Cooking With Propane...It's A Gas!
Aug 05 '00
If you have been cooking on a charcoal grill and are considering taking plunge to a propane gas grill, there are several things you will want to consider. Barbecuing isn’t limited to the summertime and hot dogs anymore, so finding a grill that will suite your needs all year around is very important
When I was growing up, the only form of grilling my family did was on a charcoal grill. When hubby and I were married, one of our first purchases was a Weber kettle grill. We loved the flavor of the food, but it was not very convenient. It took time to heat up the coals and I always felt that I had better use for my time than babysitting a grill. After a few years of buying charcoal and lighter fluid, we decided to make the switch to propane gas. I have to admit that the food did taste different on the charcoal grill, however, the convenience made the trade-off almost worthwhile.
We recently purchased another new propane grill (Epinion on our SUPER GRILL will be posted soon!!). Over the years we’ve owned several different models from different manufactures. Each has had their share of problems and praise, but I would never consider going back to a charcoal grill. Manufacturers are continuing to improve features available, making today’s models not only functional, but attractive, and completely controllable as well. Anyone can find a grill that will fit into their lifestyle.
Features to Consider…or Avoid
When shopping for a grill, consider a style that will fit will into your lifestyle. If you normally cook for two, you will not require one of the lagers models. No need to heat up cooking space that you won’t be using. If you have a large family, consider a model with a large surface area or you’ll be cooking your food in shifts.
Some models come with a side burner that can be used to cook a pan of food. For us this was a completely wasted feature. I knew that I would never use that burner and I thought the space would be better used as a side tray to hold a plate or cooking utensils.
One feature that I could not get along without is an auto-lighter. I’m a chicken when it comes to cooking with gas and so I hate having to light the grill myself. With an auto-lighter, you press a button and the grill is lit for you. You don’t have to worry about blowing your grill up!
Another feature on some models is a temperature gauge in the lid. We had this with one of our grills and at the time of purchase we thought it was a good idea. In a short time the gauge developed a black film over the face of the glass and was unreadable.
Another feature that was wasted on me was the rotisserie. I had it available on several of the grills that we have owned and to date, I’ve yet to use it. If I’m grilling chicken, I prefer to place the cut up pieces directly on the grate. I don’t like grilling a whole chicken. (Hubby tells me that he does plan to try a turkey on our new SUPER GRILL. I’ll let you know how it goes.)
My favorite feature on the grill is actually on the gas cylinder that supplies the grill with fuel for cooking. A gauge is a MUST! I can’t tell you how many times we’ve run out of gas in the middle of grilling. At least with a gauge you can keep an eye on how much gas is left in the cylinder. We purchased an extra cylinder so that when we do run out, we always have a spare handy.
Important Safety Tips
When you are cooking with propane, there are some safety issues that you need to be aware of, as propane is a flammable gas stored as a liquid under pressure. Here are some things to remember:
*Always use the propane gas cylinder in an upright position. Grills are designed to use propane vapor. Unless the cylinder is upright, liquid propane can come out of the cylinder valve and cause the grill to malfunction.
*Always follow the gas grill manufacture’s instructions for assembly and operation. Men, if you have any left over pieces after assembly, read the instructions again and make sure that extra pieces were included :o)
*Most grill manufactures recommend a thorough cleaning of the grill once a year. Yeah, it will remove all of the “gunk” that gives the food that special flavor, but a good cleaning will help your grill to work more efficiently and give it a longer life.
*Don’t use your gas grill indoors. When propane burns, it uses up oxygen. If the grill is used indoors this can result in asphyxiation or carbon monoxide poisoning. If the cylinder valve should leak, propane could be released into the atmosphere, creating a hazardous condition.
*Don’t use your grill too close to the side of the house of under a structure that may burn, such as a carport (that includes inside the doorway of a garage). A sudden flare up could quickly spread to other materials nearby.
* Never store your extra cylinder near your grill. It is not safe to expose it to high temperatures, which could cause the pressure relief valve to open.
Enjoy the convenience and fun your gas grill will bring to your life. The best thing about it is that you can grill outdoors all year around. Here in Iowa, in the dead of winter you will find a path in the snow to our grill. It is the first thing we dig out of the snow after our cars!
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willowbear
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Member: Julia
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To love what you do and feel it matters...how could anything be more fun?
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