So many things to address here. First, you can drink good wine while barbecuing. It’s a really bad idea, but lot’s of folks forget to look both ways before crossing the street and live to tell about it, so why not. The Budweiser headache from way back in the thread may be due to rice allergy or it could be because the water they brew with may have been first used to wash a Clydesdale. They always look kind of "foamy" on the commercials, but maybe that’s just me. But, to answer the original questions, a gas grill is fast and easy so you use it during the week after work, charcoal grills taste better (well, the food does, not the grill, you shouldn’t eat the grill, if you needed me to explain that, use petroleum starter and drink Bud)so use on weekends and a smoker, electric or otherwise does what it does better than if you use a grill to smoke with. My answer; have one of each. I just got a gas grill after using charcoal for all of my adult life. I had to have some engineer types on this forum explain how to get it hot enough but now really like it, mostly for ease of use and how much cook surface it gives you. I like an IPA when I grill and Budweiser when I have done something bad and need to atone for my sins. Fred

oneiron,
on the pellets sure do know.
give candy sue at bbqers delite a call.
also ask her about smoke stixs.
i use her pellets in my fec and also in my 150’s. but i really do like the smoke stixs in the 150’s
jack

As foodguy so well put it, I have never heard any advocate of gas even begin to compare the flavor of gas as being equal to that of charcoal or hardwood. the only thing gas advocates ever go on and on about, ad nauseum, is about how fast gas is. As I said in another post, IMHO, gas makes the meat rubbery and gives it an off taste. I use lump charcoal, because I have this picture in my mind of woodshop sweepings mixed with coal dust and petroleum-based binders to make briquettes. Eccc-c-c-c-h-h-hh!

As I stated elsewhere, use what satisfies you. Every person is different and has different tastes and opinions. My late father-in-law and I had a discussion once about beef vs pork. I stated my opinion that I liked the taste of beef more than pork. He threw his tongs to the ground, and said I was 180 degrees wrong, that pork was way better than beef. I was never able to get him to understand that
to me, beef tasted better, that it was not something you could prove in a laboratory, but it was my opinion. Go with what you like and blessings on you. It would be a pretty lousy world if we all had the same tastes.

Charcoal vs. gas? Can’t imagine what good gas would be, although I’ve never used it.
Wish I could find a source for lump charcoal for grilling.
I use different woods in my fire box when smoking. My favorite combo is hickory followed by cherry for the last hour or so when smoking some racks. I also like maple followed by apple. Not too crazy about oak. Tastes more burnt than sweet. I”ve actually used some western red cedar that worked out pretty good, though like other’s I wouldn’t recommend using any other type of pine. . . too gummy.
I’d like to get some different types of fruit tree woods and try them. . . peach, pear, plum, etc.

quote:

Originally posted by Sundancer7

HawkeyeJohn: more than likely you have an allergy to the hops in beer. I have know a few people with similiar problems.

The Sundancer sure appreciates Canadian over lotsa ice when the "Q" is going.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Sundancer, I have grown fond of a new drink while cooking…… Peach Brandy in equal parts with fresh squeezed tangerine juice. Add a few ice cubes and you are prepared for whatever you may be cooking.
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Over the years I’ve had both, and there are things to recommend both, but my preference is to use charcoal. IMO food just tastes better and I think I have a little more flexibility in cooking.

For those with gas only (or those times when you are out of charcoal and have to use gas), I picked up a great cast iron smoker box to hold wood chips to create smoke at Gander Mountain. Heck of a device for around $7.

Walmart’s got them along with those metal boxes you put them in.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Trying to get back to the topic – Anybody know where I can get the hickory pellets used in many of these BBQ contests? I’d just like to try them out on my smoker.

quote:

Originally posted by BR2

Phooey. The diff. between gas and charcoal is as overblown as the diff. between Miller and Bud. Gimme gas any day.

there is no difference between Miller and Bud—thats why i drink Sierra Nevada!—but then—thats another topic all together!

quote:

Originally posted by Rick F.

I’ve used charcoal for smoking and grilling ever since I started cooking. Is there any reason other than convenience to use gas? Can you get a comparable flavor? (I do sometimes use an electric smoker with wood chips on the element.)

you can not "Barbeque" with gas—gas is for grilling,its fast.Grilled chicken is good–grilled steacks are good,hell grilled vegies are good—BUT—they are NOT barbeque!Smoke&time=barbecue=WOOD! Question andswered!

Obviously there no comparison of charcoal v. gas. No one will come out and say that gas tastes better, but gas is so easy and convenient that when i go out back and want to throw a burger on, it makes more sense to use gas because its so quick and easy.

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