Fine margins make up professional cooking: Speed versus flavor. Choice of equipment can come down to how quickly something cooks or what’s served to the guest when it’s finished.
But when considering your main source of heat, the discussion comes down to the latest in gas technology or the age-old method of cooking with wood. This decision influences your kitchen’s humidity, smoke ring on a brisket, and crust on a ribeye.
If you want to know how these systems work and what will best suit your menu, today we’re breaking down the differences between wood-fired and gas grills.
Wood-Fired vs Gas Grills | How They Work
Flavor profile is the key, and it comes down to the combustion process of either cooking method.
Gas systems burn liquid propane or natural gas. The burners can be laid into metal deflectors or ceramic briquettes to spread heat more evenly. While you can get a consistent temperature from a gas grill, the heat it puts off is considered “wet.” This means when the gas combusts, water vapor releases into the cooking chamber. This will impact how a crust forms on your proteins during lengthy cook cycles.
Wood-burning grills run on organic cellulose. Oak, Hickory, mesquite — they all burn the same way, creating a “dry” heat. Dry heat works better at evaporating surface moisture on your meat, and creating a better Maillard reaction. This is the chemical process that creates that beautiful brown crust we all love.
Managing zones on a commercial wood grill is a hands-on process. You won’t be turning a knob to move from high to low heat. The chef will need to move the coal around the fire bed to create areas of high heat for searing and lower temperatures for indirect roasting.
Flavor Profile Comparison
Any restaurant making the investment of a wood-burning grill wants to impact the flavor of the food. Wood contains many aromatic compounds that break down when they reach ignition temperature like lignin and vanillin. These tasty molecules then stick to your food, creating the unmatched flavor of a “smoke-kissed” steak.
Gas, on the other hand, is neutral. The propane or natural gas flame won’t impart any extra flavor to the food. Many chefs prefer this clean flavor profile so the ingredients and seasoning can shine. But when you start bumping into the higher-end of wood-fired steaks and artisan pizzas, that “neutral” flame is lacking.
You can manage the flavor intensity of wood-fired meat with the species of wood you burn in your commercial grill. From there, you can start to hand pick the aromatic profile you want to pair with your menu.
Upfront Costs vs. Cost to Operate
Like any other piece of professional equipment, we must consider both the purchase price and cost of operation (in this case, fuel types).
Gas grills are typically less expensive to purchase and have extremely manageable fuel costs. A kilowatt is measured just like your electric bill and most natural gas cost roughly the same per kilowatt across the United States.
Natural gas also requires minimal maintenance. Standard burners can be cleaned yearly, and electronic ignition systems should be replaced every few years to keep operating efficiently.
Due to the intensity and local heat of a wood fire, commercial-grade wood grills are almost always made of heavier stainless steel. Not only does the grill need to hold up to the heat, but it also needs to be made of a grade of stainless that won’t warp after years of expanding and contracting from thermal shock.
As far as fuel costs go, wood can vary depending on the time of year and where you live. Fortunately for restaurant owners, once you build your menu around a wood-fired grill, you can charge enough for each entree to cover your wood costs in a matter of minutes.
Pro Tips:
- Always store your wood off the ground.
- Properly seasoned hardwood should be around 20% moisture content to make sure you’re getting the most even heat and cleanest burning smoke from your wood grill.
Kitchen Operations for Gas Grills vs Wood Grills
Gas grills win every time when it comes to workflow. They can go from OFF to cooking temp in minutes. This is especially nice for morning breakfast rushes or high-turn restaurants that need to be up and cooking at a moments notice.
With wood-fired cooking, there is always a “pre-fire.” Someone, whether it’s you or a line cook, has to start the grill 45-60 minutes before service. This allows enough time to build up a bed of coals to cook on.
While gas grills can also be fired indirectly, working heat on a wood grill is much more active. This means you need a cook who understands how a fire lives and breathes. Once you do understand these different stages of a fire, you gain multiple cooking environments. You can sear with all direct flame, or finish with the fire reduced to glowing embers for a slow and even roast.
Ventilation, Safety, and Building Codes
As with any live flame used indoors, safety is a major consideration. Because a wood-burning grill is considered a Solid Fuel Cooking system, you need to meet the specific codes under NFPA 96. Typically this means you’ll need “black iron” ductwork and you’ll be upgrading to a heavy-duty commercial hood system.
Commercial gas grills have less stringent rules and fall into other categories, but ventilation should always be installed by a professional and may be limited in an existing space or rented storefront. If you’re designing your dream kitchen around a wood grill, it’s best to speak with your fire marshal during the buildout. Wood-fired systems typically need more clearance to combustibles and special scrubbers or filtration systems.
Which Is Right for You?
Like anything in the culinary world, it all comes down to what you want to put out. If your brand is speed, consistency, and lower labor costs then gas is your friend. Gas grill chefs know exactly where their heat comes from and require less training before your freshman cook can man the line.
If you plan on building your brand around the craft of cooking, buy a wood-fired grill. There’s nothing like hearing that wood crackle, watching the dance of the flames, and smelling the smoke when a wood grill is cooking up a storm.
Best of all, it’s theater your guests can see, smell and taste. Taking that extra step for flavor will set your professional kitchen apart from just another commercial kitchen.
Need some help deciding? Ask yourself these questions before making a final decision.
How comfortable is your kitchen staff with live fire?
What does my city allow for solid-fuel grill ventilation?
Where will I store cords of wood?
Is a wood-fired grill central to my menu? Does it add enough value to menu prices?
Choose Aztec Grill | What Your Restaurant Deserves
When you decide it’s time to take your kitchen to the next level with live fire cooking, the quality of that cook station will determine how long it stays in your kitchen. Aztec Grill has spent the last decade learning from professionals in the food industry. Every commercial wood grill is constructed using high-grade stainless steel to take on the punishment of daily wood-fire cooking.
Aztec Grill was built with the goal of reaching a perfect sear. Most commercial wood grills scorch food in localized hot-spots. Aztec Grill’s patented airflow throttles heat distribution across the griddle, so you get the even cooking surface of gas with the flavor of wood-burning. Chef’s can trust that their meats will sear evenly and not worry about finicky proteins. Looking for a wood-burning grill for your kitchen? Need a heavy-duty wood-fired grill to cover high-volume? We have exactly what your restaurant needs.
Contact Aztec Grill to learn about our wood-burning grills, and the specifications on each piece of professional culinary equipment.