There’s a reason why most if not all barbecue and grilling connoisseurs swear by the smoky taste of the charcoal grill. They’ll tell you that if they had to choose one cooking method to use for the rest of their lives it would be, without a doubt, charcoal grilling. Well, this is not an overstatement. Unlike other methods of grilling, charcoal grilling gives you nothing but love! The fact that charcoal barbecues are enjoying a tremendous resurgence only speaks volumes as to why you should have jumped on to the charcoal grilling bandwagon by now.
Nothing arguably gets better than charcoal grilling. Using charcoal to grill is not only an engaging experience but is also a lot of fun. Whether you’re looking to cook whole turkey, steaks, chicken, chops, hamburgers, briskets or delicate dishes such as vegetables and fish, charcoal grilling will have you covered on all fronts. And even if you were to watch and listen to the sound of hot crackling charcoal as it goes through sizzling steaks, it will melt your heart, whet your appetite, and warm you up!
In essence, charcoal grilling is the only way to go. You’ll not only fill the entire neighborhood with that inimitable aroma but you’ll also get the authentic smoky and earthy flavor of a charcoal-grilled dish. So without further ado, let’s go deeper into details and see why you should step up and enhance the flavor of your food on a charcoal grill.
Charcoal Grilling Remains the Best
Needless to say, the taste of almost any type of food is enhanced by a thoughtful application of fire. Similarly, some ingredients will only reach their peak when applied to the heat of a well-made charcoal grill. And although gas and electric grills have been made popular thanks to the convenience that they offer, there are pretty good reasons why you need to choose charcoal grill over other forms of grilling.
Charcoal Grilling is Scientifically More Superior
Let’s get a little scientific.
Scientifically speaking, charcoal grilling creates a lot more flavorful food than gas or electric grilling. We aren’t trying to compare charcoal and gas or anything else for that matter and we won’t go that route. On the other hand, we are only stating facts and the truth is that charcoal grilling is scientifically and objectively better than gas grilling or any other type of grilling, and here’s why.
To fully understand this, you need to acknowledge the fact that flavor and taste are totally different things and will never refer to the same thing. Flavor has within it, aroma and taste compounds. In other words, there are a lot of chemical processes that take place within your food when it heats that alter its flavors. For instance, amino acids interact with sugars and fats when the food heats.
Charcoal grilling essentially brings a ton of healthy aroma compounds, which are an integral part of the flavor. Our tongues have taste buds that can feel when something is sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and, of course, umami (delicious and yummy). Anything else that your tongue can taste and makes you feel that the meat is delicious and smoky is as a result of the aroma.
While the food cooked on a gas grill gives off an aroma like all foods do when the fire is applied to them, they all lack one special aroma that can only be found when food is grilled over a charcoal flame: guaiacol. In other words, this is an indispensable part of aroma that can only be produced when you cook your food over charcoal. You certainly do not want to miss this and that’s why you should be grilling with nothing else but charcoal.
Charcoal Grilling Imparts Magical Flavor to Your Food
As we’ve noted above, there’s no doubt that charcoal grilling imparts some magical flavor to your food thanks to the special aroma known as guaiacol. The high temperatures brought about by the burning charcoal plays some role in this process. When the meat heats up, it produces juices or drippings of fats, sugars, oils, and proteins that hit the super-hot charcoal.
This then vaporizes back into the meat to give you the wonderful flavor that you always feel when you munch on charcoal-grilled meat. This is, of course, not possible when you grill over gas. In essence, the browning and searing that comes when you grill over charcoal to produce that heavenly smell that activates your saliva ducts and taste buds.
In short, the smoky, delicious, and tender taste that you get from grilling over charcoal cannot be achieved over any other type of grilling. That’s why 71% of Americans approve of charcoal grills and smokers thanks to the enhanced flavor that they give.
Charcoal Grills are Quite Affordable
Times are hard and going for something that can put a dent on your finances is not so great. Fortunately, you don’t have to worry about that when it comes to getting a charcoal grill because they’re quite affordable. A standard charcoal grill can cost you between $50 and $450. This is, of course, not pocket change but it shouldn’t be an issue given that a charcoal grill will serve you diligently for many years to come without any issue. And even if you decide to go for a top of the line luxury charcoal grill, it will typically cost you less than a fraction of a gas grill.
