Prob a stupid question but im a BBQ newbie. Just bought a BBQ in B&Q. I keep hearing about lava rocks but firstly im not sure what they are or where to put them and secondly, do you need them in order to operate a Gas BBQ. The guy in B&Q never mentioned anything. Can anyone help? Thanks
Lava rocks for BBQ
- Thread starter Sarah
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Actually the rocks or charcoal (where applicable) are what do the cooking. The gas just heats up the lava rocks.i THOUGHT THE GAS FLAME DID THE COOKING NOT ROCKS!
Thanks for the replies...i thought id ask here before i rang B&Q and sounded a bit stupid! Rang B&Q just there and was told that their BBQ's their stocking this year dont take lava rocks and they are not necessary as the food cooks perfectly without them and the lava rock is only for aroma! WOuld this be correct?
Thanks a mill by the way!
Thanks a mill by the way!
Got my charocoal BBQ in B&Q also after looking at gas. Yes, was told the same thing: their stock of Gas BBQ this year use 'diffuser plates' and that lava rock was only for aroma...
...didn't think it did either but that's certainly what the B&Q guy said
Mmmm, maybe, but there is a very stong aroma of bulls*** about it. Any geologists out there care to confirm what the guy in the orange apron says?
B&Q guy told me that lava rocks give that BBQ smell!!! Another daft question for ye...regarding the gas im supposed to use...B&Q wanted to sell me Propane gas(in a grey cylinder) for €70 which i didnt get and on the way home i stopped at the garage& seen the sold gas but it was bupane gas in the orange/yellow cylinders...i asked the store manager who told me that he uses that gas for his BBQ with no problems and have since heard other people agreeing that the gas you normally use for something like a superser fire is the same as the one for a BBQ but again the B&Q guy said "NO" it has to be patio gas sold in the grey cylinder they have! Any idea as to who is right or what gas i should use?
Read the instuctions of the BBQ, it most likely will only work with Propane gas. Make sure you have a regulator for propane. By the way a cylinder of propane is €61 in Woodies.
Don't take any chances with gas. Read the manual for the bbq - it will have clear instructions saying it will take butane only, propane only, or butane and propane. It will also give a pressure it accepts the gas at. Then go to any suitable shop and buy a suitable regulator, hose and cylinder.
Normally patio gas (the grey ones, can't remember if they are propane or butane) are only required for patio heaters. Everything else I have ever used was suitable for the yellow ones - this would include 5 or 6 bbqs and gas grills.
But, to be clear, read the manual and comply with the requirements.
The risk of using the wrong gas (apart from blowing up if something goes badly wrong) is primarily that the gas will burn at too high a heat and/or pressure and will either burn through your appliance (over time, obviously) or else shoot out jets of gas that go places they weren't supposed to.
Lava rocks and flavour - my understanding is that as grease/fat/gunk drips off whatever you are cooking it hits the rocks and what doesn't immediately burn off builds up over time. Next time you relight the bbq you get the aroma/flavour from the build-up. Whether this is a good thing or bad thing is up for discussion, but without any sort of 'flavour retention' all you will end up with is an upside down grill and not a bbq.
z
Normally patio gas (the grey ones, can't remember if they are propane or butane) are only required for patio heaters. Everything else I have ever used was suitable for the yellow ones - this would include 5 or 6 bbqs and gas grills.
But, to be clear, read the manual and comply with the requirements.
The risk of using the wrong gas (apart from blowing up if something goes badly wrong) is primarily that the gas will burn at too high a heat and/or pressure and will either burn through your appliance (over time, obviously) or else shoot out jets of gas that go places they weren't supposed to.
Lava rocks and flavour - my understanding is that as grease/fat/gunk drips off whatever you are cooking it hits the rocks and what doesn't immediately burn off builds up over time. Next time you relight the bbq you get the aroma/flavour from the build-up. Whether this is a good thing or bad thing is up for discussion, but without any sort of 'flavour retention' all you will end up with is an upside down grill and not a bbq.
z
Agree with Zag on the lava rocks (after extensive research (i.e. internet googling) before choosing gas or charcoal).
