The Pros and Cons of Gas Grills

When it’s time to whip up a meal, there are few methods of cooking as fun as starting up the grill. With a gas grill, you can spend time outdoors with your family and join in all of the good weather fun while still producing a home-cooked meal. You don’t need culinary training or have gone to cooking school to do it, either. When you grill with gas it’s just you, your skills, and the flames working in unison.

Pros to Grilling with Gas

Grilling with gas has quite a few advantages. When it’s time to put the burgers, veggies, or chicken on the grill, you only need a few minutes to set it up. Basic culinary training will tell you that it’s best to start foods on a hot surface, so all you have to do is start the flame, close the lid, and give the grill surface time to heat up. And be sure to give your grill plenty of time to heat up. It takes time.

Although most gas grills have a built-in thermometer, it usually only measures the temperature of the air under the hood, not the temperature of the grates you will be cooking on. This is fine if you are planning to use your grill for roasting something like a whole chicken using an indirect cooking method, but when it comes to grilling burgers or a steak, you need to know when the grates are hot.

You have heard some cooks say they tell by placing their hand over the grill, not touching it of course, and if they can keep it there for only so many seconds, it’s ready to go. I’m not sure how accurate that can me since my hand may be more thick-skinned than yours or you may have a higher pain threshold.  I much prefer to use a handy little surface thermometer to tell me exactly how hot the grill grate is.

Easy to Light

Unless your starter button is broken or you are out of propane, gas grills are much easier to get started than charcoal grills. Turn on the gas, push a button, adjust the dial and you are ready to go.

Some Temperature Control

Different foods require different temperatures, and fortunately a gas grill can offer that variety in the flame. Any cooking school will tell you that too high of heat will char the outside of food and leave the inner portions raw.

On the other hand, too low of a temperature will cause your meal to take forever to cook, and it may also dry out the meat. Gas grills offer the ability to turn the flames up or down depending on the meal. Most of them have easy-to-turn dials that have a series of numbers on them. It’s easy to set all of the dials to the same level, ensuring even heat at a temperature you control.

Grills with Extras

Grilling with gas isn’t just a one trick pony, however. Many gas grills have a burner as well as the grill grates, allowing you to boil water or cook up some beans while the steaks are on the fire. With this greater versatility in culinary options, you can create an entire meal in the great outdoors instead of running inside to check on the stove.

Clean Up

Clean up can also be easy. I suggest you clean your grill grates right after using them so next time you go to grill you have clean surfaces. When you are done grilling, close the lid, turn up the heat and give it a couple of minutes to get really hot. Then use your wire brush to give the grates a good cleaning. If the grill is particularly dirty, I might put a layer of aluminum foil on top of the grates so they get really hot and burn off some of the residue. It also makes brushing a lot easier.

And don’t forget to clean under the grill every once in a while or you may be surprised by a flash fire if your grease tin catches fire. There is an area under the grates that catches the “stuff” you use your grill brush to clean. Make sure every once in a while you get in there and give them a good cleaning. Remember, a clean grill will burn hotter and heat is your friend when grilling.

Cons to Grilling with Gas

The biggest disadvantage to grilling with gas in my opinion is the amount of heat they produce. A lot of factors go into how much heat a grill will produce:

• BTU rating
• Size of the Grill
• Shape
• Materials

Depending on these factors, you can only get a gas grill so hot but with a charcoal grill, you can add more charcoal to crank up the heat or pile it up higher on one side to provide a hot spot on the grill for searing and a cooler side for finishing.

Gas Grills Usually Cost More

While the overall grilling process may be quicker and easier, there is unfortunately a greater monetary investment. Gas grills cost more than charcoal grills, and purchasing one is not something you want to skimp on. It’s better to pay more for a new grill than to risk buying an unsafe used grill on the cheap.

When you are using pressurized gas and flame, it’s also important to keep safety in mind. Not only are there flames involved, but that gas could also cause a major explosion if it isn’t treated with care. Fortunately, gas grills are easy to operate and maintain, but because of the fuel reserve there is simply a greater, if still small, risk of explosion.

Purchasing new fuel can also be an investment. Most gas grills use refillable containers for the propane. When you need a refill, you simply turn the old cylinder in and take home a new one. The first one you purchase, however, requires that you pay for the cylinder itself along with the propane it contains. The propane you purchase will last for many grill sessions, but each refill will be more out of pocket than a bag of charcoal, even though the total fuel cost does even out over time.

Getting Started with Your New Grill

Grilling with gas is a great way to spend some time outdoors and enjoy quick meal prep and a relaxing dinner. You’ll be able to create meals in record time while still sharing the same great outdoor space as your friends and family. Just be sure to invest in a quality grill, and be sure that you fully understand how to operate it safely. With some basic know-how and all of the culinary training you already have, you’re sure to have a great time grilling with gas.

Where to Find Gas Grills

You can find them at all the big stores like Home Depot and Sears plus outdoor specialty stores as well as most local hardware stores. I have some suggestions on my Reluctant Gourmet Amazon Store.

