Things have changed a lot for the outdoor chef over the last few years. Ten years ago you could walk into a hardware or department store and be faced with the relatively simple choice of charcoal or gas cooker with only one or two models representing each to choose from. These days the number and variety of outdoor cookers is almost overwhelming. Cookers range from the simple to nothing short of an outdoor kitchen with coolers, range tops, deep fryers and almost anything else that can be imagined included. Deciding on the right cooker can be a daunting task indeed.

 

Let’s start with the most basic distinction – gas or charcoal. For the purist there is no choice here. Grillers and barbequers who attend competitions or feel that they shouldn’t because their meat would put everyone else’s to shame almost universally extol the virtues of charcoal over gas. And they make some pretty compelling points. Charcoal imparts a better flavor on the meat. It also is less likely to dry out the meat and well tended charcoal fire offers so much more variety to the cook. Besides all of that charcoal cookers are far cheaper, easier to maintain and don’t require a bothersome propane tank.

 

With a gas cooker you’re going to pay more but what you’re paying for is convenience. The ability to automatically adjust the height of the flame and therefore the heat gives the novice griller a better chance of success with a gas grill. Some of these cookers are so sophisticated that they are as easy to use as an oven. Many allow the cook to add wood chips which do add a smoky quality to the meat but they never seem to rise to that of charcoal. While clean up can be more involved most cookers break down allowing for a relatively thorough clean up.

 

Choosing a model becomes relatively easy after you’ve settled the gas/charcoal debate in your mind. It is hard to beat the classic Weber cooker for charcoal grilling, smoking and barbequing. With practice and skill there is hardly a piece of meat that can’t be cooked to perfection with this cooker. The bottom allows plenty of space to move around the charcoal for optimal cooking and the squashed globe shape works perfectly to move heat under, around and over the meat. Choosing a gas grill, on the other hand, is a lot like buying a car – what features do you want? Most work in the same convenient way, allowing for quick and easy cooking with adjustable knobs. So picking out the right one comes down to what, if any, extras do you want. If you think that you’ll be still be using that wok or pizza oven in three or four seasons, by all means get the model with those extras.