Reigniting the great grill debate

Now that Memorial Day has kicked off the summer, it’s just about time to light up the grill and bring the joy of cooking out in the open. 

As the baker of the family, I have limited experience when it comes to cooking food on the grill. My first attempt to work the family’s gas grill ended with a burst of flames that resulted in a couple locks’ worth of burnt hair. 

Suffice it to say, it never hurts to do a little research, so I typed the subject into Google where I found a myriad of pages devoted to all kinds of debates focused on grills.

The first major grilling debate — gas grill versus charcoal grill —  narrowed the issue down in terms of time and cleanliness. 

Most of the websites praised the convenience of the gas grill for its easy ignition and consistent heat. However, while charcoal grills are more difficult to light, they allow more prep time and more control over the produced heat. 

Most people don’t like to get their hands dirty during cooking, so the excess amount of black dust from charcoal may not be the best option.  However, though gas grills are easier to clean after cooking, there’s the chance of having to clean up the grease and carbon buildup over time. Depending on how long it’s been used and how often you clean it, either grill could lead you towards vigorous cleaning.

In the second major debate  — charcoal briquettes versus lump charcoal -— readers got a more in-depth look at what can be used to cook food on the grill. 

Like the gas grill, briquettes have a tendency of burning more consistently with more control over the cooking. While lump charcoal burns hotter, it often comes in different sizes, leaving an unequal distribution of how the food is charred.

A debate from the National Public Radio’s (NPR) website gave lengthy details toward the environmental factors in comparing the two charcoal types. It was here that I learned that briquettes not only create more ash, they also contain additives that are released through grilling. There’s also the risk of adverse health effects from breathing too much of the smoke released. In this argument,  lump, or natural hardwood, charcoal won with its purity, though many suspect that its popularity comes from having the word “natural” in the title.

Though I was initially surprised that this was even a topic up for argument on the Internet, the great grilling debate turned out to be an interesting read.