Barbecue Best

Choosing a BBQ - Charcoal, Gas or Smoker - You Decide!

If you're thinking of buying yourself a new barbecue, and money is no object, then you'll be happy to hear your options are endless. Conventional barbecues now come in charcoal, gas and electric varieties, all with their own unique benefits. However, if you want to be a little more adventurous, you could get yourself a shiny new smoker instead. Smokers cook food slowly, using hot smoke rather than intense heat from a direct source. On top of that, there are a few different types of smoker, each working in a slightly different way.Confused? Don't be - the guide below will give you an idea of what's on offer, so you can make the right choice for your needs.Charcoal barbecues
Often the cheapest form of barbecue, a charcoal grill is also good for flavour, as it naturally gives food a smoky taste. Nowadays charcoal barbecues come in all shapes and sizes, and some are even disposable, which is perfect for festivals or summer days in the local park. However, there are a couple of drawbacks to be aware of if you're thinking about buying a charcoal model. Firstly, they're not very versatile, and creating different heating zones can be tricky, depending on the shape of the base. Secondly, you'll need to buy and dispose of charcoal and firelighters every time you use it, which can be a pain.Gas barbecues
These tend to be more expensive than charcoal models, usually costing hundreds of pounds. However, there's a good reason for this - gas barbecues often come with warming racks, work surfaces, and other bonus features. They are also very good for cooking food evenly, and models with multiple burners allow you to create different heating zones. You get a variety of cooking options, with some catering for stir frying, rotisserie cooking, and smoke boxes. On the downside, gas cylinders are quite expensive, and they're also very heavy. Plus, a gas barbecue needs to be carefully cleaned, as a lot can go wrong if you don't look after it properly.Electric barbecues
A more recent appearance on the market, electric barbecues are brilliant for small patios and balconies. They're far less of a fire hazard than gas or charcoal models, and are the perfect option if you want to cook in an area with open flame restrictions. However, they don't offer as many cooking options as a gas grill, and don't give food the great smoky taste you get with a charcoal model. Plus, you can never take them too far from the nearest plug, unless you have an extension cable.Verdict
Conventional barbecues are brilliant for cooking food quickly, which makes them perfect for a garden party that needs a constant supply of burgers and bangers. More expensive models also allow you to cook in a variety of different ways, and you can even use a small smoke box with many models too.Offset smokers
The most common form of barbecue smoker, an offset smoker features two chambers - a fire box, which creates smoke, and an adjoining chamber where the food is cooked. Food is cooked slowly over a longer period, and you have to keep an eye on the temperature, which is controlled by regulator vents on the fire box and smoke stack.Upright Drum Smokers
Otherwise known as an 'Ugly Drum Smoker', a UDS is simply a steel drum with multiple cooking grates inside, with smoke travelling upwards from charcoal and wood which burns at the bottom. These are a little more unwieldy to operate than an offset smoker, but they are very fuel efficient.Vertical water smokers
These bullet-shaped smokers work in a similar manner to a UDS, the difference being they have the addition of a water tray in between the heat source and the cooking grates. The water tray adds humidity, which helps keep food moist and helps maintain a stable temperature. The tray also catches fat and juice which drips off the meat, preventing any flare ups, although some purists say that vaporised fat adds flavour to food.Gas smokers
A taller version of a UDS, a gas smoker heats the smoke-emitting wood chips with a gas flame, rather than charcoal. They also use less wood and are temperature stable, although gas fuel is usually more expensive.Verdict
Smokers are great for creating unique, sumptuous flavours, which vary depending on the type of wood chips used to create the smoke. They are also excellent at producing tender, juicy food that falls off the bone, making a smoker perfect for cooking ribs, steaks, whole fish, and even certain vegetables. However, the indirect slow-cooking method means that you won't be turning out a fresh round of food every fifteen minutes.Ultimately, although many people will always prefer one or the other, it's impossible to say whether a smoker is better than a conventional barbecue. In fact, they're both good at very different things. A regular barbecue is great for feeding lots of people very quickly, and when you're just cooking sausages, burgers and chicken drumsticks, you don't really need anything else. On top of that, expensive models also allow you to cook in a variety of different ways. On the other hand, smokers produce flavours unlike anything else, and give you the most tender, juicy meat and fish you're ever likely to taste. At the end of the day, if you can't decide between them - buy one of each!