THUNDER BAY – LIVING – Hank Hill would never forgive this, but propane is not the only answer.
Propane is clean, fast, and reliable.
Charcoal brings heat and flavour.
Lump charcoal gives a more natural fire.
Briquettes bring steady control.
Wood adds smoke.
Pellet grills offer a modern “set it and let it” option.
The best backyard cook does not need to pick one forever. The best choice depends on what you are cooking, how much time you have, and what kind of flavour you want.
The honest answer: propane wins for convenience. Charcoal wins for flavour. Wood and pellets win for barbecue depth.
Propane: The Weeknight Champion
Propane is the easy button.
Turn the knob, hit the igniter, preheat the grill, and supper is underway. That matters when people are hungry, the weather is changing, or you are cooking after work. Propane burns cleanly and is stored under pressure as a liquid in cylinders before vaporizing into gas for combustion. Natural Resources Canada notes propane is widely used as a fuel because it is easy to liquefy and store in pressure cylinders.
The strength of propane is control. You can adjust heat quickly. You can create hot and cooler zones. Cleanup is easier because there is no ash. For burgers, hot dogs, chicken breasts, pork chops, fish, vegetables, flatbreads, and quick steaks, propane is hard to beat.
The weakness is flavour. Propane itself does not create the same smoke profile as charcoal or wood. AmazingRibs explains that fully combusted gas produces mainly water and carbon dioxide, while charcoal produces more smoke compounds from organic material.
Best for: weeknight meals, families, beginners, quick grilling, clean cooking, controlled heat.
Not best for: deep smoke flavour, traditional low-and-slow barbecue, campfire-style cooking.
Charcoal Briquettes: The Reliable Backyard Standard
Charcoal briquettes are the old dependable choice. They are uniform in size, easy to stack, and generally burn in a steady, predictable way. That makes them useful for longer cooks and for beginners learning heat control.
Consumer Reports has argued that briquettes are better suited than lump charcoal for many grilling jobs because they are easier to control, stack, and light.
Briquettes are excellent for kettle grills. They work well for two-zone cooking, where charcoal is piled on one side and the food cooks either over direct heat or indirectly on the cooler side. That method can turn a simple charcoal grill into a backyard oven.
The downside is that some briquettes contain binders or additives, and not all brands burn the same. Avoid lighter-fluid-soaked briquettes if flavour matters. A chimney starter is cleaner and better.
Best for: burgers, chicken pieces, ribs, pork shoulder, indirect cooking, kettle grills, learning charcoal control.
Not best for: people who want the purest hardwood fire or the fastest high-heat sear.
Lump Charcoal: Hotter, Cleaner, More Natural
Lump charcoal is made from pieces of hardwood burned down into carbon. It looks irregular because it is irregular. That is part of its charm.
Lump charcoal usually lights faster, burns hotter, and leaves less ash than briquettes. Serious Eats describes lump charcoal as lighting faster, burning hotter, and producing little ash compared with briquettes.
That makes lump a favourite for steak, chops, burgers, kebabs, and anything where a hot fire matters. It also works well in kamado-style cookers.
The trade-off is control. Because the pieces are different sizes, lump charcoal can burn unevenly. Some pieces burn quickly. Some last longer. That means the cook has to pay attention.
Best for: steak, lamb chops, burgers, kebabs, hot-and-fast grilling, kamado cooking.
Not best for: beginners who want exact consistency or long unattended cooks.
Wood: The Original Barbecue Fuel
Before propane tanks and charcoal bags, there was wood.
Cooking over wood can produce outstanding food, but it is also the hardest to manage. Wood needs to burn down into coals before serious cooking begins. If the fire is dirty, smoky, or oxygen-starved, the food can taste bitter.
Used properly, hardwood adds a flavour that gas cannot match. Oak, maple, hickory, apple, cherry, and alder all bring different smoke profiles. Epicurious notes fruitwoods such as apple and cherry can bring sweeter smoke, while hickory has a stronger flavour and alder is often used for fish.
For Northwestern Ontario cooks, local hardwoods can be a great choice, but the wood must be clean, dry, untreated, and safe for cooking. Never use painted, stained, pressure-treated, mouldy, or unknown scrap wood.
Best for: serious barbecue, live-fire cooking, steaks, ribs, fish, roasts, outdoor gatherings.
Not best for: rushed weeknight meals or beginners who do not want to manage a fire.
Pellet Grills: Smoke, Control, and Convenience
Pellet grills burn compressed hardwood pellets and use an electric controller to feed fuel into a burn pot. They are popular because they offer wood smoke flavour with easier temperature control.
They are especially good for low-and-slow cooking: ribs, brisket, pork shoulder, chicken, turkey, and roasts. They also work well for outdoor baking, smoked vegetables, and fish.
The weakness is searing. Some pellet grills can reach high heat, but many do not sear like charcoal or a strong gas grill. They also need electricity and have more mechanical parts than a simple kettle grill.
Best for: ribs, brisket, pulled pork, chicken, turkey, smoked fish, long cooks.
Not best for: old-school fire purists or people who want ripping-hot steakhouse searing without extra equipment.
Electric Grills: Useful Where Fire Is Not Allowed
Electric grills do not have the romance of charcoal or wood, but they have a place. Condo balconies, apartments, seniors’ residences, or locations with flame restrictions may allow electric grilling where charcoal or propane are not permitted.
