Charcoal or Gas?

During the summer the subject of “charcoal or gas?” often comes up. My usual reply is that “it depends on what you are cooking - are you going to barbeque it or grill it?”
Yes, there is a difference. In 1997, 84% of American families fired up a grill 2.9 billion times. Most of them grilled. Grilling is described as cooking directly over high heat on a metal grill or grate. There are several broad categories of cooking methods--dry, wet, and a combination of both dry and wet. Sautéing is classed as a dry cooking method. Grilling also falls in the same category, in that it utilizes dry, intense heat to cook the product. During the summer months, grilling is the quintessential cooking method as it is done outside, thus not further heating up an already hot kitchen!
Due to the intense, dry heat radiating from below, the food is often cooked fast. Think of it as using the broiler upside down. I call it “grill broiling” because you are broiling your food on the grill.
The foods that are best suited for grilling? Just about anything including meats, poultry, fish, vegetables, and fruit. The best meats for grilling are the tender steaks, since grilling is a fast cooking method that does not allow time to tenderize tougher cuts of meat. Choose tender cuts of meat (from the loin or rib), or slightly tougher cuts that have been tenderized with an acidic marinade or been pounded or chopped (i.e. hamburgers). Pork and chicken breasts are also great for grilling. Leave the skin on the bone – in breasts as this will not only be delicious, but will keep the meat from drying out. Be extra vigilant if grilling boneless, skinless chicken breasts since they dry out quickly! Oily fish such as salmon and swordfish do well on the grill; if grilling leaner fish - like whitefish - brush it with oil and handle carefully. The worst thing you can do with any fish is over cook it!
Vegetables work quite well on the grill. Asparagus, peppers, squash and tomatoes caramelize for an intense flavor. Brush with a flavored oil and season with herbs or toss in Italian dressing and grill. Firm fruits like apples, pears and pineapples are simple and delicious; brush with honey and cinnamon and grill quickly.
Barbequing is a very different method of cooking that uses a much lower heat for a much longer period of time. Barbequing will be addressed in a separate article.
Back to our original question of, “charcoal or gas?” My theory is, when grilling, use whatever you like best! The actual “grilled flavor” is produced not by the heat source, but by the carmelization (slight charring) of the sugars in the food. Since the food is only exposed to the heat for a short period of time, it cannot absorb the flavors of the charcoal. Scientific studies show us that a major portion of that “grilled flavor” comes from our sense of smell.
Why not have it both ways? I have a gas grill that I use when I am in a hurry to get dinner on. I use the charcoal grill when I have the time to enjoy the outdoors with the family (and a cold beverage or two). If I run out of propane, I can finish cooking over charcoal.