If you are a BBQ griller, you need to get one that’s hot and stays hot. Smoking low and slow requires clean, consistent, flavourful smoke and consistent temperature control. Put flavour first. A hot grill that gets hot in the winter and summer can vaporize drippings from a steak or burger. That vapor rises and sticks to your food. That’s grilled flavour; it’s why a grilled steak doesn’t taste the same as a pan-fried steak. Vaporization is grilling’s iconic trademark taste and smell.

A smoker needs to smoke, but that smoke needs to be clean. Clean smoke comes from a small fire that is easy to control. That smoke bastes our food for hours and delivers a unique flavour. Let’s compare slow cooker pulled pork to a smoked pulled pork. We rest our case. If you put flavour first, the rest of these tips fall into place easily.

Grill Types

Charcoal grills are the least convenient but the most rewarding in the category. Charcoal grilling is true fire mastery, and it takes practice to tame. You need space and airflow, protection from the wind, and regular attention. Charcoal grilling is an art and extra rewarding when it goes right. It’s the most labour-intensive form of grilling, but many grillers love it for that reason.

Pellet grilling is newer and very popular now. Pellet grills are the intersection of wood smoking flavour and the convenience & control of a household oven. For that reason, they’re often referred to as the Easy-Bake oven of grilling, but the results can’t be ignored: all the flavour of charcoal but a fraction of the effort, that’s pretty impressive.

Gas is still, for the moment at least, king and for five important reasons called Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. While charcoal and pellet grills are great weekend warriors, they’re not the best tools to grill up a few burgers and hot dogs for the family on short notice. Gas gets hot fast, sears wonderfully, is easy to control, and is extra low maintenance.

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