Is a gas BBQ cheating?

Psymonkee · 11-06-2009, 19:54

Right having a party/Rock Band night on Saturday and somewhat foolishly muttered the letters B, B & Q in quick succesion....so now I have to provided some sort of cooking facility

All I have available to me is a small-ish Gas BBQ

Is this considered cheating?

I prefer playing with charcoal and setting fire to things personally so will probably run out and grab a big charcoal BBQ before hand

Any opinions?

Belmit · 11-06-2009, 19:56

I have a gas BBQ for convenience. Many will tell you that it's not the same as cooking over coals but I can't tell the difference. Cheating or not, the outcome is the same to me!

Rich_L · 11-06-2009, 20:00

Cannot be answered with a simple yes or no.

For manliness - coals rock. Especially a big coal BBQ like this one
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/3450389/Trail/searchtext>BBQ.htm

Make sure you buy briquettes not lump charcoal though, they hold a better temperature and last longer, plus you can re-stock without the BBQ getting smoked out.

But if I lived somewhere nice enough where BBQing could be a common occurrence, I would go gas simply because it gets hot quicker and it's less faffing around

mejinks · 11-06-2009, 20:05

When I bbq, I partly cook chicken beforehand. Thats not cheating

Nah, if you can get the flavour right (think firelighter and smoke flavour) then you have the essence of a BBQ.

divine · 11-06-2009, 20:06

Gas is lame, what's the point, just do it indoors and pass it out the window if you're going to do that.

Waste of time IMO, defeats the object.

Piggymon · 11-06-2009, 20:15

It isn't cheating as such but it's not quite the same

What you want is one of these babies .. best of both worlds

http://www.wowbbq.co.uk/products/Web...14/841004.html

Haly · 11-06-2009, 20:17

Do a huge round trip to me, borrow my charcoal BBQ that's still never been used, and take me to the Rock Band goodness

Danny · 11-06-2009, 20:59

No it's not cheating, it's a myth that the flavour comes from the charcoal. I've been to some of the biggest BBQ cook off's in the world and every single one of those multiple champions used gas bbq's.

I cook every single piece of meat on mine, all year round. I do my roasts on mine as well, roast potatoes and vege's. I do my xmas dinner leg of lamb on mine. Sometimes I flip the griddle over and do eggs bacon and mushrooms on mine

There is no sacrafice in flavour and it's easier to use gas to get a better standard of food. I'd rather serve perfectly cooked food than worry about any real flame snobbery.

I have a 3 burner outback which has done me proud for 6 years, I'm about to upgrade it to a 6 burner. I regularly do bbq's for 20-50 people and it would be far too much hassle on a charcoal BBQ.

I adore mine I can use it to BBQ or as an outside oven/grill.

Belmit · 11-06-2009, 21:09

That's the sort of thing I'm talking about. There really is no difference in the taste of the food, but you can certainly start cooking it a lot quicker when you have a lot of hungry people about. Also, it's really easy to get up on a hot morning, start it up and chuck a couple of eggs and some bacon on for a breakfast bap in the morning sun.

The two main arguments I hear against it are that it doesn't taste the same (which I've never believed) and that you might as well cook indoors and bring it outside, which defeats the purpose of the camaradarie of BBQing (plus my electric grill sucks).

SidewinderINC · 11-06-2009, 21:11

I remember the gas one we used to have years ago had coals on it too, they seemed to make it taste better as they got older/more soaked with fat.

View Poll Results: Is a gas BBQ cheating?
Yes!	30	63.83%
No!	13	27.66%
Burninating the peasants is fine either way!	4	8.51%
Voters: 47. You may not vote on this poll

11-06-2009, 19:54	#1
Psymonkee A cat wearing a wet suit Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: St.Andrews Posts: 2,023	Is a gas BBQ cheating? Right having a party/Rock Band night on Saturday and somewhat foolishly muttered the letters B, B & Q in quick succesion....so now I have to provided some sort of cooking facility All I have available to me is a small-ish Gas BBQ Is this considered cheating? I prefer playing with charcoal and setting fire to things personally so will probably run out and grab a big charcoal BBQ before hand Any opinions? __________________ Sonisphere FMC Code: 1k949178

11-06-2009, 19:56	#2
Belmit The Mouse King of Denmark Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: The Winchester Posts: 6,476	I have a gas BBQ for convenience. Many will tell you that it's not the same as cooking over coals but I can't tell the difference. Cheating or not, the outcome is the same to me! __________________

11-06-2009, 20:00	#3
Rich_L Dr Cocktapuss Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Seven Sizzles Posts: 1,044	Cannot be answered with a simple yes or no. For manliness - coals rock. Especially a big coal BBQ like this one http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/3450389/Trail/searchtext>BBQ.htm Make sure you buy briquettes not lump charcoal though, they hold a better temperature and last longer, plus you can re-stock without the BBQ getting smoked out. But if I lived somewhere nice enough where BBQing could be a common occurrence, I would go gas simply because it gets hot quicker and it's less faffing around __________________

11-06-2009, 20:06	#5
divine Moonshine Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Southampton Posts: 3,201	Gas is lame, what's the point, just do it indoors and pass it out the window if you're going to do that. Waste of time IMO, defeats the object. __________________

11-06-2009, 20:15	#6
Piggymon Lara Croft Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: PigmoPad - Braintree Essex Posts: 8,604	It isn't cheating as such but it's not quite the same What you want is one of these babies .. best of both worlds http://www.wowbbq.co.uk/products/Web...14/841004.html __________________ BF% 28/08/08 - 21%

11-06-2009, 20:17	#7
Haly Do you want to hide in my box? Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 14,941	Do a huge round trip to me, borrow my charcoal BBQ that's still never been used, and take me to the Rock Band goodness __________________ Halycopter

11-06-2009, 20:59	#8
Danny Long Island Iced Tea Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 176	No it's not cheating, it's a myth that the flavour comes from the charcoal. I've been to some of the biggest BBQ cook off's in the world and every single one of those multiple champions used gas bbq's. I cook every single piece of meat on mine, all year round. I do my roasts on mine as well, roast potatoes and vege's. I do my xmas dinner leg of lamb on mine. Sometimes I flip the griddle over and do eggs bacon and mushrooms on mine There is no sacrafice in flavour and it's easier to use gas to get a better standard of food. I'd rather serve perfectly cooked food than worry about any real flame snobbery. I have a 3 burner outback which has done me proud for 6 years, I'm about to upgrade it to a 6 burner. I regularly do bbq's for 20-50 people and it would be far too much hassle on a charcoal BBQ. I adore mine I can use it to BBQ or as an outside oven/grill. __________________

11-06-2009, 21:09	#9
Belmit The Mouse King of Denmark Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: The Winchester Posts: 6,476	That's the sort of thing I'm talking about. There really is no difference in the taste of the food, but you can certainly start cooking it a lot quicker when you have a lot of hungry people about. Also, it's really easy to get up on a hot morning, start it up and chuck a couple of eggs and some bacon on for a breakfast bap in the morning sun. The two main arguments I hear against it are that it doesn't taste the same (which I've never believed) and that you might as well cook indoors and bring it outside, which defeats the purpose of the camaradarie of BBQing (plus my electric grill sucks). __________________

11-06-2009, 21:11	#10
SidewinderINC Joey Tempest Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Gravesend. Posts: 2,751	I remember the gas one we used to have years ago had coals on it too, they seemed to make it taste better as they got older/more soaked with fat. __________________ No Sig.