Related Topics

What better - A gas or charcoal grill

How to Grill at Home

Go for a Spin
by Chef Mark R. Vogel

The food processor is a versatile and expedient device that can be found in almost any serious cook’s kitchen, and indisputably in every professional one.  It’s one of those gadgets that make us wonder how we ever fared without them.

And while they seem so indispensable and workaday, in actuality they’ve only been in American households since the 1970’s.  Invented by a Frenchman, they first came into commercial use in 1960.  But they weren’t introduced to the North American domestic market until 1973.

We all know the old cliché:  “They can put a man on the moon but they can’t………”  Well, it does seem kind of weird that man was capable of walking on the moon before American home cooks were whizzing their onions electronically.

When choosing a food processor, as with most products, it’s worth the additional money to procure high quality.  Superior food processors are heavier, sturdier, have stronger, more reliable motors, and sharper blades forged from better steel.  Pricier models usually offer an array of blades to allow a greater range of cutting/chopping sizes.

Some also come with a mini bowl which can be inserted into the larger one, along with a diminutive blade for performing small tasks.  This latter feature is very handy.  In fact, if your food processor does not come with an insertable, bantam sidekick, I strongly recommend you acquire a separate mini processor.

Quite simply, a small bowl and blade will process limited quantities more proficiently.  Mini processors are especially good for grinding a meager amount of spices or producing a few servings of a salad dressing.

Limitations

While most people appreciate the time and labor that food processors save, they do have their limitations.  First, they don’t handle liquids as well as solid or semi-solid concoctions.  The more fluid the medium, the better off you are with a blender.

Second, they don’t always process uniformly.  Sometimes part of the food is finely minced while sections further from the blade exhibit larger pieces.  This can be mitigated by not overfilling the processor, intermittently pulsing it as opposed to continuous motion, and scraping down the sides between pulses.

Pulsing

“Pulsing” the food refers to a mechanism on virtually all food processors whereby you can briefly spin the blade by holding down a spring loaded button that disengages upon release.  This is in contrast to the standard buttons that when engaged create constant operation.

Based on the target dish however, the inconsistency of the food may not be an issue.  For example, if you were chopping items for a soup that will eventually be pureed, some variation in size is academic.  However, if your food preparation requires a higher degree of perfection or aesthetic uniformity, then cutting everything by hand is the only way to go.

Finally, food processors have a tendency to pulverize items.  Food can be rendered somewhat mushy as opposed to a chef’s knife which can create finely minced pieces that maintain their structural integrity, albeit at the expense of more time and labor.  The pulverization factor can be alleviated somewhat by again, intermittent pulses.

Should I Process or Cut By Hand?

Of course, depending on the recipe in question, homogenizing the ingredients might be the goal, such as when making a mousse.  On the other hand, overworking certain ingredients can alter their taste.

Case in point:  there is a distinct difference in taste, (and texture), in salsa made in a food processor vs. salsa produced by chopping every ingredient by hand.

Another poignant example is fresh herbs such as cilantro, parsley, or basil.  Their “processed” counterparts can’t compare with the hand cut. Onions, while OK to cut with the processor’s slicing blade, tend to lose something when chopped with the regular blade.

Despite the aforementioned limitations, food processors remain ideal for numerous preparations.  Here’s a list of very common uses, which certainly isn’t exhaustive.

Slicing, Chopping, Grating & Shredding

The first and foremost use of a food processor is to chop and slice.  As stated, various blade attachments allow for different sized cuts.  There’s usually blades that grate and shred as well which is extremely handy for grating and shredding cheese.  If you have a sizable amount of ingredients to fabricate and perfect uniformity is not an issue, nothing beats a food processor’s primary function.

Dressings

Place all the ingredients for the dressing except the oil in the processor first.  Attach the lid with an opening that allows for the pouring in of liquid.  Whiz the base ingredients first and then slowly pour in the oil in a steady stream until everything is emulsified.

Making Dough

This is so much better than using a dough cutter or a fork.  Add the flour and any other dry ingredients (such as salt, baking soda or powder, sugar, etc.) and give it a quick pulse.  Add the butter or shortening and pulse until the desired consistency is achieved.  Then add the fluid in small increments, gently pulsing, just until the dough comes together.

Grinding Meat

Making your own ground meat is a good idea on so many levels.  First, if you’re a germaphobe, homemade ground beef is safer.  Not that standard ground beef is dangerous but if you have a need to push the food safety factor to the nth degree, then grind your own.

Second, you have complete control over what types of meat will comprise your admixture.  Supermarket ground meats can be an amalgamation of every miscellaneous scrap lying around the meat department.  By purchasing whole pieces of chuck, sirloin, round, etc., you can tailor your recipe exactly.

Finally, buying meat whole and grinding it yourself will produce a fresher, better flavor.

A meat grinder, either an old-fashioned hand-cranked model or the kind that attaches to an electric mixer, is the best tool for the job.  But it can be done in a food processor.  You must be careful to pulse it gently so you don’t obliterate the meat and create a paste.  Cut the whole meat into manageable chunks first before adding it to the processor.  It will process more smoothly and consistently than one large piece.