With a charcoal grill, you do not have to worry about replacing parts now and then or carry out constant maintenance. In terms of operation costs, charcoal grilling is one of the most affordable forms of grilling. The coal used in charcoal grilling is quite cheap, especially if you live in areas where they’re readily available.
Charcoal Grills are Easy to Maintain
You won’t need much in terms of maintenance and repairs. It’s as easy as A, B, C. With these simple cleaning and care guides, your charcoal grill will keep burning bright and in tip-top condition for many years without any real issue.
At the Beginning of the Grilling Season – You don’t have to feel bad if you didn’t clean your charcoal grill at the end of the last grilling season. You might have thought that you’d do some grilling again, but the weather probably took a turn for the worse.
- Remove the ashes from last season and dispose of them in the right manner, perhaps in a noncombustible container.
- Make sure that you clean the grate. This is important before you begin grilling. Light up a fire and heat the grate for about 20 minutes. You can then scrape it off with a stiff wire grill brush to remove any leftover that may spoil the flavor of your food. The grill brush is quite affordable but if you don’t have it, you can consider using a ball of crumpled aluminum foil. You can hold the foil with long-handled tongs.
- Wash the grill – Wash the outer part of your charcoal grill and the firebox with warm, soapy water. You can use steel wool to scrub it and remove the stubborn stains before rinsing with clean water. You can let your grill dry before you begin using it.
- Get Your Stock of Charcoal or Briquettes ready – Make sure that you have a sufficient supply of charcoal because you do not want to run out of charcoal in the middle of your barbecuing escapade. The right amount will, of course, depend on how often you grill. You should, however, take note of your charcoal inventory so that you can restock appropriately before your next cookout.
When you want to grill, it’s important to oil the grate appropriately so that your food does not stick to the grill. You can fold a little piece of paper towel, dip it in a bowl of olive or vegetable oil, and use long-handled tongs to rub the oil over the bars of the grate. You should also do this when you’re done grilling to prevent the grate from rusting.
When the grilling season comes to an end – Let the ashes cool off and remove them. Do not wash the grill because the oil will prevent rusting. In short, just cover the grill and do not wash it until the start of the next grilling season. If youed like a step by step guide on cleaning your grill you can click here.
Charcoal Grills Give You Higher Temperatures
One of the main reasons why you should use charcoal to grill is that it gets hotter than other grilling methods. This is essentially the type of heat that you want when you want to get briskets and steaks that are pink or red on the inside and crisp on the outside. Well, that’s because charcoal grills generally cook up to 500F and can go as high as 700F in some instances!
Pro Tip: It’s always important to place the grate about one inch from the burning coal so that you do not burn your brisket. This will also give it a good taste, which is all you want when you take on grilling. That being said, you should go for a charcoal grill that has a crank that lets you raise and lower the grate to control heat and also to easily access the charcoal bed.
How About Controlling the Heat?
Many charcoal grilling critics often point to the fact that controlling the heat when using a charcoal grill is one of its downsides but we think not if you have the tricks up your sleeves. Although charcoal fire can be volatile given its high temperatures, here are some effective ways of controlling charcoal heat.
Know how to adjust the airflow – Generally, charcoal grills are structured with air vents on the bottom. You can control the heat of your charcoal grill by either letting air through these vents or by closing them to reduce heat. In short, open the vents wide if you want a hotter fire and partially close the vents if you want a cooler fire.
Pro Tip – Make sure that you remove the ashes and open the vent when lighting up the charcoal grill for efficient airflow.
Build Two-Zone or Three-Zone – Building a two-zone or three-zone is essential in controlling the heat through the zones. To create these three zones, place a thick layer of charcoals on one-third of the firebox. This should be the hottest zone where you can use for searing. To create the second zone, place a single layer of charcoal in the center of the grill for moderate cooking. The last zone should be fire-free. Use it as a cool or safety zone.
As you can see, you’ll be able to perfectly control the heat over which to grill your food by moving it from the hot to the medium zone, and the cool zone and back.
