Gone are the days of one grill to rule them all; outdoor cooking has skyrocketed in popularity over the last 15 years, and that has left some would-be backyard grill stars paralyzed with indecision. These poor souls are trapped on the sidelines watching their peers revel in the glory and accolades from well-fed family, friends, and neighbors. So, let’s help a little and throw a bone to those wayward souls marinating in a wash of indecision!
The Main Categories of Outdoor Cookers
There are a few primary categories of outdoor cookers: gas grill, pellet smoker, griddle, charcoal, and pizza oven. I am going to take pizza oven and charcoal off the list right away—pizza is too specific, and charcoal is a whole new world, best left to the experienced or fearless. That leaves us with the most popular categories available today: gas grill, smoker, and griddle.
Pellet Smokers: Low and Slow BBQ Mastery
Pellet grills and griddles have been some of the fastest-growing categories in outdoor cooking for the last decade, so I am never surprised when a client asks me whether they are a suitable first choice for a fledgling outdoor chef or a replacement for the trusty gas grill.
Pellet is wonderful for large gatherings, big families, and those who want classic BBQ preparations like primal cuts and whole birds. These grills excel at low and slow, mouth-watering and succulent preparations that usually benefit from extended cooking times with low, stable temperatures. By nature, these cookers tend to fall short when someone is looking for quick results, or high temps—direct flame contact and searing are not in the traditional pellet smoker’s vocabulary.
Griddles: The Social Media Star
Griddles are the new kid on the block, elbowing up to the table and making a big impression with popular dishes like smash burgers, BBQ fried rice, and Hill Billy Teppanyaki. You can’t turn on social media without someone touting the latest and greatest indoor meal reimagined in griddle form.
The least “traditional” of the categories we are discussing today, the griddle is for someone who is looking to try foods outside the BBQ definition. People who love diner food and want to cook with a spatula in hand are prime candidates for a griddle.
The Classic Gas Grill: A Reliable All-Rounder
Forgive me if I buried the lead, but it’s easy to forget about the humble gas grill. Leading overall sales in the outdoor cooking category since its introduction in the early ’80s for good reason, the gas grill still earns its place in every backyard kitchen.
A true weeknight hero that’s quick to heat up, easy to clean, and incredibly versatile, the gas grill feeds more people every year than all other outdoor cooking types combined. Accurate heat control, searing to low and slow, multiple zones, and rotisserie—the gas grill can take on most challenges. A near-limitless list of accessories turns the gas grill into a multitasking machine.
So, Which One Should You Choose?
In the end, you can’t go wrong with any of these three styles of outdoor cooking. Knowing what you like to cook and how you like to cook is a journey. For those unsure, I would recommend they start with a gas grill and try the variety of cooking styles available; from there, you can add a smoker or griddle if you want to explore new spaces.
For those who live and die by the cult of the smash burger or know that big cuts of meat are the only real main worthy of an outdoor cooker, you can go straight to the griddle or smoker. No matter what, choosing an outdoor cooking option expands your culinary horizons, makes cooking fun, and brings family and friends together!