Mousses, Pates & Spreads

Now here’s where we want to pulverize ingredients into a smooth puree.  A food processor excels for these spreadable comestibles.  These items can vary a great deal in terms of their ingredients and procedural order.  Simply follow your particular recipe.  Here you don’t need to pulse gently.  However, don’t overfill the bowl and definitely scrape down the sides once or twice to ensure everything is fully incorporated.

Making Spice Mixtures

If your spice mixture must be very finely ground, then an actual spice grinder will likely do the best job, especially for small amounts.  But for a slightly coarser grind, especially a larger quantity, a food processor is adequate.

I like to make my own ground hot pepper that I either add to food as is, or mix with oil to produce chile oil.  I place a large handful of dried chiles in the processor and whiz them until ground.

Where To Look & Buy

You can find expensive and less expensive food processors just about anywhere. If you are interested in shopping online or just checking out what’s available, I suggest you go to my Reluctant Gourmet Amazon Store. Thanks

Related Topics

Choosing a Food Processor

Choosing a Blender

The Advantages of Owning a Kindle In the Kitchen

Just a couple more shopping days before Christmas and for those of you who are looking for a fun gift to give your favorite home cook, the Kindle may be something to think about. It’s one of the more popular gifts being given this year. Yes, it’s popular with those who like to read books, magazines and newspapers but what about us cooks?  Are there really any advantages to owning a Kindle and using it in the kitchen. I think so and here’s why:

More and more people are turning to e-book readers as a way to streamline they way they buy and enjoy books. Although many individuals find that there simply is no way to replace the feel of paper turning in your hands, sales of e-book readers like the Amazon Kindle continue to grow.

The reasons are obvious: It’s lightweight, portable, and can contain literally thousands of books on file. For readers, this is a great way to increase bookshelf space. For cooks, there are even more advantages. Using a Kindle in the kitchen allows you to have access to hundreds of cookbooks within minutes, and all at the touch of a button.

What is a Kindle?

The Kindle is Amazon’s version of an e-book reader. Although there are other options on the market (most notably from Sony and Barnes & Noble), Kindle was the first one to make a real splash on the market. It is small (about the size of a paperback novel), thin, and lightweight. Much like an overgrown iPod, it is an electronic device that requires some care and charging.

However, unlike most electronic devices, its screen simulates the real ink of printed books, so there is no strain on the eyes, and most people can’t tell the difference between the screen’s words and printed words. “Pages” are turned with the click of a button, and the Kindle can connect to the Internet for immediate book purchase and download.

The Kindle can also store music, and has a read-aloud feature much like a book on tape. It is available in two primary formats: the original 6-inch screen and a larger, more newspaper-friendly Kindle DX, with a 9.7-inch screen. Most of the books you purchase for the Kindle are less expensive than what you can expect to pay for paperback or hardback versions.

Kindle Features for the Kitchen

Although the Kindle wasn’t specifically designed for use in the kitchen (if that was the case, it certainly wouldn’t be white!), a number of its features have immense value for use in the kitchen.

• File Size: The Kindle can hold thousands of books, including cookbooks. Whether this includes e-book cookbooks that you buy or files that you convert from your own computer, the result is one small, portable space to store all of your favorite recipes.

• Annotation Features: The Kindle allows its users to take notes and make “bookmarks” of pages. You can flag favorite recipes, note changes you’ve made to the original recipes, and even keep a permanent record of tricky conversions. Because the notes are made right on the files, they will never get lost or misplaced.

• Wireless “WhisperNet”: The Kindle can connect to the Internet from almost anywhere a cellular connection can be made. It is an internal device, so you don’t have to pay for a network or have wi-fi in order to tap into this feature. It allows you to browse and purchase books directly from your Kindle (via Amazon.com), and you can download and start using them immediately. Although you can connect to other websites, the Kindle isn’t really designed for it, so it can be difficult to look at other cooking sites on the screen.

• Additional Features: The Kindle also has a number of features to make reading easier. You can increase the text size so that it is most comfortable for you. You can choose the audio feature, which will read aloud the text (including recipes) right to you. There is also the ability to view and zoom in to pictures, though the images will be in black and white, and can be somewhat grainy compared to the glossy, magazine-style pictures we’ve come to expect from cookbooks.

Despite the drawbacks, these features add up to an incredible tool in the kitchen. There are almost 900 cookbooks currently listed on the Amazon site for use with the Kindle, including the more popular ones from Food Network celebrities and current diet fads. (Don’t worry – the Joy of Cooking is on there, too!) You can also put your favorite recipes into Word documents on your own computer and have them transferred to files that are compatible with the Kindle. It is a great way to organize your recipes so that they are all available at the touch of a button, and in one convenient location.

Using a Kindle in the Kitchen

Of course, like any electronic device, the Kindle is somewhat fragile. If you plan on using it in the kitchen, where food and liquids can threaten damages, you might want to consider a stand or even a protective cover that will keep it out of the heavy spill zone.

A Kindle provides a great way to streamline the way you cook and use recipes. If you have limited space to collect the cookbooks you want, are looking for a great organizational tool, or find great value in getting new recipes at the touch of a button, the Kindle could be right for you. And while that cake cools or your stew simmers, you can sit back, relax, and read the latest New York Times Bestseller.