Create a grill shield – This can help you control the heat when your food starts cooking faster or quicker than you desire. You can create a grill shield by folding a thick piece of aluminum foil and putting it under your food. This will help you slow the cooking process, block the heat, and also keep your food shielded from the heat.
Monitor the distance – Needless to say, moving your food closer to fire will make it hotter and the faster it will cook. However, you can control this by using grates on the side of the charcoal grill to either lower or raise the grates and your food. Lowering the grate will move your food closer to the fire while raising the grate will move your food farther from the fire.
Pro Tip: You can also choose to buy a surface thermometer for the grill, which can make it easier to monitor the temperature of the grill and can also help you gauge other things such as wind and humidity that might affect your grilling.
You’ll have to be Patient
Although many may claim that flavor is the best part of using charcoal to grill, I believe that the ritual and thrill of making and playing with fire is the best part of using charcoal, but you’ll have to be patient. One of the biggest mistakes that most grillers do when using a charcoal grill is to start cooking too soon.
Whether you want a gentle, medium heat to grill vegetables, a medium-hot fire for grilling fish or a higher heat for grilling burgers and chops, you should wait until the flames die down before you start cooking. The idea here is that active flames are an indication that the charcoal is still igniting and can affect your food with smoke.
The flames may char your food on the outside while leaving the inside uncooked and that’s something you don’t want. Again, the smoke may be filled with unburned carbon, particles, and smoky ashes. All you have to do is let the flame subside until the glowing red-hot coal is covered with white-hot ash. At this point, the fire is at its hottest and you can now set the cooking grate and start grilling.
Charcoal Grilling is Fun
Nothing comes close to the smell of a charcoal grill filling up the neighborhood, but that’s just one part of the story. The process of lighting up the charcoal, controlling the heat and looking after your steak as it gets cooked on the charcoal grill offers an ultimate cooking experience. Mastering this process is so engaging and fun that you would want to do it every weekend if not every single day! Personally, if I had to choose one method of grilling to use for the rest of my life, it would be charcoal grilling.
The thoughtful application of fire on raw steak and watching it reach its peak to become delicious and flavorful will make you feel like a master griller. This is one of the best parts of grilling over charcoal. Unlike other types of grilling such as gas or electric grilling where you just set the temperature and leave the steak or brisket to cook, charcoal grilling is captivating. Trust us; you’ll always want to do it every day.
Another best part of grilling over charcoal is that you’ll learn things that you never knew before. You’ll not only learn how to read fire but will also understand wind directions and how humidity affects your barbecue. Again, it’s a known fact that lighting up a charcoal grill is not as direct or as straightforward as switching on a gas grill. However, this is beneficial in the sense that it presents a learning curve where you can learn something new, especially if you are an adventurous type of person.
Lighting up a Charcoal Grill
If you’ve made up your mind to give the charcoal grill a shot, lighting it up shouldn’t make you think otherwise because it’s very easy if you know how to go about it and, of course, if you have the right tools. There are various methods of firing up a charcoal grill. They include using old newspapers crumpled underneath the grate, using electrical lighters, using compressed paper cubes or even using your grandma’s old electronic hair dryer to blow air in the charcoal grill.
There’s also the lighter fluid, but DO NOT use this as it can impart an unpleasant flavor to your charcoal and food. With that in mind, the best way to easily and efficiently light up a charcoal grill is through the use of a charcoal chimney starter. In addition to being cheap, you’ll need to use old newspapers to light up charcoal in the chimney starter before transferring the hot coals into the grill.
Here’s how to go about it.
- Fill the chimney with charcoal – Place an appropriate amount of charcoal in the chimney.
- Add newspaper and light it – Add some pieces of old newspapers through the opening at the bottom of the chimney starter and light them on fire. The flames from the newspaper will light the charcoal above. You can consider drizzling the newspapers with cooking oil before lighting so that they can burn longer.
- Pour out the coal – You’ll see the coal glowing after about ten minutes. Pour them into the pile of charcoal in the grill and wait for the entire coal to light up until everything is covered in gray ash.
Honestly speaking, when you decide to go with a charcoal grill, it’s important to note that you’ll have to invest in a few extras just as you would invest in extension cords for gas and propane grills. The best part is that these extras are quite affordable and shouldn’t be an issue. For instance, a charcoal chimney will only cost you about $15 but will make charcoal grilling easier and more enjoyable.
