Outdoor Cooking : Propane Or Charcoal ?

[Bob_Roller]

Just filled up my propane tank 5 US gallons ( approx. 19 liters), and the cost was $18  US. So I was wondering if going back to charcoal would be any cheaper ? I usually deplete a 5 gal. / 19 lt. bottle in no more than 3 weeks. I try to do most of my cooking outside during the hot season here in Phoenix. Also any preference to using charcoal over propane ?

[tagordon]

I use both. Propane for the convenience & speed. Charcoal for the flavor & the ability to cook sloooowly. I also will add wood chips to add additional flavor.
I stop by local wood shops & pick up some of the waste they throw out. Only the nontreated woods. Chery is great for pork. Maple for turkey. Hickory for burgers and such. Just whittle off some chips & soak in water for a few min to keep em from actually going to flame. Gives off wonderful smoke to enhance. Alder is excellent for fish. Veggies are good with them all. Carefull not to use any toxic woods. Stay with the fruit woods & alder then your ok.
Or you can buy the chips.
Oh, use a seperate vessel for the chips. Don"t just throw em on the coals or on the cooking grill. I use a small cast iron skillet but any fireproof low sided pan will work. I sometimes start the smoke on a seperate burner then place the pan inside.

[xeffer]

I'm with tagordon, both are good. I just wanted to add this (maybe its obvious, maybe not). When on a road trip with the bike, I use ONLY wood. It cuts down on extra things one has to carry on the bike. With wood one just buys a packet at the local supermarket, and when the food is done, the wood is finnished, no stoves and such to carry along on the ride. Just be sure to check whether you are allowed to make open fires at the campsite that you intent staying over. Here in South Africa, most campsites allow it, or have special designated places where one can make a "Braai" (S.A. word for BBQ) but its just good manners to ask anyway

[nhmaf]

I used to always use charcoal and wood, but lately the convenience and speed of the propane
grills has sucked me in.   At least one can add wood chips sparingly to the propane grills to get some
flavor, but I will readily admit that the wood fired food tastes best.

[Jon_P]

being that i now run a shop that builds propane trucks and tanks, use propane! and my boss Hank Hill could tell you taste the meat and not the heat!   oh and now i get free propane so that might be why i say that.

my wife and i just bought a dual fuel grill for our new home so we can use both. have to say its nice to be able to do both like that.

[Bob_Roller]

I use a lot of mesquite, it is native to the area, and I have asked the local independant landscaping / grounds keeping companies that service properties in my neighborhood, to drop off large branches and trunks of mesquite trees that they trim or remove in my drive way. I have used just mesquite in a gas grille, and it does come out quite well, but takes more time than just firing up the propane.