The time has come. I need a new barbecue. It happens every so often. They don’t last forever and will have to be replaced from time to time.
I will admit that there was a time in the past I was a charcoal snob. I liked my charcoal grill. I enjoyed the process of getting the coals started, waiting until they were the perfect colour and perfectly grilling something over them. That little bit of smoky flavour made it something special.
But many years ago I switched to gas. Far more convenient. Just turn a knob and push a button and you’re good to go.
You don’t have to try to remember whether or not you have charcoal at home. You don’t have to worry too much about cleanup after you cook. Using gas was just far easier.
But now that the time has come to replace the machine, I start to think about returning to charcoal. I probably won’t, because of the convenience factor, but there is something about it that makes it seem special.
Although getting rid of the ashes can also be a problem. You can’t just dump them. And the neighbours may start to look at you funny if you are burying something in the back yard all the time. So that becomes a consideration too. But there is the flavour advantage.
Convenience will likely win out once again. I guess I like the concept of charcoal, but I also like the idea of just pushing a button.
Now if I can just get one a little lower so I can use it without moving from my lounge chair, that would be about perfect.