Everyone loves a grilled steak, but any time you break out a grill, that agreement ends when it comes to choosing between charcoal and gas. The two grill choices are a classic cooking trade off debate between flavor and convenience. Are you willing to spend extra time to get that lovely smoked flavor from charcoal, or is the speed and ease of gas too much to resist? Most importantly, when it comes to steak, how much does charcoal actually make a difference over gas? To answer this question, we decided to reach out to an expert, Michelle Wallace, the renowned pitmaster, TV personality, and the owner and founder of B’tween Sandwich Co., so that she could give us some of the pros and cons of each option.
Starting with charcoal Wallace says, “Some pros for a charcoal grill include flavor and reaching a high heat.” She explains that when using other methods, you just can’t get the same taste as a live fire charcoal grill. As she notes, “the combination of that wood and smoky flavor and high heat creates that classic seared crust and grilled taste that is unmatched.” However, Wallace does acknowledge that there is a real downside to charcoal, saying, “It takes some knowhow and patience with building and maintaining your fire, and the clean-up will be a task in itself.” Charcoal isn’t just a little more work than gas, it’s a challenge to keep evenly warm, and you will need to set aside a lot of extra time.
Charcoal-cooked steak is a tougher process that delivers better flavor, while gas will give you a quicker, easier meal
Moving over to gas, Wallace says, “A gas grill will give you ease and convenience when cooking a steak.” If you don’t have the time to wait for a charcoal grill to heat up, this makes gas a good option. And that’s not the only benefit. She adds, “The clean-up is minimal, which is what a cook loves to hear.” But the speed comes at the expense of several ways to add flavor to your steak. Wallace explains, “You won’t get the distinct smoky, grill flavor that you get with a charcoal grill. Also, many gas grills won’t reach the same high temperatures that a charcoal grill can reach, so this may compromise that classic seared crust that we all know and love on a grilled steak.”
Both grill options have legitimately compelling reasons to choose them, so we also asked Wallace what her final choice would be, and she says, “I absolutely prefer firing up the charcoal grill for cooking my steaks. That flavor that you get is just far more superior and worth the clean-up afterwards.” And while it can certainly be more challenging than gas, there are plenty of tips for using a charcoal grill that can lower the degree of difficulty. There is a place for gas-grilled steak, but if you want the best result, the answer is clear.
