Grill flavor question

[nick2004]

Hey guys, Well im back for grilling season :D its been freezing here in michigan untill about a week ago now it was 72 here today :cool: Anyway, I was wondering why when i grill stuff it doesn't have a good grilled flavor, Like when i eat at other places that have grilled food it has that flavor from the grill, I have a coleman propane grill could that be why?

[Dano]

It is probably a gas versus charcoal issue. Many claim that barbecue ain't barbecue unless you use lump charcoal. I cook with gas and like the flavor I get. I use seasoning salts and marinades.

I sometimes use a smoker box, but I wonder if that helps the flavor since I really can't distinguish the taste. Overall, most will side with charcaol when it comes to flavor.

Dan - East San Diego

[nick2004]

Thanks Dan, Guess i'll half to give charcoal a try.

[StPeteBBQ]

I have a Weber BabyQ gas grill that I use mostly during the week when time is short. On the weekends I use charcoal in both my WSM and my Weber kettle.

Hard to beat gas for convenience, hard to beat charcoal for real grilled flavor. Sometimes I use Kingford, but when I use real lump the flavor is more intense. My favorite though is Kamado Coconut Extruded, even though it's not lump. Next favorite is Wicked Good.

See www.nakedwhiz.com for detailed info on different charcoal.

[Rollo T]

If you guys are using a smoker box right, you should have a discernable taste difference in your food. Maybe not so much in a steak as it cooks in 10 minutes, but in most other foods.......if not, I would bet you are not using it correctly. :cool:

[FATZ]

You know that stuff you clean off of your grates before you cook? You know, the black, yucky goo/burnt-leftovers-from-last-cook stuff.

That's what gives stuff the good flavor. Try just burning that stuff off instead of actually cleaning it away. I will just get my grill up to temp and let the heat burn away the yuckiness.

The resturants don't have time to clean the grill after every steak. They simply keep it hot and scraped. Much of the "blackness" is still there leaving that great grilled flavor.

[nick2004]

Thanks for all the help and the tip fatz, Ive been scrapeing it all off lol. I think my main problem was lifting the lid up to much. Grilling is really an art but i improve all the time :D

[sharky]

I've found that by using my smoker box, or even a foil pouch with some wood chips you can get a great flavor on the grill. The "grilled" flavor you are thinking of is the charcoal. It's the flavor I remember from my childhood, and can't be beat - If you have time!

I switch between my gasser during the week and charcoal on the weekends. Sometimes I use both.. I like cooking garlic bread and asparigus on the charcoal grill, while finishing the main dishes on the gasser. It gives them a nice flavor that can't be duplicated on the gas grils.

[nick2004]

Never knew you could do that with the wood chips sharky thanks, Did up a hickory smoked chicken and it was awsome :)