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#16
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Gas Grills -- No longer use briquets ??
the whole body of the troll will be burned evenly. Mmmmmmm....troll. |
#17
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Gas Grills -- No longer use briquets ??
Thanks to everyone for the very nice responses received on this thread. My question has been fully answered, and thanks again group !! --James-- |
#18
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Gas Grills -- No longer use briquets ??
Warren writes:
The whole point of grilling is to get the flavor that you can only get with charcoal. There is no flavor from a charcoal fire. It is nearly pure carbon emitting hot CO2 and H20, heated air, and radiation. Just like gas. The flavor is from the heat intensity and distribution, the ventilation of fresh air instead of trapping various vapors, the volatilization of drippings, the lack of old cooking residues, etc.. A charcoal fire happens to produce favorable versions of all these factors, but the charcoal itself is a tasteless fuel, as is gas. Gas can approach charcoal in these regards, but it is hard to maintain that quality as crud builds up and weather/heat-cycling corrodes. |
#19
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Gas Grills -- No longer use briquets ??
Richard J Kinch wrote:
Warren writes: The whole point of grilling is to get the flavor that you can only get with charcoal. There is no flavor from a charcoal fire. It is nearly pure carbon emitting hot CO2 and H20, heated air, and radiation. Just like gas. The flavor is from the heat intensity and distribution, the ventilation of fresh air instead of trapping various vapors, the volatilization of drippings, the lack of old cooking residues, etc.. A charcoal fire happens to produce favorable versions of all these factors, but the charcoal itself is a tasteless fuel, as is gas. Gas can approach charcoal in these regards, but it is hard to maintain that quality as crud builds up and weather/heat-cycling corrodes. Okay Mr. Science. But the flavor isn't from the heat. It's from the smoke produced by the incomplete combustion of the wood in the charcoal -- something you don't have with gas which is more fully combusted. If all I want is to heat the meat, I can use any source. But I like the flavor of charcoal smoke in my steak. You can't get that with gas. The best you can hope for is the flavor of the smoke from burning fat drippings, which I prefer to avoid no matter what the heat source. -- Warren H. ========== Disclaimer: My views reflect those of myself, and not my employer, my friends, nor (as she often tells me) my wife. Any resemblance to the views of anybody living or dead is coincidental. No animals were hurt in the writing of this response -- unless you count my dog who desperately wants to go outside now. Blatant Plug: Spend your Amazon gift certificates he http://www.holzemville.com/mall/associateshop.html |
#20
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Gas Grills -- No longer use briquets ??
Okay Mr. Science. But the flavor isn't from the heat GAME ON!!!!!!!!!! |
#21
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Gas Grills -- No longer use briquets ??
Warren writes:
Okay Mr. Science. But the flavor isn't from the heat. It's from the smoke produced by the incomplete combustion of the wood in the charcoal -- something you don't have with gas which is more fully combusted. The definition of "charcoal" is wood that has been reduced to nearly pure carbon (and a bit of non-combustible ash) by cooking off everything else in the absence of oxygen (inside a "retort"). Nowadays this is done in kilns, but in olden days they used to just bury a huge heap of timber under a clay mound, and poke a few holes for just enough air for just enough fire to heat the wood to a temperature to boil off everything but the carbon in the cellulose. People in this old biz ("colliers") were good at knowing when the process was complete, so you didn't waste any of the fuel when the charring was complete. Before coke (essentially the same process applied to coal, yielding a technically pure carbon sponge) was perfected as a carbon source, this was how fuel to smelt iron was made, and why England and the US were largely deforested, and why today they're reforested. As such, being technically pure C, charcoal cannot produce "smoke" in the flavoring sense, but only hot gases (CO2, CO) and soot (amorphous carbon). Commercial briquettes contain clay and wax binders to create the dense lumps from wood waste, but that doesn't really change the chemistry (the wax is about gone by the time the fire heats up). You may be confusing the "smoke flavoring" that comes from burning (or even just heating) ordinary hardwoods like hickory, which not previously having been "charred", still contains a lot of potently aromatic resins that boil off in the smoke and cause the "smoky" flavor. Those flavors are *not present* in charcoal, which is, in itself, flavorless. Of course, any heating of meat, such as with charcoal fire, changes the flavors. For example, proteins denature, and sugar is produced by pyrolyzation and in turn is carmelized, and the cooked flavors appear. But these flavors are not sourced in the fuel (carbon in the form of charcoal), which is merely a heat source. |
#22
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Gas Grills -- No longer use briquets ??
"Warren" wrote in message
news:2uKEc.8595$IQ4.2639@attbi_s02... Okay Mr. Science. But the flavor isn't from the heat. It's from the smoke produced by the incomplete combustion of the wood in the charcoal -- something you don't have with gas which is more fully combusted. If all I want is to heat the meat, I can use any source. But I like the flavor of charcoal smoke in my steak. You can't get that with gas. The best you can hope for is the flavor of the smoke from burning fat drippings, which I prefer to avoid no matter what the heat source. -- Warren H. There is a big difference between barbequing and grilling. It takes many hours to infuse meat with smoke flavor. True barbeque takes hours, is done under low heat, and comes from meat hanging in a smoke chamber where the smoke is derived from various hardwoods. The basic method for most grilling involves searing the meat directly over the heat and then cooking over indirect heat until the rest of the meat is done. When you are grilling, the cook times are too fast to incorporate much flavor during the actual grilling process. When grilling, adding flavor usually comes by injections or marinades. Personally I can taste a slight difference between charcoal and gas grilling, but the difference is not worth the inconvenience of charcoal IMO. This difference can be overcome by using wood chips, but wood chips are not worth the effort either as far as I'm concerned given the too-short cooking times. There are also things you can do on a gas grill that are impractical on a charcoal grill like rotisserie. But if you like using charcoal and are pleased with the results, by all means go with what works for you. |
#23
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Gas Grills -- No longer use briquets ??
