Hot gas, how to cool?

March 29, 2006 9:17 PM

We bought a gas barbeque, but it's a little too hot, even on the lowest setting. What can I do about it?

I turn the tank all the way on, as the instructions said, and then use the controls on the grill to raise or lower the flame. Is it ok to use the tank as well?

The other day I cooked country style pork loin ribs and by the time my spiffy digital thermometer got to the needed temperature for pork the outside was severely charred. I'd like to cook slower.

On a connected issue, can I use lavarocks and soaked hickory chips on a gas bbq, both to regulate the flames and to add flavour?

Lastly, any great step-by-step simple recipes to get me started on the road to being an awesome bbq god?

posted by Kickstart70 to food & drink (5 comments total)

Is it ok to use the tank as well?

Yes.

can I use lavarocks and soaked hickory chips on a gas bbq, both to regulate the flames and to add flavour?

Yes, and I definitely recommended using some sort of layer of something (usually charcoal brickettes) over the gas burners to even out the heat across the cooking surface better.
posted by ChasFile at 9:20 PM on March 29, 2006

It's all about the indirect heat. This is actually the best way to cook almost all cuts of meat. Basically, you heat up both burners of the BBQ (all 3, if you have it) on high, and leave it for about 15 minutes. Then, you turn one of the burners off (for a 3 burner, turn off the middle one), and put your steak/chicken/fish there. You'll end up cooking it for longer than if you had been grilling it normally (I reccomend reading some books/websites for more specifics), and you won't get as much of the char lines, but it will be much more tender and juicy (and you can always sear the meat at the the beginning over high heat to get those marks).

And yes, as Chas said, you can (and should!) use different kinds of woodchips on the grill. Makes for very tasty cooking.
posted by rossination at 9:45 PM on March 29, 2006

If it has a middle rack, use that one instead of the bottom. Keep water or beer handy for when the chips dry out and flame up.

Use low heat and keep the lid closed- you'll get used to cooking by sound and timing more than sight as you figure out how long everything takes on your particular grill. Pork chops and steaks (1/2 - 3/4" thick) may only take 30-40 minutes but chicken breasts and ribs -even corn in the schucks- usually take quite a bit longer.

Add barbeque sauce during the last third of cooking. Mix two sauces to make your own secret recipe. It's hard but try not to flip everything more than twice- once to cook the other side and once to check them before you take them up. Leave the gas tank alone.
posted by auntbunny at 4:44 AM on March 30, 2006

What kind of grill is it? Knowing the specifics will help people come up with recommendations adn there might even be some with the same grill around to offer advice.

After heating it up, turning off one or two burners will definitely help. When I cook a larger cut of meat such as a pork loin, I often use a rotisserie.
posted by TedW at 5:11 AM on March 30, 2006

Many people pre-cook ribs in some fashion (baking in the oven or boiling) before BBQing to avoid the problem you describe.
posted by crazycanuck at 8:51 AM on March 30, 2006