Instructions: Fuel fuels great griller controversy: CHARCOAL or GAS?

Labor Day weekend looms large on the cookout calendar, so ... lets get ready to r-r-r-r-u-u-m-m-ble!

This weekend is this summers last chance to sound off on the great debate: Gas or charcoal? Its a burning issue: Which is the superior method for grilling?

One argument goes: "Grilling is all about charcoal; gas is merely barbecue light."
The other side counters: "Gas is cleaner, quicker, cooks more evenly and you dont taste lighter fluid."
But when all the shouting dies down, can a case be made for the superiority of one method over the other? In a word, no. It has been 17 years since gas grills were introduced. About six in 10 grills in the United States now are propane powered.

Generally, those who prefer gas cite convenience. Gas grills are ready to use moments after being turned on. They have an even, controllable heat and are far less messy to clean up.

But those who opt for the older grilling method insist charcoal gives food a better flavor; that building a charcoal fire has an appealing, primitive mystique; and that charcoal grills are far less expensive to purchase than gas Charcoal fans contend they are the only true grillers. They also tend to be more passionate about their preference. Listen, for example, to Gina Freize:

"Must we forgo quality for convenience in every aspect of life? I say no!

The flavor and fun of charcoal just cant be beat." Or Dean Cunningham: "There is no other way to grill than charcoal. The folks who choose an alternate method are just looking for speed, not good taste."
Gas: More convenient
On the other hand, Jack Pritchard, a convert to the gas camp, stuck to facts and logic:
"For over 40 years I refused to get a gas grill. But a couple of years ago, as a matter of convenience, I got one and found the food tastes every bit as good and its even more convenient than I had hoped. Heres why:

"No more dealing with ashes; no more half-hour waits for the coals to heat up; no more long waits to put the grill away when Im done; no special setups to grill indirect rather than direct; no more flare-ups because the wind came up when you werent looking."
Jeanie Moore put it more tersely: "Gas grills rock! Not only is gas grilling efficient, fast and effortless - the convenience is unbeatable. The only thing easier is takeout."
Wisdom of Solomon
Betty Hughes, spokeswoman for Weber-Stephen Products Inc., the leading maker of both charcoal and gas grills, is reluctant to take sides. The choice, she says, "is largely a matter of lifestyle. Charcoal is better for some people, gas for others."
She did supply information, though, that may irk true believers in both camps:
"Charcoal, itself, does not add flavor to meat. Flavor comes from juices

(the meats own and any marinade put on it) and from smoke caused by juice dripping on hot coals. Flavorizer bars accomplish the same thing in gas grills.

Pure hardwood charcoals, especially hickory, can add a noticeable taste to meat that many people like."

"(As a Weber employee) I have always had access to both charcoal and gas grills for my personal use. When gas grills first came out, I thought Id never switch from charcoal. But I started using them occasionally, mainly so I could talk about them intelligently. I had a period where I would use charcoal one time, gas the next. But after a while I concluded there was no taste difference, and gas was more convenient. Now I use gas exclusively." What happens when people taste both types of grilling side by side? A blind tasting of hamburgers was conducted tis summer in Chicago. Tasters concluded that there was no significant difference in taste between the two grilling methods.

Splitting hairs
Which should you choose? Gas offers convenience, and it is slightly less expensive than charcoal per use.

On the negative side, a gas grill is more costly to buy (charcoal grills range from $40 to $100; gas grills start around $130 and go up to the stratosphere); most burn propane, which means trips to stores with bulky canisters for refills.

Charcoals good points include the earthy appeal of building a fire; lower purchase price for the grill; and greater availability of fuel. Drawbacks include the mess of dealing with charcoal; difficulty in controlling heat; and ashes to clean up.

Ask yourself which are most important to you. If your choice is still not clear, you still have two options:
Buy one of each.

Buy neither. Cook in the kitchen and walk the food out to the back yard.

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