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#24
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Gas Grills -- No longer use briquets ??
"James Nipper" wrote in message ... Thanks to everyone for the very nice responses received on this thread. My question has been fully answered, and thanks again group !! --James-- Since the original Poster is satisfied I will attempt a hijack : ) I am in the process of building a brick grilling island in my backyard that will be feed from a propane stub. The structure shape is not yet "set -in -stone" so to speak because I have questions regarding the grilling area. First I assume the grill needs to be at least lined with firebrick, bur I wonder, how many layers, and do I need a special mortar? Second, can I build a burner out of say, black iron pipe? Or would I be better off buying a pre-made burner... I.E, what kind of danger(s) do I present myself with a home made burner? ( which I could make to fit the grill size I want? Thanks for any input. Brandon |
#25
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Gas Grills -- No longer use briquets ??
In article zjjFc.625$O14.317@lakeread03,
Brandon wrote: Second, can I build a burner out of say, black iron pipe? Or would I be better off buying a pre-made burner... You could, but it will rust out eventually and will never heat as evenly as a premade one. Use a premade stainless steel burner. -- Rich Greenberg N6LRT Marietta, GA, USA richgr atsign panix.com + 1 770 321 6507 Eastern time zone. I speak for myself & my dogs only. VM'er since CP-67 Canines:Val, Red & Shasta (RIP),Red, husky Owner:Chinook-L Atlanta Siberian Husky Rescue. www.panix.com/~richgr/ Asst Owner:Sibernet-L |
#26
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Gas Grills -- No longer use briquets ??
Since the original Poster is satisfied I will attempt a hijack : ) I am in the process of building a brick grilling island in my backyard that will be feed from a propane stub. The structure shape is not yet "set -in -stone" so to speak because I have questions regarding the grilling area. First I assume the grill needs to be at least lined with firebrick, bur I wonder, how many layers, and do I need a special mortar? Second, can I build a burner out of say, black iron pipe? Or would I be better off buying a pre-made burner... I.E, what kind of danger(s) do I present myself with a home made burner? ( which I could make to fit the grill size I want? Thanks for any input. Brandon Firebrick uses a special mortar. I can't say for sure whether you need firebick or not. A single layer is all that any modern fireplace has. No way you would need more. Your home-made burner should work. At least they work great with natural gas. A premade cast iron one will last forever. SS will last about 3 years. At least that is the longest any ever lasted me when used once or twice a week 48 weeks a year. Colbyt |
#27
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Gas Grills -- No longer use briquets ??
"Colbyt" wrote in message ... Since the original Poster is satisfied I will attempt a hijack : ) I am in the process of building a brick grilling island in my backyard that will be feed from a propane stub. The structure shape is not yet "set -in -stone" so to speak because I have questions regarding the grilling area. First I assume the grill needs to be at least lined with firebrick, bur I wonder, how many layers, and do I need a special mortar? Second, can I build a burner out of say, black iron pipe? Or would I be better off buying a pre-made burner... I.E, what kind of danger(s) do I present myself with a home made burner? ( which I could make to fit the grill size I want? Thanks for any input. Brandon Firebrick uses a special mortar. I can't say for sure whether you need firebick or not. A single layer is all that any modern fireplace has. No way you would need more. Your home-made burner should work. At least they work great with natural gas. A premade cast iron one will last forever. SS will last about 3 years. At least that is the longest any ever lasted me when used once or twice a week 48 weeks a year. Colbyt Thanks for the replies about the burner. I really want to build the entire set-up including the burner, what I am unsure about is how I should regulate the gas flow. I see by looking at my current grill that there are adjustable openings in the line between the regulator and the burner. I assume these allow for different amounts of air into the line. My question, why doesn't gas escape out of those? Is it because as the gas is burning it pulls the air through? Do I need to incorporate that into my burner design or is that not a necessity? Thanks Brandon |
#28
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Gas Grills -- No longer use briquets ??
"Brandon" wrote in message news:zjjFc.625$O14.317@lakeread03... "James Nipper" wrote in message ... Thanks to everyone for the very nice responses received on this thread. My question has been fully answered, and thanks again group !! --James-- Since the original Poster is satisfied I will attempt a hijack : ) I am in the process of building a brick grilling island in my backyard that will be feed from a propane stub. The structure shape is not yet "set -in -stone" so to speak because I have questions regarding the grilling area. First I assume the grill needs to be at least lined with firebrick, bur I wonder, how many layers, and do I need a special mortar? Second, can I build a burner out of say, black iron pipe? Or would I be better off buying a pre-made burner... I.E, what kind of danger(s) do I present myself with a home made burner? ( which I could make to fit the grill size I want? Thanks for any input. Brandon I hate these multi group post but heres some links for your homemade grill. I dont know how good they are so use common sense (sp) http://www.smarte.com/modulefiles/fe...uildingbbq.cfm http://www.michaelholigan.com/Depart...ects/grill.asp http://doityourself.com/brick/buildbrickbarbecue.htm http://www.bbqmaster.net/bbq/barbecu...rill-plan.html http://www.bobvila.com/wwwboard/messages/103362.html Try google search and just type in "building a brick grill" |
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