The charcoal and lava rocks work on the same principal. They both are heated up, either by gas in the case of lava rocks, or burning in the case of charcoal. The food is cooked over the heat, and when the fat/grease/marinade drips down onto the hot charcoal/lava rock, it burns and smokes. It is the smoke that gives the barbque flavour/taste. If you wish, you can buy wood (hickory) chips to put into the mix to give an added "smoked hickory" flavour when it burns.
I can only surmise that the diffuser plate replaces the lava with itself as a hot surface that cooks and burns off the fat/greaase/marinade.
The charcoal and lava rocks work on the same principal. They both are heated up, either by gas in the case of lava rocks, or burning in the case of charcoal. The food is cooked over the heat, and when the fat/grease/marinade drips down onto the hot charcoal/lava rock, it burns and smokes. It is the smoke that gives the barbque flavour/taste. If you wish, you can buy wood (hickory) chips to put into the mix to give an added "smoked hickory" flavour when it burns.
I can only surmise that the diffuser plate replaces the lava with itself as a hot surface that cooks and burns off the fat/greaase/marinade.
The new range of Webber barbecues that seems to be everywhere this year do not use coals of any sort, they are more of an outdoor grill really.
Regarding the coals, where they are required, you are better off to get ceramic coals rather than lava rocks. The main reason is that the lava rocks absorb all the fat and gradually get clogged up and pretty yucky, and should be replaced to keep the BBQ working properly. Ceramic coals aren't porous like the lava rocks so don't need to be replaced.
Sarah, what type of BBQ did you buy?
I would certainly agree with the sentiments above re the gas. If in doubt, contact the manufacturer directly about the gas requirements.
J2K
Regarding the coals, where they are required, you are better off to get ceramic coals rather than lava rocks. The main reason is that the lava rocks absorb all the fat and gradually get clogged up and pretty yucky, and should be replaced to keep the BBQ working properly. Ceramic coals aren't porous like the lava rocks so don't need to be replaced.
Sarah, what type of BBQ did you buy?
I would certainly agree with the sentiments above re the gas. If in doubt, contact the manufacturer directly about the gas requirements.
J2K
B&Q had 20% off all their gas BBQs for the bankholiday weekend. The inside of my old gas BBQ collapsed and I went over to buy a new one in the Liffey Valley branch. The BBQ I chose cost E300 and was reduces to E240 in the sale. However, I was also told that I had to use the grey cylinder with patio gas. Explained to the bloke that I had a yellow cylinder at home and could I not just change the nozzel. No I was told, you have to buy new ones, the grey cylinder with the patio gas had to be used. The yellow cylinders had a different type of gas which burnt too hot and would damage the BBQ as well as being dangerous.
I bought the grey calor cylinder reluctantly to go with the new BBQ. The cylinder cost E39.19 and a fill of gas cost E25.51 (looking at the receipt now). Not much of a saving there from the sale. We'll reduce something by E60 and then charge you an extra E60 odd euros for the accessories to make up for it. Thanks a bunch.
I took the BBQ and the new cylinder home and then began to wonder about buying a spare cylinder. No point in being 1/2 way through cooking something and running out of gas. I went to a local shop that I always used for buying gas and sure enough they had the new grey Calor gas cylinders as well as the old yellow ones. I asked how much the grey ones were. E25 if you had an old cylinder or E30 odd if you hadn't. No problem exchanging grey with yellow at all. a cylinder to them is a cylinder.
I went home and got my two old yellow cylinders and brough them round to the local shop and exchanged for two new full ones for E50 for the pair. I brought one of them back to B&Q and got a refund of E64.70.
In answer to another poster the BBQ doesn't smell as much as the old one with the lava rocks. Then again it doesn't smoke as much either maybe because it doesn't heat up as much. Food however tastes great.
Murt