Fuel for the fire

Grilling season is upon us and it’s time to stand up and choose the grilling fuel you will trust with your backyard cookouts, pool parties and Fourth of July extravaganzas. Whether it’s painless propane, classic charcoal or perhaps a new fuel option, there are many factors to consider before you decide what kind of grill to buy.

Propane’s pros become obvious the first time you fire up a gas grill surrounded by ravenous partygoers. Of all the major fuel options, propane gas is the quickest to heat the grill, making it perfect for an impromptu weeknight grilling. And, for slow-and-low barbecuing, gas is a convenient alternative to heating up the house by turning on the oven. The heat disperses evenly with little attention from the user, and controlling the temperature is as easy as turning a dial.

Though propane grills tend to cost more than other options, propane refills are fairly inexpensive and the tanks are easy to store and often do double duty as fuel for camp stoves and lanterns. However, while gas grills are ideal for grilling burgers or hot dogs on short notice, and also allow for easy regulation of separate heat zones, propane doesn’t burn as hot as charcoal and won’t deliver a very satisfying char on a steak or chicken skin. And, of course, the biggest drawback with propane is that its flame gives off no extra flavor like you get from the smoke emanating off charcoal or wood.

But gas does reduce grill-sitting time so that you can join the fun instead of hovering over the smoke all party long. For the everyday backyard party, check out Char-Broil’s Gourmet 3-Burner Gas Grill ($350) with side burner or go big with Kenmore’s 6-Burner Stainless Steel Grill ($500) for an extra 200 square-inches of cooking surface, as well as a ton of front storage.

Conversely, propane’s pros are charcoal’s cons. Charcoal briquettes are expensive, time-intensive, messy little monsters that rely on intuition, skill and patience to regulate heat. Plus, you’re glued to the grill as you light the charcoal, keep it going, and then disperse the smoldering pile to produce the desired level of heat. A charcoal chimney is an inexpensive necessity, and will help speed up the process as well as negate the need to use flavor-killing lighter fluid.

But nothing tastes quite like a charcoal-cooked piece of meat. A crispy char and slightly acrid smoky taste takes you back to childhood barbecues, and to parents grilling over open flames beside a lake or beneath the tailgate outside a stadium—the perfect outdoor summer meal from a time before people worried about charcoal-created carcinogens.

Being little more than a metal bowl and a grate, charcoal grills are also cheaper than propane varieties and have fewer parts that could malfunction. While charcoal may be inconvenient to light and clean and monitor, with a little practice a griller can learn to manage flame-ups and navigate heat zones. For serious grillers, and slow-and-low barbecuers, there is no other option. Get the classic Weber 22.5-inch kettle grill ($100), or the updated Weber Performer Platinum ($350, with gas ignition, charcoal bin and steel cart). Or go retro with the silver PK Grill & Smoker ($300), whose durable, long-lasting design hasn’t changed in more than 60 years.

A relative newcomer to the market that’s becoming popular is wood pellets made from compressed sawdust. They combine the flavor of a wood fire with the convenience of propane grills. Electric fans bring in air that’s heated and pressurized, which ignites the 100 percent natural wood pellets, which come in a variety of hardwood flavors. Quick-cooking items won’t pick up much smoke flavor, but long, low barbecuing of ribs and briskets benefit from the smoky flavor boost as will more delicate dishes like fish and vegetables. The cleanup is minimal, the cost of fuel is comparable to charcoal, and the temperature is easy to control—from steakhouse heat down to a slow smoke. While they are one of the more expensive options, wood-pellet grills offer a great hybrid of convenience and flavor. Try a backyard version of one of the original wood pellet grills, Traeger’s Junior Elite ($450), or the award-winning Memphis Pro Pellet Smoker ($2,750) with twice the cooking surface for competition-worthy cookouts.

No matter where you pledge your allegiance, the best backyard barbecues are about the friends gathered around the flames and not the fuel feeding them. Just pick a side and dive into summer.