STERLING – The philosophical debate that has raged on throughout the ages is going still: charcoal or propane?

Whether you opt for the traditional small metal sphere powered by small black briquettes, or the tall grill with a 5-gallon tank of propane, everyone who has fired up a grill on a summer evening has a side.

Grillers on either side of the debate can gear up at Jim Prescott's BBQ Shop in Sterling.

"The charcoal, I think that just gives you a whole different flavor, which I'm a fan of," Deanna Prescott said. "But, the gas grill has its place. Some people want to fire it up and move on with whatever their time restriction might be. I prefer the charcoal, and I think a lot of people do. I think back to when I was young and we cooked on charcoal and used all the lighter fluid."

The charcoal briquette is actually not much older than gas. While Chicago Combustion Corp. started selling gas grills for home use in the 1950s, based on an earlier design used for restaurants, the charcoal briquette dates back only to the 1920s.

That's when Henry Ford, his cousin Edward Kingsford, and Thomas Edison worked together to turn scrap wood left over from making the wood trim of a Model T into charcoal at a plant in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

Even for adherents to charcoal grilling, there is the new pure lump charcoal, carbonized wood which, when used with a starter brick, can eliminate the need for dousing the coals with a lighter fluid.

"There are better ways to get that charcoal lit without using any of those chemicals," Prescott said. "With the Green Egg, we use pure lump charcoal. That does not take any lighter fluid. It burns clean. Actually, my favorite charcoal cooking is on the Big Green Egg."

One of the newer options is a pellet grill, using wood pellets loaded into a hopper that can then be dropped into the fire pit underneath whatever you are cooking. The newer models have digital electronic controls that automatically gauge how many wood pellets to drop in, and fans to stoke the fire and create convection heat to evenly cook your food.

"A lot of people like the fact that they don't have to babysit the grill all the time," Prescott said. "They heat up fairly quickly, so busy families, they want to come home and cook something and it pretty much does the work for you."

For backyard gourmets who want to go low and slow, there are smokers, offering up a chance at a brisket that melts in your mouth or some ribs that fall off the bone in your own backyard. It may take a big longer than a burger or a chicken breast over the coals, but for some, it is well worth the wait.

"Weber makes one that's actually a charcoal version," Prescott said. "The pellet grill, you can smoke with that since it uses wood pellets. We also have a couple different types of cabinet smokers. They're also pellet-fueled. They're true smokers, they only get to 350 [degrees]. Smoking is meant for lower temperatures."

Picking out what type of wood pellets can come down to individual taste, since different pellets create different flavor. Apple might give your food some smokey and sweet flavor, mesquite is more tangy and spicy, while hickory can result in a rich taste that hints at bacon.

Of course, when it comes to flavor, a lot comes down to picking the right seasoning.

"Some people like to have something that's kind of bold that really can stand up to the meat, other people like seasoning that really lets the meat shine through but gives it a little extra," Prescott said.

Potential backyard grill-masters also can load up on grill accessories to complete the grilling experience.

"We just always make sure they have some good grilling tools; a good pair of tongs, a good spatula, that kind of thing," Prescott said.

Make sure you know when the meat is done. The Partnership for Food Safety Education's  fightbac.org suggests cooking roasts and steaks to a minimum internal temperature of 145F, poultry to 165F, ground meat to 160F, and fish to 145F. A high enough internal temperature gets rid of harmful bacteria that can cause food-borne illness.

"An instant-read [thermometer] is a necessity for any kind of cooking," Prescott said. "You're always wondering if that chicken's done, and that's a necessity. We also carry the stick-and-stay, so if you wanted to monitor, maybe you're doing a longer cook, you want to monitor the progress of it, you put the probe in and they all have displays so you can see how the temperature is growing and just keep an eye on it that way."

Another key ingredient for a backyard grill is a way to clean it.

The National Fire Protection Association says removing the grease and fat built up in the trays below the grill can go a long way in preventing disaster.

"We sell different brands, and they usually have their own cleaner as far as cleaning your grates," Prescott said. "Some have an exterior cleaner, a scrub brush. That's typically what they put in there, maybe some type of polish to keep it looking nice on the outside."

Between 2014 and 2018, there were around 10,600 home fires sparked by grills, hibachis or barbecues, leading to 10 deaths, 160 injuries and $149 million in property damage, NFPA says.

"It's important to make sure your grill is in good working order and can be used safely, no matter what type of grill you use," said Lorraine Carli, vice president of outreach and advocacy for the NFPA.

NFPA also advises grillers to check for leaks or breaks on gas grills, and open the lid before lighting a gas grill. Keep their grills away from house or deck railings and out from under branches and gutters, and keep kids and pets away from the grill.

Jim Prescott’s Barbecue Shop, 1910 E. Fourth St., Sterling, is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Call 815-625-7778, go to jimprescottsbbqshop.com or find it on Facebook