflector”, which is similar to a thick pizza stone and provides a barrier between the hot charcoal and your food. This allows the food to be heated from all directions, cooking more evenly. If you have a lot of space to support a heavy grill, and the time and patience for the pre-heating process, the kamado grill may be the right option for you! Kamado Grill BBQ Recipes
- CHARCOAL GRILLS
An old-school, simple option is a charcoal grill. It is a favorite among outdoor cooks for good reasons. It’s easy to use, and the charcoal adds rich flavor to the food being cooked that just screams COOK OUT. Charcoal grills operate using air intake at the bottom of the grill that passes by the lit charcoal and exits via a vent at the top. The air intake valve can be adjusted manually and how much air is allowed to enter and exit the grill determines how hot it gets. One advantage of cooking on a charcoal grill is being able to stabilize the temperature at which you want to cook. It is great for cooking tough cuts of meat over an extending period, allowing them to cook slowly and become more tender in the process. And there is just no taste better than meat cooked on a charcoal grill! 10 Favorite Charcoal Grill Recipes
- CHARCOAL KETTLE GRILLS
A kettle grill is a common type of charcoal grill. These simple grills are the shape of a kettle with a rounded bottom, removeable lid, grill grates, and a stand. You place the charcoal in the bottom of the grill and the grate allows ash and other cooking debris to fall away from the heat source, thus maintaining an even airflow over the coals. One huge perk of this type of grill is that it is PORTABLE. Kettle grills are generally lightweight and require less charcoal. So, you can bring it to parks, or camping…it’s not just limited to your back yard. The Perfect Hamburger Recipe for a Kettle Grill
- PELLET GRILLS
While they have been around for about 30 years, pellet grills have just become a popular item in grilling in the past 5 years or so. Why? Because they bring convenience and flavor to the grilling experience. The best part is that it is a “two-fer” …it acts as both a grill AND a smoker…so two outdoor cooking methods in one! Here’s how it works: food-quality wood pellets about the size of a black-eyed pea are loaded into a hopper and delivered to a burn pot with an auger. The thermostat and burn pot work electronically to keep the grill as close to your desired temperature as possible. This process makes longer cooks like brisket, ribs, and large roasts easier because it allows the meat to cook without very little monitoring. But one thing to keep in mind is that this type of grill does require and electrical outlet, so it’s not an ideal option if you do not have access to a power source. Pellet Grill Recipes
Whatever grill you decide on, enjoy your outdoor cooking this summer and beyond!
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