Ok, I am going to try to clear this up...
When BBQing there a number of combinations of fuel that can be used.
#1) Charcoal (lump or briquette) along with wood (chunks or chips) that can be soaked or wrapped in foil and added to the coals without burning for flavor.
This method seems like the most straight forward... and the most common.
#2) Hot hardwood coals from a separate fire, along with wood for flavoring as described in #1.
Ok, a little more work.. not sure if there are any benefits to this other than not having to pay for lump charcoal? Is the flavor superior? burn time longer?
#3) A number of posters here (AllenOK being one that comes to mind) are log burners.
How exactly does this work? It seems like if I have hot coals and drop a log on it I get fire and not hot coals. I can see the benefit of using wood, mostly in terms of burn time and cost! But I was under the impression that wood fire is bad for cooking... imparts a bitter flavor? I am intrigued buy this method because I have a furniture manufacturer nearby that sells scraps of various light colored hardwood. I have no idea how to determine variety... cooking might be a little like culinary Russian roulette.
#4) Pellets
Let's not even go here. If I could afford a pellet cooker on a grad students salary I would never leave school
I think that just about covers it. I am really most confused about #3.
Thanks,
Sam
When BBQing there a number of combinations of fuel that can be used.
#1) Charcoal (lump or briquette) along with wood (chunks or chips) that can be soaked or wrapped in foil and added to the coals without burning for flavor.
This method seems like the most straight forward... and the most common.
#2) Hot hardwood coals from a separate fire, along with wood for flavoring as described in #1.
Ok, a little more work.. not sure if there are any benefits to this other than not having to pay for lump charcoal? Is the flavor superior? burn time longer?
#3) A number of posters here (AllenOK being one that comes to mind) are log burners.
How exactly does this work? It seems like if I have hot coals and drop a log on it I get fire and not hot coals. I can see the benefit of using wood, mostly in terms of burn time and cost! But I was under the impression that wood fire is bad for cooking... imparts a bitter flavor? I am intrigued buy this method because I have a furniture manufacturer nearby that sells scraps of various light colored hardwood. I have no idea how to determine variety... cooking might be a little like culinary Russian roulette.
#4) Pellets
Let's not even go here. If I could afford a pellet cooker on a grad students salary I would never leave school
I think that just about covers it. I am really most confused about #3.
Thanks,
Sam