Imagine: the smoke rising through the trees as you grab another hot dog bun to put on the grill. You crack a cold one and hear the meat sizzle while the gratifying aroma fills your nose. This to-die-for scene is only possible with the operation of a gas grill. Cooking on this type of grill, however, is no easy feat. Once you have mastered the art of barbecuing, there will be no more need to fuss about the right type of charcoal, disposing of ashes, or the best means of lighting the fire.
There are thousands of gas grills ranging from moderately priced grills to ones that will almost literally break your bank. Despite the differences between all the gas grills on the market, the essentials never change.
Although turning it on is simply turning the knobs, the cooking itself is not quite so intuitive. There are many beginners who have never touched a grill before. Or you may be a seasoned veteran looking to up their BBQ game. Regardless, there are some suggestions to help you cook without stress.
Here is a guide about how to cook on a gas grill without stress:
1. Prepare what you need
The first thing is first: you need to prepare everything possible to make your grilling experience run smoothly. The essentials you need to purchase include: a fire extinguisher, steel spatula, steel tongs, wire brush or fibre scrub pad, propane, and obviously: food.
We suggest selecting easy-to-cook meat for your first time grilling. Burgers and steaks, for example, are great options as beef is often easy to work with. You also want to make sure that your propane tank has enough fuel. It would be unfortunate if it ran out halfway through cooking!
2. Clean the grill
The next step in preparation is cleaning the grill. Not only will this ensure that you are not ingesting anything you are not meant to ingest, but it also reduces the chance of your fire flaring up and incessant smoke.
Before your first time operating a gas barbecue, heat it for 15-20 minutes before cooking and then scrape any residue off the gates. You can scrub the grill with a stiff nylon brush or a fibre scrub pad. If you are unsure how to preheat the grill, keep reading to learn how to start it.
Afterwards, rinse off your scrubber and give the gates another thorough cleaning with hot soapy water. Once you rinse the grills to ensure no soapy water remains, you are ready to cook! For future grilling, we suggest preheating the gates and scrubbing; however, the soapy water can be avoided.
3. Start the gas grill
After you have everything you need and clean your grill, it is time to turn it on. First, open the lid (if you cleaned the grill, you most likely know this step). Next, turn the propane tank’s valve counter-clockwise until it is open completely.
Finally, turn any of the burners on the grill on high and press the ignition switch. Once the first burner is lit, turn the remaining burners on high, and prepare to cook some food.
4. Cook on the grill
Finally, all that we have been anxiously waiting to do: is cook! Lay all the meat on the grill simultaneously, approximately an inch apart. Let the meat cook for several minutes until the bottom is brown. To test if your meat is ready to flip, use tongs or a spatula to test a piece. If it comes off the grill easily, it is ready to flip.
Make sure to flip all the pieces of meat together to ensure an even cook. It is important to note that cuts of lamb, pork, and beef are best cooked at high temperatures for short periods. More delicate items such as fish, vegetables, and chicken are best cooked at medium heat for longer periods.
Indirect grilling is done with larger pieces of meat (such as whole chickens). Simply turn off the burner the meat is sitting on, but keep the surrounding burners on. This way, you can cook the meat thoroughly without burning it outside.
5. Turn off the grill
After a successful cooking session with happy smiles and full tummies, shut off all burners and double-check the knob positions to ensure no more gas is flowing through. Then, turn off the gas supply valve by twisting the knob clockwise.
Finally, wait for the grill to cool down, close the lid and place a grill cover over fully. Ensure all the food is off the grill and the cover is placed properly to protect it from the elements. Congratulations on a successful grill!
