Outdoor Barbecue Grill -Glowing Charcoal, Easy Gas Grill or Smoker - It's All Good

While most of us love cooking on an outdoor gas barbecue grill, we don't love cleaning it.  Manufacturers know that and the newer versions of grills are much easier to clean and maintain than older models.  From a small camping stove or grill to a stainless steel multi-burner model selling for hundreds of dollars, there is a gas grill to suit every budget.

Food tastes better when cooked on a grill and a propane gas grill allows fire to be raised or lowered as needed and eliminates the flareups of charcoal grilling.  Die hard grill users will fire up the grill in the dead of winter with a foot of snow on the ground.  Why wait for summer when a gas grill is so easy to start and use?

Smoker grills can turn a fresh ham or a venison roast into a gourmet treat.  Various rubs, glazes and sauces may be added for more flavor and smoking grill enthusiasts will often cut slits in the meat and insert cloves of garlic or herbs that will flavor the meat as it slowly cooks.

Traditionalists still insist charcoal grills provide the best flavor and will often add dampened hickory chips to the charcoal to provide a smoky flavor.  Using charcoal effectively takes some time and patience as it requires time for the coals to burn to the point where food can be added to the grill and careful attention to prevent flareups as grease drips onto the burning coals.

The soaring popularity of outdoor kitchens has brought back the custom built grill that was popular 40 years ago.  Built of brick or stone or manufactured to fit into outdoor cabinetry, these are the most expensive and durable type of grill.  In past years the custom built grill usually stood alone in a back yard and charcoal or wood were the only fuels used.   Newer customer built grills often use gas burners with propane or with natural gas connected to them.  They often have warming ovens built in and several feet of counter space attached.

Every region of the country seems to have its own barbecue specialties.  Whether you use charcoal or gas, rub spices on the meat or wrap vegetables in foil, there is a barbecue grill that will fit your needs.  Dry and smokey or sticky with barbecue sauce - there's a taste to suit everyone.