Using Gas for Barbecue Grills

There has been a long standing controversy amongst grill owners about which is better – gas or charcoal. I have to say that both sides present their merits as well as pitfalls. However, in a land that is trying hard to be “Green,” gas barbeque grills seem to be taking the lead one piece of meat at a time.

Benefits
Using a gas grill has many benefits. Not only are these benefits financial but gas grills also burn cleaner and leave no waste behind to clean up later.
Financially speaking, buying one cylinder of propane costs about the same as 2 to 3 bags of charcoal and it will last you a lot longer. The cylinders are often recycled or simple just refilled again and again. Also the cylinders can still get wet and not be destroyed. Try that with charcoal.

Even heating as well as endurance are another important factor to consider. Not all charcoal grills will have the same heating pattern two times in a row and generally you won’t be able to cook effectively for hours on end. If you’ve ever cooked for a large group of people using a gas grill, you probably didn’t even notice that you didn’t have to take a break, add more briquettes, wait for them to light properly and then begin cooking again. Cooking for that large party was just one big seamless operation.

Downside
The only real downside to using a gas grill is they require a little attention once in a while. You occasionally may need to change out the fuel lines, clean out a burner or replace the lava rocks. Once in a while you might need to also replace the thermometer or the “On/Off” knobs that always seem to magically get broken or lost.

Maintenance
The maintenance required keeping your gas grill safe and working properly really isn’t too difficult. Basically once a season you need to inspect all the fuel lines, regulators and burners to make sure they are in proper working order. Check the fuel lines and regulator for any cracks, corrosion (rust) or obvious damages. The best way to check for leaks is to turn on the gas and apply soapy water to any part of the fuel system. If there is a leak, it will create bubbles. If you happen to find leaks of any kind, replace the part before using the grill.

Cleaning the “guts” of the grill will need to be done periodically. By “guts” I mean the burner itself and the lava rocks or ceramic briquettes. Burners tend to get clogged over time, creating not only cold spots but hot spots as well. Simply soak the burners it hot soapy water and then use a wire brush to clear out all the holes. After that you can put them in the kitchen oven for a few minutes to make sure all of the water has evaporated inside.

The lava rocks or ceramic briquettes may become completely encrusted over time and will start to create smoke and unwanted flavors in your food. Simply replace them once in awhile. All in all, maintenance of your gas grill is relatively easy and for the most part painless.

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