Cooking over an open flame at home

It is similar to cooking over a propane grill. Gas grills often have stone or ceramic bricks in them to help retain heat, but it is the burning gas that provides it. Cooking over a gas stove should be similar.

That said, I wouldn't grill meat or fish directly over the flame; it may work, but the cleanup may not be worth it. If you want to char a pepper or some bread and get the 'grill' feel, that should work fine. I see chefs do it all the time on TV, and it looks easy enough and doesn't make a mess.

Any fire in a confined area with limited ventilation, that produces smoke (an unburnt solid) is a health hazard, particularly those the with lung disease or asthma.

I'm really into preparing "meze" dishes, a class of dishes in the Turkish kitchen. A lot of them are prepared charred vegetables such as aubergines and peppers. These are traditionally cooked over a charcoal grill, but in many a Turkish home, they are cooked over the open gas flame of a modern stove top. The aubergine, after being charred, is put into a vessel of cold water, the charred skin being removed to reveal the cooked flesh with a wonderful smokey taste.

On the health side, I can only give anecdotes. My grandmother has prepared these dishes over the open flame for as long as I can remember, and no doubt, a few multiples of that length of time more. Personally, I've been preparing these dishes since I was 16, with no ill effects to speak of. A small amount of smoke does arise from the burning of the skin, but the vegetables themselves don't burn. If your kitchen is properly ventilated, can it really be much worse than going out into the typically densely populated modern city?

I cook hot dogs and fire roast peppers, directly over my natural gas stove indoors. Its the best way in my opinion. No mess, no fuss, just good eatin'

Why do you think gas is "cleaner". It contains CO2, CO, and other petrochem processing leftovers

Good quality charcoal should produce the least other stuff, while producing similar CO2 and CO levels

Indoor cooking with charcoal is popular in many cultures, but any method is going to produce CO2 and CO, which need to be adequately ventilated

If you have a concrete slab or sand box to cook on. In home or out. A pot stove is very good to cook on. You cut a hole in the pot at the bottom. Just at the top bottom of a cast pot. Cut a square 3 by3 inches or larger in md size to large pot. This is to feed your small wood or charcoal threw. Light. Get burning. Place rack on top of pot. Next a pot or skillet to cook in. You control heat by adding more sticks or charcoal or pulling some out. This forces most heat strait up. So saves wood or charcoal in cooking. This is the main way of cooking in my part of S.E.Asia. Bottle gas stoves are safe. Just remember to turn of the gas at the bottle. Here those who can afford such. Normally buy a 2 burner & stove cart Glass top to set it on. Storage on shelf below. 5lb bottle but a 20 is also used. Space is important here. A cart has wheels so is easy to be moved out of way. For living space after use. A singles pad would have a 1 burner stove. You may see some at imgur under jamesphilippnes. You need a vent hole to cook on wood or charcoal inside. Why most have a dirty kitchen outside or a T home here.