Foo - Gas Grills and steak

Generally, I'm lump charcoal guy (i.e., not brickettes).

But now I'm thinking about getting a gas grill for the deck.

My main concern is: will it get hot enough to properly sear steaks?

Any recommendations?

(I'm looking at the Weber 4 or 6 burner grills, but haven't seen one in actual use.)

my dad grilled exclusively on gas, and overcooked everything (preference, not a grill issue)
so yeah, I'd say its hot enough.

IME, no.

Get an infrared grill, you won't regret it.

this is a portable one

http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=698721&CCAID=FROOGLEBC698721

If you're wanting to do a true sear, then look for one with an infrared "burner" (everyone calls them different things, but they're for searing).

You can't really go wrong with any of the big names. I personally have grown to love Aussie Grills (hadn't heard of them til a few years back.) $.02

They are convenient but it will never be the same. I went and got one of those fancy ones but I still prefer the taste of using good ol fashioned coal.

If you get one with enough BTU's it'll be hot enough.

Another consideration is the grilling surface. I am partial to ceramics - easy to clean and high thermal mass.

I have a Weber Spirit that for me was the right combination of price and quality. I really like the grates for searing, and the droppings really smoke well and season the inside of the grill to produce a great smokey flavor. I never thought I would say that about a gas grill. I like it so much that I rarely mess with getting out the charcoal any more.

Charcoal is the ONLY way to properly grill.

Charcoal is the ONLY way to properly grill.

obviously

but when I get home at 6:45 and want a burger or a steak, sometimes I don't want to wait 10 minutes for the chimney to get the coals going.

i'll settle for a decrease in quality in exchange for promptness.

obviously

but when I get home at 6:45 and want a burger or a steak, sometimes I don't want to wait 10 minutes for the chimney to get the coals going.

i'll settle for a decrease in quality in exchange for promptness.

I have an indoor grilling pan I use for times like that. The flavor pales in comparison to a good charcoal grilled steak or burger.

I have this:
http://www.chargriller.com/store/images/Duo.jpg

Charcoal is the ONLY way to properly grill.

I feel you Modo - I get the lump charcoal so hot it melts the hair on my hands when I flip stuff.

But I need something that's a little safer on the wood deck and which my beloved wife will allow me to have in viewing distance of the guests. (My locomotive shaped slow cooker, which doubles as a marvelous grill, is banished to the side of the house.)

I have this:

http://www.chargriller.com/store/images/Duo.jpg

What the hell is that? I love it!

But I can assure you that that doesn't pass the wifely aesthetic test.

I feel you Modo - I get the lump charcoal so hot it melts the hair on my hands when I flip stuff.

But I need something that's a little safer on the wood deck and which my beloved wife will allow me to have in viewing distance of the guests. (My locomotive shaped slow cooker, which doubles as a marvelous grill, is banished to the side of the house.)

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xL4B3PXTY6Q/SZ8o0R0570I/AAAAAAAAABM/s6BB2oNXnKc/s400/Weber+Kettle+Grill.jpg

Putting aside the bike threads, this is probably the most important topic on all of BF.

Keep it coming.

(Okay, the pie threads are important too.)

http://www.coolbusinessideas.com/images/big-green-egg.jpg

Hows about a BBQ pit in the yard rather than a grill on the deck?
http://www.hudsoncustomfabrication.com/BBQ%20Pit%20Stainless%20Mesh%20Grille.png

I have an indoor grilling pan I use for times like that. The flavor pales in comparison to a good charcoal grilled steak or burger.

OK, seriously. You can't be a grill snob and call cooking in a pan grilling :D

Honestly, would you rather have a pan fried steak or burger than one cooked on a gas grill in the same amount of time?

Generally, I'm lump charcoal guy (i.e., not brickettes).

But now I'm thinking about getting a gas grill for the deck.

My main concern is: will it get hot enough to properly sear steaks?

Any recommendations?

(I'm looking at the Weber 4 or 6 burner grills, but haven't seen one in actual use.)

Articles on Gas vs Charcoal grilling

http://www.amazingribs.com/BBQ_buyers_guide/grills/charcoal_grills_vs_gas_grills.html

http://www.chow.com/stories/11087

I like cooking with charcoal.

If you want gas you might want to consider NATURAL GAS so you dont have lug around those expensive LP tanks that seem to allways be empty at the wrong time.

What the hell is that? I love it!

But I can assure you that that doesn't pass the wifely aesthetic test.

It's a dual fuel BBQ. Gas one side, charcoal on the other.

I got it at Lowe's, I have seen it at Target. Costs around $300....
Chargriller Duo is the model...

I do keep it covered.