They are clean and simple. They can cook burgers, chicken, vegetables, sausages, and fish. But they do not deliver the same smoke flavour, and many cannot reach the intense heat of charcoal or gas.
Best for: condos, apartments, restricted spaces, simple cooking.
Not best for: traditional barbecue flavour.
So Which One Tastes Best?
For pure grilled flavour, charcoal and wood usually win.
That flavour comes from smoke, fat dripping onto hot coals, and the high heat that helps create browning and crust. AmazingRibs explains that charcoal produces more smoke than gas because it comes from complex organic material such as cellulose and lignin.
For convenience, propane wins.
For steady low-and-slow barbecue, pellet grills and charcoal smokers are strong choices.
For the best all-around backyard setup, many serious grillers eventually use two systems: a propane grill for quick meals and a charcoal, pellet, or smoker setup for weekends.
That is not overkill. That is using the right tool for the job.
The Secret: Learn Direct and Indirect Heat
Fuel matters, but heat control matters more.
Direct heat means the food is directly over the flame or coals. Use this for burgers, steaks, hot dogs, shrimp, vegetables, thin pork chops, and kebabs.
Indirect heat means the food is away from the flame or coals, with the lid closed. Use this for chicken pieces, ribs, roasts, whole fish, turkey, and thicker cuts.
The best grill cooks use both. Sear over direct heat, then finish over indirect heat. That keeps food juicy while still building colour and flavour.
The Beginner’s Winning Grill Setup
For someone starting out, the best setup depends on lifestyle.
Busy family: propane grill, instant-read thermometer, grill basket, cast-iron griddle, and wood chips in a smoker box when extra flavour is wanted.
Flavour-first backyard cook: kettle charcoal grill, chimney starter, lump charcoal, briquettes, wood chunks, and a good thermometer.
Low-and-slow barbecue fan: pellet grill or charcoal smoker, hardwood pellets or charcoal, drip pan, meat thermometer, and patience.
Small-space cook: electric grill or small propane grill, if building rules allow it.
Traditionalist: charcoal kettle. It is simple, affordable, flexible, and proven.
Match the Fuel to the Food
| Food | Best Fuel Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Burgers | Propane, briquettes, or lump | Fast heat and good browning |
| Steak | Lump charcoal or propane with a sear zone | High heat builds crust |
| Chicken breasts | Propane or charcoal two-zone | Easier to avoid drying out |
| Chicken thighs/drumsticks | Charcoal, pellet, or indirect propane | Handles longer cooking well |
| Ribs | Pellet, charcoal smoker, or indirect charcoal | Smoke and time build flavour |
| Brisket | Pellet or smoker | Needs steady low heat |
| Fish | Propane, alder/cherry wood, or charcoal | Gentle heat and light smoke |
| Vegetables | Any grill | High heat brings sweetness and char |
| Pizza | Charcoal, propane, or pellet with stone | Needs strong heat and airflow |
| Sausages | Indirect charcoal or propane | Prevents burning and flare-ups |
The Must-Have Tool: A Meat Thermometer
Guessing is not a food safety plan.
The USDA says whole cuts of beef, pork, veal, and lamb should reach 145°F, or 63°C, with a three-minute rest; ground meats should reach 160°F, or 71°C; and poultry should reach 165°F, or 74°C.
A good instant-read thermometer improves both safety and quality. It prevents undercooking chicken and overcooking steak. It also makes the cook look better than guessing ever will.
The Gear That Makes Grilling Better
A great grilling experience does not require a garage full of gadgets. It does require a few basics:
A chimney starter for charcoal. It avoids lighter fluid and gives cleaner ignition.
Long tongs. Not a fork. Piercing meat lets juices escape.
A grill basket. Excellent for vegetables, shrimp, fish pieces, and smaller foods.
A cast-iron griddle or plancha. Great for smash burgers, onions, breakfast, fish, and delicate foods.
A good thermometer. This is essential.
Heat-resistant gloves. Useful around charcoal, cast iron, and smokers.
A scraper or grill-cleaning tool. Be careful with wire brushes, as loose bristles can be dangerous if swallowed. Many cooks now use wood scrapers, grill stones, or brush alternatives.
Sauces, Rubs, and Marinades: Use Them Properly
A common mistake is putting sugary sauce on too early. Barbecue sauce can burn because of its sugar content. Use rubs early. Use sauce late.
For chicken, ribs, and pork, sauce in the final 10 to 20 minutes. Let it set, but do not let it scorch.
Marinades are useful, but they are not magic. They mostly flavour the surface. Salt, time, and proper cooking matter more.
For steak, salt ahead of time and keep it simple. For chicken, a marinade or dry brine can help. For vegetables, oil, salt, pepper, and heat are often enough.
The Verdict
Hank Hill is right about one thing: propane is practical.
But the charcoal crowd is right about flavour.
The best answer is not propane or lump charcoal. The best answer is knowing what each fuel does best.
Use propane when time is short. Use lump charcoal when flavour and high heat matter. Use briquettes when steady heat matters. Use wood when you want tradition and smoke. Use pellets when you want low-and-slow barbecue with modern control.
The grill is not just a cooking appliance. It is a way to slow down, gather people, and turn ordinary food into something worth remembering.
The real secret is simple: control the heat, season properly, cook to temperature, and do not rush the fire.
