Gas BBQ grill recommendations? (1 Viewer)

[Mike Frezon]

- like with everything grill-related, lots of practice is usually how you'll find the answer!

And the fun will be in the journey (as long as I don't burn things)...and keep the cooler handy!

 

[DaveF]

I used to have one of those vegetable grill bowls! It didn't survive the move to Virginia. And I didn't use it very much. I mostly grill Asparagus and Squashes and Corn, which I do directly on the grill.

 

[Mike Frezon]

And I didn't use it very much. I mostly grill Asparagus and Squashes and Corn, which I do directly on the grill.

That's just 'cuz they don't fall through the grill!

 

[ChristopherG]

I feel your pain....my Amazon wishlist is 4 pages long!

Mine is 20 pages long and was started in 2003. I suspect there is probably a lot of stuff that is no longer available, outdated or no longer wished for...

 

[DaveF]

My wish list is only about one page long...but I've got 20 different wishlists

 

[Mike Frezon]

Used the new veggie basket!

Here are the total of the instructions that came with it:

And here is the basket pre-heating!

And then, the results! Yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...

 

[DaveF]

Nice! Wish I could stop by for dinner!

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

I just made up kebabs with some bamboo skewers. Worked great and you get direct heat on the veggies.

 

[DaveF]

Now that the chilly, rainy spring has transmogrified into hot, sweaty summer I'm trying to grill more for dinner. Did some burgers last night. Lately, I've done "standard" burgers: 80/20 beef formed into patties, sprinkled with Kosher salt, and grilled aiming for Med-Rare. Last night I went back to how I used to do burgers, with flavorings mixed in: shredded aged cheddar, Kosher salt and garlic powder. They came out pretty well, but I continue to overcook quarter-pound patties. I do better with third-pound, but that's too much for a normal meal. I really need to cut my cook time down to about 6 min total for a 1/4-lb burger.

 

[atfree]

Now that the chilly, rainy spring has transmogrified into hot, sweaty summer I'm trying to grill more for dinner. Did some burgers last night. Lately, I've done "standard" burgers: 80/20 beef formed into patties, sprinkled with Kosher salt, and grilled aiming for Med-Rare. Last night I went back to how I used to do burgers, with flavorings mixed in: shredded aged cheddar, Kosher salt and garlic powder. They came out pretty well, but I continue to overcook quarter-pound patties. I do better with third-pound, but that's too much for a normal meal. I really need to cut my cook time down to about 6 min total for a 1/4-lb burger.

I lightly saute some minced garlic and very finely chopped onion til very lightly golden, then add to my ground beef before making my patties.

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

I grilled the ultimate cheapskate's dinner last night. I got corn on the cob 12 for $1.87 and a pair of lobster tails (today sell-by date) for $6.

Cut the tails in half and soak in garlic butter, then grill with corn. Eat with Sessions beer. Sessions is the budget brand of Full Sail.

 

[DaveF]

Nice! That's about enough to get me to drive over for dinner.

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

I finally bit the bullet and paid a plumber to install a natural gas line out to the patio.

The home builder cheaped out and installed a 1/2" line from the garage to the kitchen's stove and living room gas fireplace. With the BTU ratings tapped out, I had to pay to install a new 40 foot CSST 1/2" line from the garage to the patio. If you look on Lowes/Home Depot you will find that a coil of CSST to support that retails at about $150.

Materials cost was about $250 and total cost was a bit over $900 including all the extra "test" parts installation to support the permits and inspections. I was hoping to pay more in the $500-$600 range but life is like that. I'm getting older and it's more difficult to haul around propane tanks.

I'll convert the BBQ when the new orifices show up next week. I already have the hose and pipe fittings installed. The conversion to natural gas should be amortized in a few years, although now more years than I had planned. A 5 gallon propane tank here costs about $14 to refill, not including gasoline and hassle of driving down to Suburban Propane. The equivalent BTUs in home natural gas is almost nothing in comparison.

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

OK here's the calculations.

One therm = 100K BTUs.
Gallon of propane - 91K BTUs.

You can fill a propane tank with about 4.3 gallons, or 391K BTUs, for about $14.

That's 3.91 therms.

Here natural gas ends up being billed, net, at $0.71 per therm. So the equivalent tank full would be $2.77.

That's a huge savings. Propane is FIVE TIMES as expensive as delivered natural gas.

 

[DaveF]

I think you'll love. You're grilling so much, you'll really appreciate not running out and having to replace propane tanks.

It's a luxury, but I think it's luxury money well spent.

 

[Mike Frezon]

I think you'll love. You're grilling so much, you'll really appreciate not running out and having to replace propane tanks.

It's a luxury, but I think it's luxury money well spent.

Word.

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

Living where natural gas is not available must xxxx. Gas is just there 24/7 with no homeowner intervention, like electricity or the telephone. I can't imagine having to schedule delivery of "home heating oil" for your furnace.

It's really a luxury living in a new house with all underground utilities. No loss of electricity or cable no matter how many trees fall down in a storm.

I should have done this years ago. I'll probably convert the Camp Chef too so my outdoor kitchen will be more useful. It's good to be able to cook "messy" things out doors, such as deep frying or making a batch of paella.

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

I spent a lot of time looking for a cheap regulator for my conversion. Almost all gas BBQs are specified for 4 inches water column for natural gas. This Dormont unit is the best buy I've found. Output range 2.8-5.2 IWC with 3/8" pipe threads. It's only $22 at Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Dormont-RV47LNG-22-Regulator-Natural-Gas/dp/B00KBM3WHA

For the flex hose, the Char-Broil hose kit appears to be the cheapest at $40. Lowes sells it.

http://www.charbroil.com/quick-connect-hose-kit

 

[DaveF]

You're getting there! Nirvana is just steps away!

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

Dave, I just went back and read through this thread. Did your natural gas Weber come with an internal gas pressure regulator? I see you hooked it up with the flex line straight to your natural gas tap.