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Grilling is serious business in the hearts and minds of millions of people, which is perhaps the reason why individuals tend to be so devoted to their preferred method of cooking foods over an open flame. That devotion extends to the type of grill cooks use, which typically comes down to a choice between gas grills that utilize propane and charcoal grills that burn charcoal. Though the debate over which type of grill is better will likely never end, charcoal devotees insist that science is on their side. Grilling with charcoal leads to the release of an aroma compound known as guaiacol. Guaiacol is produced during the breakdown of lignin, a resin that BarbecueBros.com notes holds strands of cellulose together to form wood. As lignin breaks down, guaiacol is released, providing foods cooked over charcoal with a uniquely smoky, bacon-like flavor. That unique flavor is absent from foods cooked on a gas grill, which charcoal grill enthusiasts point to as proof that their preferred method to grill meat is superior to other means.