Just bought my first gas grill?!
Just bought my first gas grill?
Any tips or hints on using it? I have never cooked on one before.
Answers:
When you are grilling, turn on the grill for a few minutes (with the cover down) and let it heat up. This will allow you to scrub off any remaining food from a previous grilling and allows the BBQ to get hot enough to sear anything you want to grill. Then, once you have your food on the grill, turn the heat down.
Another tip is to move the meat over to one side after it has been seared. Make sure the burner under the meat is turned off, and the burner on the other side stays on med or high. Then close the lid and finish cooking. By searing it first, you lock in the juices and get the good BBQ flavor, but removing it from direct heat helps keep meat from overcooking and getting too dry.
Lastly, make sure you put your grill over an area you don't mind getting greasy and dirty, as food grease and marinade will spill down and drip out of the bottom. There is usually a drip pan to catch some of this, but not always.
There are many tips for the first time user...such as using gas briquettes (Looks like lava rocks) and letting it run for a good 20-30 minutes that'll break your grill in a little bit. Then there is the cooking...its always best to preheat your grill and get an external thermometer to keep your temps. just right. My theme for this year is indirect grilling...that is leaving one side of the grill on then putting your steaks or chicken or whatever you may be grilling on the side that is not on and covering it and leaving it alone to cook (this is where the thermometer is useful) maintaining a temp of about 200-270 degrees F. But the key is to leave it covered until cooked, you'll be tempted to check your food but at those temps three Ribeyes would cook to a Meduim or so in just about an hour give or take a few minutes. Enjoy your Grill!