With summer barbecue season upon us, it is time to consider the age old controversy, which is better, gas or Charcoal? People who cook on a Gas Grill claim that they are easy to control and bring out the best flavor of the meat without the mask of smokiness. Individuals who cook with charcoal know that there is nothing like cooking with authentic fire, just as our ancestors did when they still lived in caves. Now, according to Wired, the science is settled and in ways that may surprise many people. The secret is in the chemistry of food.
Cooking with gas is lame
The sad truth of the matter is that Cooking on a gas grill is pretty much like cooking on a gas stove, only done outside. Gas grills are more expensive, and you always have to swap out the propane canisters. To be sure ways exist to add smokiness with pans filled with wood chips, but cooking with gas is pretty much a waste of time if you want an authentic barbecue experience. It may be easier to manage but the results are certainly not better.
Why cooking charcoal is better
Most people think that the smoke that rises from lit charcoal hitting the meat give it that unique flavor. This theory is incorrect, as it turns out. What happens in that the charcoal burns so much hotter than gas that it melts the fat and oils off of the meat and causes it to drip down.
The heated charcoal vaporizes the melted essence of the meat and wafts it back up as smoke, which imparts the mouth-watering flavor to what is being grilled. The charcoal is just the catalyst for what is going on in your grill. If you use wood chips, scattered among the hot coals, they will add their essence to the smoke that makes your barbecue so favorable.
Soak the chips in water first before using,
How to cook with charcoal
The trick to cooking with charcoal is getting the briquettes properly lit and then waiting until they’re ready. The idea is to wait until the charcoal is ashed over to some extent and glowing red underneath. You can either pour some briquettes out of a bag and soak it with lighter fluid, or you can get one of those bags of charcoal that is prepared so that all you have to do is to get things going.
Be sure to guard against flare-ups and make sure that you don’t leave an open fire unattended, especially if kids or pets are about. After you are finished grilling, make sure you close the vents and close it up. Whatever charcoal is still smoldering at this point will be smothered in short order.