Pro Tip: As you can see, lighting up charcoal is easy, especially if you know the basics. Fire is contagious and keeping the coals close together will make the process even easier. The fire will essentially spread from charcoal to charcoal so that they quickly become ready for use. For more Information on lighting charcoal, you can click here to read my full article on it.
Charcoal Grilling Gives You a lot of Options
Another great reason why you should be grilling with charcoal is that it gives you a plethora of options. That’s because there are a lot of various styles of charcoal grills to choose from. Some of the main charcoal grills that will work best for you include:
The Classic Kettle Grill – This is essentially a metal ball on legs with charcoal sitting on the bottom. As one of the cheapest and most portable options, a kettle grill is designed for smoking and grilling in a low and slow barbecue style.
The Kamado Grill – This is a very popular Japanese-style charcoal grill that looks almost similar to the kettle grill. The most well know is the Big Green Egg, it is very durable and ideal if you want a grill that offers one of the hottest temperatures in the grilling game. It’s also very versatile as it gives you the options of baking pizzas at 500F while also being able to smoke or grilling your brisket, chicken, and steak. If you’d like more Information on Kamado grilles you can click here to see my full article on them.
Another Japanese style charcoal grill that’s worth mentioning here and will make you fall more in love with charcoal grilling is the Konro. This is smaller when compared to the famous Kamado. It’s rectangular and is designed with a lightweight mesh grate. It’s also made with a remarkably insulating material known as diatomaceous earth.
The Barrel Grill – This looks typically like the gas grill with a rounded shape both at the bottom and at the top. This may be ideal if you have a big party and want something that can allow you to use charcoal for bigger grilling projects.
As mentioned above there are lots of charcoal grilles you can pick from. This is just a shortlist of them. If you’d like to learn more about the types of charcoal grilles and how to pick the one that will best suit you you can click here.
Charcoal Grills are Easier to Transport
If you’re so much into barbecuing, then the idea of having a barbecue during road trips, camping, tailgating, at the beach, during picnics, and other excursions may be interesting and something you’ve been looking forward to. Charcoal grills, of course, enable you to do exactly that as there are loads of portable charcoal grills out there.
You can simply take your charcoal grill, fold it down and wheel it off in your car trunk or even in the RV! And who can’t love something that allows you to take with you that nice smoky taste of charcoal grilling anywhere you go? Better still, you can also throw a bag of charcoal inside and you’ll be good to go.
If anything, this is the best time to laugh at your friends with gas grills as they struggle with huge propane tanks and extension cords. In essence, you should go for charcoal grills because of their portability and the level of flexibility that they offer you.
So what are the Best Things to Grill over Charcoal Grills?
You can grill almost anything over a charcoal grill. It doesn’t matter whether you want to grill a flavorful brisket, fish, pork ribs, steak or veggies, a charcoal grill will never let you down. Just practice, learn the basics, and you’ll be good to produce flavorful foods all the time on a charcoal grill.
Conclusion
Without any slight hint of exaggeration, nothing comes close to the char-grilled tastes of briskets, pork ribs, steaks, vegetables, and burgers grilled over charcoal. We’re talking of a technique that is as primal and old as mankind. As any caveman would tell you, charcoal grilling isn’t as complicated as it’s been made out. Although it’s not as easy as turning a knob on a gas grill, it gives you the thrill of carefully playing with fire and even learning during the process!
You’ll have to pay close attention to the fire and learn to know when the charcoal grill is hot or not. And if you like grilling while traveling, a charcoal grill is the only way to go as they are portable and offer you the flexibility to grill anywhere. It’s also affordable but that’s just part of the story. Grilling over charcoal gives you a scrumptious, smoky flavor that any other form of grilling will never give you! In short, grilling with charcoal will yield excellent results and reward you handsomely.
Have you yet to decide on whether to get a charcoal grill? Trust me, you are doing yourself an injustice and missing big time on the best of barbecues and the amazingly unique taste of charcoal grilling. Get one that’s suitable for you and is within your budget and you’ll never regret it!
As Always, Happy Grilling!