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Charcoal or gas at your tailgate?

RUskoolie

RUskoolie

Hall of Famer
Aug 1, 2007
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I have been a charcoal guy for 10+ years after originally starting out as a gas guy.

Now considering going back to gas.

Gas makes cooking so much easier but its annoying that you have to lug the big propane tanks with you and the little ones are meh.

Charcoal, love the smoke, love the smell. Hate the cleanup, hate having to dump the coals in the parking lot or on the windshield of an opposing fans car.

What do you guys like to use? I am one of the few ******** in Scarlet using charcoal with a chimney starter. Looks like the pope is being announced when I get the coals going at the start of the tailgate.
 
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C

CollegeSenior

All-Conference
Apr 2, 2021
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Lump Charcoal. The real stuff.

Propane is fine for quick grilling but doesn’t compare to charcoal. If I’m going to be using a grill for cooking more than 30 minutes I always go with charcoal.
 
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R

RU4Real

Heisman
Jul 25, 2001
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Gas.

For a couple of years I used one of these:

It was awesome and I would use hardwood chunks instead of charcoal. Also has the advantage of being able to be used as a heater / fire pit when it's really cold.

I didn't replace it when it got old and busted because it was a little bit of a hassle, what with the Tailgate Troopers we had to contend with back in the day.
 
F

fsg2_rivals

Heisman
Apr 3, 2018
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RU4Real said:
Gas.

For a couple of years I used one of these:

It was awesome and I would use hardwood chunks instead of charcoal. Also has the advantage of being able to be used as a heater / fire pit when it's really cold.

I didn't replace it when it got old and busted because it was a little bit of a hassle, what with the Tailgate Troopers we had to contend with back in the day.
Click to expand...

Does it work as a smoker, too, or more just a grill.

Been looking at portable smoker options.
 
Knight Shift

Knight Shift

Heisman
May 19, 2011
85,794
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jtung230 said:
Electric for me this year.

@Knight Shift
Click to expand...
I freeload off of @RU4Real and others.
RU4Real said:
Gas.

For a couple of years I used one of these:

It was awesome and I would use hardwood chunks instead of charcoal. Also has the advantage of being able to be used as a heater / fire pit when it's really cold.

I didn't replace it when it got old and busted because it was a little bit of a hassle, what with the Tailgate Troopers we had to contend with back in the day.
Click to expand...
I never noticed this.
 
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RU4Real

Heisman
Jul 25, 2001
50,955
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fsg2 said:
Does it work as a smoker, too, or more just a grill.

Been looking at portable smoker options.
Click to expand...

It works really well as a smoker, but because it's small it requires near constant attention because you have to feed it a chunk of wood about every 15 minutes or so. At a tailgate this is perfectly okay, since you're there anyway. But sitting around the house on a Sunday smoking ribs really requires something like a pellet grill.
 
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Knight Shift

Knight Shift

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May 19, 2011
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RU4Real said:
It was before your time - during the Flood years, actually. Last used the night of the famous USF game during one of the most tragically chaotic **** show tailgates the world has ever seen.
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I think I remember you telling that story.
 
R

RU4Real

Heisman
Jul 25, 2001
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Knight Shift said:
I think I remember you telling that story.
Click to expand...

All the old RutgersFan folks, most of whom are gone, know that story. Many were present for the... um... incident.

None of these newbies know the story. Probably best to keep it that way.
 
M

MoreCowbellRU

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Jan 29, 2012
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RUskoolie said:
I have been a charcoal guy for 10+ years after originally starting out as a gas guy.

Now considering going back to gas.

Gas makes cooking so much easier but its annoying that you have to lug the big propane tanks with you and the little ones are meh.

Charcoal, love the smoke, love the smell. Hate the cleanup, hate having to dump the coals in the parking lot or on the windshield of an opposing fans car.

What do you guys like to use? I am one of the few ******** in Scarlet using charcoal with a chimney starter. Looks like the pope is being announced when I get the coals going at the start of the tailgate.
Click to expand...
I use a pellet smoker grill and a small propane. Both have their plus and minus.
 
G

GoodOl'Rutgers

Heisman
Sep 11, 2006
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Hmm.. wonder what AOC and the Greenies thinks of tailgates...

Pretty sure I once saw someone in yellow with a pizza oven.
 
WhiteBus

WhiteBus

Heisman
Oct 4, 2011
39,359
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For most Rutgers fans they have to use gas because very few are there long enough to bbq anything. So they are just are grilling. The exceptions are the first few rows of the Blue Lot and Yellow Lot. The rest don't even make it to the Scarlet Walk because they get there after it's done. If you are an early bird pre-dawn person bring the bbq with wood chunks or good charcoal.
 
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WhiteBus

WhiteBus

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Oct 4, 2011
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RU4Real said:
It was before your time - during the Flood years, actually. Last used the night of the famous USF game during one of the most tragically chaotic **** show tailgates the world has ever seen.
Click to expand...
It involved lamb, a lot of smoke, other Rutgers fans complaining and people with badges. Never did get any of that lamb.
 
R

RUPete

Heisman
Feb 5, 2003
26,846
16,117
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RUskoolie said:
I have been a charcoal guy for 10+ years after originally starting out as a gas guy.

