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Part of the argument in favor of the charcoal grill stems from the belief that adding the massive gas grill to the backyard is, in reality, just cooking outside what you could have cooked inside. Charcoal advocates argue that to achieve that smoke-imbued flavor of cooking over a fire, you need, well, quite simply, a fire.
On the other side, those who argue in favor of gas say the convenience of turning a switch is worth the sacrifice in flavor. Clearly, building a charcoal or hardwood fire — without a chemical accelerant — takes time and knowledge. Is it easier to turn on a gas grill and heat it up? Yes. But if you want to achieve a smoky flavor, you will need fire. Fortunately, the lower-end charcoal grills are less expensive than gas grills. Upper-end grills may be comparable in price. Both, though, will require additional expense: bags of charcoal or gas.
The trusty go-to charcoal grill is the Weber Kettle Grill. You've seen it. You may have grown up with it. This is a bare bones hard-working grill. The Weber 22½-inch One-Touch Silver has a round design of heavy-gauge porcelain-enameled lid and bowl, and sits on its tripod. This Weber costs about $90 but accessories, such as a rotisserie, can be added. Weber grills are durable and have a 10-year warranty. Many backyard grillers swear by their Weber.
A new competitor in the charcoal world, however, debuted in Georgia in 1974. The Big Green Egg is hard to miss: It is, after all, large, ovoid and green. This grill is constructed in the Japanese kamado-style, using ceramics for the shell and is shaped to maximize heat transmission. The Egg has one small vent at the top and one at the bottom to control air flow. The Egg is quite heavy.
Some of the advantages of the Egg is that the temperature gauge is conveniently located on the outside of the lid, and the grill can reach and keep a 750°F temperature — ideal for searing steaks. It can also maintain temperatures of 200° to 275°F for smoking, and in my experience has produced sensational smoke-flavored barbecue (Boston butt pork). The Egg can cook for 24 hours without needing additional fuel, something to consider if you want to make Carolina-styled barbecue.
The Egg requires lump charcoal — whole pieces of wood which have been exposed to high temperatures. While more expensive than briquettes, lump charcoal from reliable manufacturers is a clean, whole natural wood product. Lump charcoal also burns hotter than briquettes and has little ash to clean.
The disadvantage of the Egg is the price. Eggs range in five sizes from the mini with a 9-inch diameter grid ($299) to the XL with the 24-inch diameter cooking grid and can cook 24 burgers at a time ($1,279). The Big Green Egg is available at Blackhawk Hardware in the Park Road Shopping Center.
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