So what's the deal with a natural gas grill?" someone asked me the other day. I had to admit that I'm not much of an authority when it comes to smoking meat and natural gas. I use it to cook on at home on my stove, but I've always been more in the traditional camp when it comes to BBQ. I feel that the meat just tastes better when there is a lot of labor involved. I'm not so closed minded as to believe that this is anything more than a psychological device I use to endear myself to a particular style over another, but I like the history and tradition of BBQ.
That being said, I still believe that all the different methods of preparing smoked meat have their place, even if I have a favorite method. There are some similarities between the propane grill and the natural gas grill. In my last post I discussed some of the the advantages of having a propane grill. Most of these are the same advantages one would have with a natural gas grill. The one exception is that natural gas is not as common to find as a fuel as propane typically is found to be. Other than that there are many upsides to having one. Portability, ease of use, consistent cooking temperature, ease of clean up, and time efficiency all go in the plus column for this model. The drawbacks are very similar to my feelings that I expressed at the beginning of this article. It isn't really traditional. For some folks that is just fine. They are very solid grills that produce great flavor and last for a log time if properly taken care of over the life of the grill. These days you can even get flavor chips to add to your gas grill to induce a very similar flavor that would be found in the more traditional wood smokers (some would argue that the flavor produced by the chips is the same, but I'm not really in that camp. You still get a great flavor, but it isn't exactly what you get out of 6 to 10 hours on a wood smoke pit).
If you have a busy lifestyle and can't afford to spend hours and hours getting a wood pit temperature "just right" or you feel that you won't compromise on flavor in any discernible way, then the natural gas grill might be a wonderful choice for you. I would probably get one just to play with it and really test its limits. Just to see how much performance I could get out of it and, of course, compare it to my favorite smoker and grills. Until I did that I would have a tough time trading it in for a more traditional model - well, I don't ever trade in any BBQ smoker, I like to collect them.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Propane Grill Thoughts
When you enter the realm of BBQ you will find that there is a raging debate over what is "true" or "the best" method for smoking meat. The smoker you use for your creation will set you firmly in one camp or another. Traditionalists verses taste quality. Ease of preparation versus flavor. Everyone is biased to one degree or another. If for no other reason than they like to believe that "their" BBQ is the real deal, the best stuff. So it only stands to reason that if you feel passionately about your BBQ dish that you will also feel passionately about your smoker and method you have so painstakingly developed to give that "perfect" smoke flavor.
The traditionalists will cringe when you suggest a propane grill for BBQ. They will even make fun of those who use them, and they will do it in front of them as well as behind their backs. So if you choose a propane model, be aware that if you get into the meat smoking circles there WILL be some teasing.
That may be just fine with you though. Why, you may ask? Because you may need everything the propane grill has to offer. They are very convenient for a number of reasons. You can always find propane, so you will almost never be anywhere without the ability to get the needed fuel. Another plus to the propane smoker is the ease of clean up. You don't have any ashes to haul off, empty out, or dispose of in any way. Which leads me to another convenience attached to them - time savings. Because you don't have to spend time looking for fuel or disposing of ashes you save time that you could be using elsewhere to enjoy your family, friends, or BBQ. And we haven't even discussed consistent temperature while cooking, which is fairly important in the smoking process. So, you may be just fine with the teasing, knowing that you have chosen wisely.
For the BBQ enthusiast who may not have lots of time or resources to spend on their favorite style of meat preparation, or for the weekend BBQer the propane grill may just be the best choice. For the "on the go" folks they are also really great because of their portability - there are several portable models that will allow you the freedom to take your smoker experience with you, wherever you go. Don't short yourself on your BBQ dreams because of the traditionalists out there who believe that only one method or style is the "true" or "real" way to go. It should be shared by all who want to share it. That is one of the great beautiful things about BBQ.
The traditionalists will cringe when you suggest a propane grill for BBQ. They will even make fun of those who use them, and they will do it in front of them as well as behind their backs. So if you choose a propane model, be aware that if you get into the meat smoking circles there WILL be some teasing.
That may be just fine with you though. Why, you may ask? Because you may need everything the propane grill has to offer. They are very convenient for a number of reasons. You can always find propane, so you will almost never be anywhere without the ability to get the needed fuel. Another plus to the propane smoker is the ease of clean up. You don't have any ashes to haul off, empty out, or dispose of in any way. Which leads me to another convenience attached to them - time savings. Because you don't have to spend time looking for fuel or disposing of ashes you save time that you could be using elsewhere to enjoy your family, friends, or BBQ. And we haven't even discussed consistent temperature while cooking, which is fairly important in the smoking process. So, you may be just fine with the teasing, knowing that you have chosen wisely.
