One of the great things about living in Arizona is that we can grill pretty much all year ‘round. While there’s no debate about that, you may find some differences of opinion about whether it’s best to grill with propane or charcoal.
While charcoal may be great for the classic low-and-slow barbecue, propane offers a whole lot more advantages. When you’ve got a bunch of burgers and hot dogs to grill, or want a juicy tri-tip dinner on a busy weeknight, propane is the way to go.
In Arizona’s summer heat, there are days where the last thing you want to do is turn on the stove – and heat up the house, to boot. Between cookbooks and the internet, you’ve got plenty of recipes that make grilling a great option for all tastes, whether you want pizza or pork chops.
Even on busy weeknights, grilling with propane works for getting meals on the table fast. You don’t have to bring out the charcoal, chimney starter or lighter fluid, newspapers and a lighter. Just go outside, turn the dial, push the button, and you’ve started the grill! A propane grill is ready for cooking by the time you come back out with the food.
Propane has the feature people love about cooking on gas stoves: precise control. You can instantly raise or lower the heat with a turn of the dial.
With propane, you can easily have direct grilling on one side and indirect on the other. When you’ve got food on the grill, you can adjust the heat instantly. Whether you need medium heat for southwest-spiced chicken breasts and then high heat for a skirt steak, propane can do that! Charcoal can’t.
Don’t listen to the food snobs who insist that only charcoal grilling makes good barbecue and grilled food.
Charcoal adds a smoky flavor that can overwhelm other flavors. And then there’s that hint of butane you smell and taste when your backyard cook becomes too generous with the lighter fluid.
Propane lets the flavors and seasoning stand out, especially when it comes to foods like chicken, fruit and fish. It can handle everything from quick searing to slow-cooking barbecue.
You have a choice here! You can simply turn a button and quickly clean the grates and be done with your grill for the night. Or, you can wait an hour – or even longer – for a charcoal grill to cool down enough for you to be able to empty it, then have to dispose of the ashes and deal with that sooty mess.
That’s another reason propane’s a great choice for busy families who want to enjoy tasty outdoor grilling.
Of course, grilling with propane represents just one of many examples of propane’s versatility. How many benefits of propane do you know about? Go here to find out.
To learn more about all the ways you can enjoy propane, please contact your propane company, and they’ll be glad to help.