Now considering going back to gas.

Gas makes cooking so much easier but its annoying that you have to lug the big propane tanks with you and the little ones are meh.

Charcoal, love the smoke, love the smell. Hate the cleanup, hate having to dump the coals in the parking lot or on the windshield of an opposing fans car.

What do you guys like to use? I am one of the few ******** in Scarlet using charcoal with a chimney starter. Looks like the pope is being announced when I get the coals going at the start of the tailgate.
Click to expand...
Nothing wrong with charcoal or announcing a pope at the tailgate. But propane is just much easier from a start up, cool down and break down standpoint.
 
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RUDiddy777

Heisman
Feb 26, 2015
33,017
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At a Giants game, I once saw a drunk tailgate crew put their grill in the trunk of the car. Guess no one bothered to make sure there was no charcoal in the grill…when we got outside after the game, there wasnt much left other than pieces of rubber and ash left of their car.
 
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fsg2_rivals

Heisman
Apr 3, 2018
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RU4Real said:
I've seen people do it. The small camping solar kits work well for powering small devices.
Click to expand...

Put a power station (or battery + inverter) between and you can cook with an induction cooktop, slow cooker or whatever electrical appliance you want to bring from home.

Or you could use a solar cooker to use sun directly.

I know you know this, but I'm guessing Team Whales >> Windmills does not.
 
M

MoreCowbellRU

All-Conference
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ruinac said:
You just can’t help yourselves from taking every opportunity to go there.
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What # sunscreen do you guys need for that thin skin? You might need batteries in your sarcasm meters as well.

Lighten up Francis

JEEEZZUUSS
 
RUskoolie

RUskoolie

Hall of Famer
Aug 1, 2007
220,819
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RU4Real said:
Gas.

For a couple of years I used one of these:

It was awesome and I would use hardwood chunks instead of charcoal. Also has the advantage of being able to be used as a heater / fire pit when it's really cold.

I didn't replace it when it got old and busted because it was a little bit of a hassle, what with the Tailgate Troopers we had to contend with back in the day.
Click to expand...
That's exactly what we have right now but it looks like I found it in a junk yard because its covered with the charocoal dust from dumping out the coals. I have even power washed the inside of the thing. that's one negative about the charcoal grills is how dirty they get.

Although gas got so dirty after one tailgate that all the gas burners were clogged and we just threw the thing out and switched to charcoal.
 
JC_in128

JC_in128

Junior
Mar 9, 2023
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At home almost exclusively charcoal or the pellet smoker. For tailgating it is propane for both the Weber Traveler grill and the Blackstone flat top grill. I bring the large propane tank for either. Not as tasty but much easier.
 
R

RU4Real

Heisman
Jul 25, 2001
50,955
30,733
0
JCin128 said:
At home almost exclusively charcoal or the pellet smoker. For tailgating it is propane for both the Weber Traveler grill and the Blackstone flat top grill. I bring the large propane tank for either. Not as tasty but much easier.
Click to expand...
I added a Blackstone flat top to the grill & burner setup, last year. Damn useful. No more bacon in a pan.
 
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DJ Spanky

DJ Spanky

Heisman
Jul 25, 2001
46,442
56,357
113
Definitely using gas to grill at our tailgate.

RUskoolie said:
Gas makes cooking so much easier but its annoying that you have to lug the big propane tanks with you and the little ones are meh.
Click to expand...

Simple solution: get a bunch of the small tanks, then get an adapter for your 20 gallon tank and refill the small tanks. I have a rotation of 9-12 small tanks that I use for our 3 grills at our tailgate.
 
newell138

newell138

Heisman
Aug 1, 2001
35,779
45,412
112
RUDiddy777 said:
At a Giants game, I once saw a drunk tailgate crew put their grill in the trunk of the car. Guess no one bothered to make sure there was no charcoal in the grill…when we got outside after the game, there wasnt much left other than pieces of rubber and ash left of their car.
Click to expand...
Before there were tailgate rules I recall a few brush fires at RU
 
PiscatawayMike

PiscatawayMike

Heisman
Jul 27, 2001
16,959
14,436
113
WhiteBus said:
For most Rutgers fans they have to use gas because very few are there long enough to bbq anything. So they are just are grilling. The exceptions are the first few rows of the Blue Lot and Yellow Lot. The rest don't even make it to the Scarlet Walk because they get there after it's done. If you are an early bird pre-dawn person bring the bbq with wood chunks or good charcoal.
Click to expand...
This.

With the exception of a few games, I've been in the first few rows of the yellow lot with my trusty Weber charcoal grill since the mid 90s.
 
S

Shelby65

All-Conference
Apr 1, 2008
7,901
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RU4Real said:
It works really well as a smoker, but because it's small it requires near constant attention because you have to feed it a chunk of wood about every 15 minutes or so. At a tailgate this is perfectly okay, since you're there anyway. But sitting around the house on a Sunday smoking ribs really requires something like a pellet grill.
Click to expand...
Not true. Various charcoal smokers hold temps well enough that there’s no need to stay around. Did 3 racks 6 hrs today while not home and doing pork shoulder overnight tonight without adding charcoal.
 
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