For the BBQ enthusiast who may not have lots of time or resources to spend on their favorite style of meat preparation, or for the weekend BBQer the propane grill may just be the best choice. For the "on the go" folks they are also really great because of their portability - there are several portable models that will allow you the freedom to take your smoker experience with you, wherever you go. Don't short yourself on your BBQ dreams because of the traditionalists out there who believe that only one method or style is the "true" or "real" way to go. It should be shared by all who want to share it. That is one of the great beautiful things about BBQ.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Welcome to BBQ Smoker Thoughts
Welcome to BBQ Smoker Thoughts! This is my little space on the web where I can discuss, muse, or rant about all things related to BBQ smokers.
I live in Texas and BBQ is almost a religion around here. Texas BBQ is legendary, but it isn't the only BBQ out there. Far from it, in fact. The history of BBQ goes back a long way. It was born from the necessity of poor folks who couldn't afford to buy more expensive cuts of meat. So they found a way to prepare the cuts of meat that most people didn't see any value in. Ribs, brisket, pork shoulder - all considered some of the tastiest cuts these days - were thought to have too much connective tissue and be too tough for consumption. Then somewhere along the way, some enterprising individuals discovered that if you smoke these cuts of meat very slowly and for a long period of time they are edible. More than edible it turns out! They are down right wonderful. BBQ was birthed and has steadily grown in the hearts and minds (not to mention the stomachs) of people worldwide.
With the invention of BBQ sauce the love affair began to grow into legendary proportions. Many folks erroneously think that the only kind of BBQ sauce is the tomato based variety. On the contrary, they is a very wide array of sauce to cover your already mouth watering meat delights. Over on the East coast it is made with a vinegar base. A little further south east there are sauces produced from a mustard base. Some even have specialties, and are intended for pork shoulder or whole hog dishes. Here in the deep south some folks tell me that if the BBQ is done right there is no need for sauce at all (I'm hard pressed to argue that point based on what I have been served here, but I still love BBQ sauce). Different sauces for different folks, I guess.
With as many different cuts of meat that can be prepared with smoking methods and with all the different sauces available there are also many different styles of smoking to get the right texture, feel,and taste just right. There is the direct heat method. There is the indirect heat method. There are multiple models of each style, as well. You can BBQ with the traditional wood fuel or the newer, more modern inventions like electric and propane. You can't forget about charcoal either. So many choices.
Well I'm going to wrap this post up for the time being, but I'll be back around to talk a bit more about one of my favorite experiences in life -cooking on a BBQ smoker.
I live in Texas and BBQ is almost a religion around here. Texas BBQ is legendary, but it isn't the only BBQ out there. Far from it, in fact. The history of BBQ goes back a long way. It was born from the necessity of poor folks who couldn't afford to buy more expensive cuts of meat. So they found a way to prepare the cuts of meat that most people didn't see any value in. Ribs, brisket, pork shoulder - all considered some of the tastiest cuts these days - were thought to have too much connective tissue and be too tough for consumption. Then somewhere along the way, some enterprising individuals discovered that if you smoke these cuts of meat very slowly and for a long period of time they are edible. More than edible it turns out! They are down right wonderful. BBQ was birthed and has steadily grown in the hearts and minds (not to mention the stomachs) of people worldwide.
With the invention of BBQ sauce the love affair began to grow into legendary proportions. Many folks erroneously think that the only kind of BBQ sauce is the tomato based variety. On the contrary, they is a very wide array of sauce to cover your already mouth watering meat delights. Over on the East coast it is made with a vinegar base. A little further south east there are sauces produced from a mustard base. Some even have specialties, and are intended for pork shoulder or whole hog dishes. Here in the deep south some folks tell me that if the BBQ is done right there is no need for sauce at all (I'm hard pressed to argue that point based on what I have been served here, but I still love BBQ sauce). Different sauces for different folks, I guess.
With as many different cuts of meat that can be prepared with smoking methods and with all the different sauces available there are also many different styles of smoking to get the right texture, feel,and taste just right. There is the direct heat method. There is the indirect heat method. There are multiple models of each style, as well. You can BBQ with the traditional wood fuel or the newer, more modern inventions like electric and propane. You can't forget about charcoal either. So many choices.
Well I'm going to wrap this post up for the time being, but I'll be back around to talk a bit more about one of my favorite experiences in life -cooking on a BBQ smoker.
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