OK, seriously. You can't be a grill snob and call cooking in a pan grilling :D

Honestly, would you rather have a pan fried steak or burger than one cooked on a gas grill in the same amount of time?

Mine's not exactly like this, but very close.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41Q6PDRREML._SL500_AA280_.jpg

Hows about a BBQ pit in the yard rather than a grill on the deck?
http://www.hudsoncustomfabrication.com/BBQ%20Pit%20Stainless%20Mesh%20Grille.png

oooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh nice! you wanna come up to NC and build me one of those? :)

Charcoal is the ONLY way to properly grill.

No way. Anthracite coal from the Northeastern Pennsylvania coal region, FTW!

No way. Anthracite coal from the Northeastern Pennsylvania coal region, FTW!

No sir....Hickory Charcoal, nothing makes a better grilling/bbq/smoke.
Second best would be mesquite.

obviously but when I get home at 6:45 and want a burger or a steak, sometimes I don't want to wait 10 minutes for the chimney to get the coals going.

i'll settle for a decrease in quality in exchange for promptness.

Bleah. This is the current reason for the continued popularity of Chef-boy-ar-dee, Prego, and TV dinners. For myself, I never could understand the mentality of driving 900 miles per hour during the commute just to get home and nuke food in 15 minutes so that we could sit in front of the tube for 3-4 hours each night and drink beer. Boggles the mind when you think about it.

GOOD food doesn't come from a can. GOOD steaks need hot coals. Speed is never a consideration when discussing good food.

hunger is always a consideration when discussing quality over promptness.

edit to add: I bike home at (average) 20 miles per hour, not 900. And I burn a ton of calories doing it for 3 hours each day (round trip). The person who makes me wait for dinner is the one destined to become dinner.

.......... GOOD steaks need hot coals. Speed is never a consideration when discussing good food.

Words to live by

hunger is always a consideration when discussing quality over impatience.

fixed it for you

If you're going to do gas, as someone mentioned earlier, get one with infrared burners. They also make several models with a wood chip tray which will help give it that over the charcoal flavor. That's my $0.02

How about one you just take with you?
http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w210/DanteBpb/GettingStarted.jpg
Those are turkeys on there.

oh no! you didn't post taht!! :D yummy :)

If you're going to do gas, as someone mentioned earlier, get one with infrared burners. They also make several models with a wood chip tray which will help give it that over the charcoal flavor. That's my $0.02

That over the charcoal flavor is carcinogenic. ;) My gas grill does just fine and for a weeknight is the ticket to grilling at all. The secret to gas grills is to never clean them. I luv a good grease fire. :thumb:

Charcoal
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff168/cyclearkansas/images.jpg
Gas
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff168/cyclearkansas/grill.jpg

I like both of my grills. The gas is nice for cooking burgers,dogs...when you do not want to waste a bag of charcoal for 2 burgers. The charcoal is good for...well everything. We have block parties 3-4 times a year and I get to use both at the same time. The gas grill has a deep fryer instead of a side burner. Its great to fill with water and soak dogs for the kids then throw them on the grill for taste.
If you can't make a steak taste good on a gas grill, I don't think its the grills fault. They are better on charcoal.

oh no! you didn't post taht!! :D yummy :)

Wolfie, come out to Santa Clarita next weekend, I'm doing tri-tip, chicken, beans, salad and garlic bread.

awwwww...i wish i could come next weekend, but, alas, i cannot. october is looking pretty good though.....

Mine's not exactly like this, but very close.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41Q6PDRREML._SL500_AA280_.jpg

I own that exact pan. It's not bad for a flat iron in the winter, but it sure doesn't compare to my Weber.

I know one of the finest steak houses in the US broils with gas...above the meat...Peter Lugers in New York... so gas is not all bad

http://peterluger.com/
http://peterluger.com/menu-bklyn.cfm

Charlie Trotters is no burger stand either.... Im unsure how they perpare their meat but I think it must be pretty good.

http://www.charlietrotters.com/

The Weber Grill in Chicago grills over charcoal

http://www.webergrillrestaurant.com/

awwwww...i wish i could come next weekend, but, alas, i cannot. october is looking pretty good though.....

I fire-up the grill in October. What part of the West are you coming to?

to the sacramento area....staying with Red Rider...october 14-19

I have that Solaire portable infrared grill mentioned by BoSox. It is the first gas grill I have owned that does a proper sear. I pretty much use it only for searing.

to the sacramento area....staying with Red Rider...october 14-19

Well, that's only 4.5 hour away, but it is closer than you are right now.

meh...4.5hr is nothing. it's regularly a 4-4.5hr drive for me to go to WNC, so when i get out there, it won't be a big deal to come to where you are for some great BBQ....i'm planning on doing some century out there on that saturday, Foxy-something or another....