Grilled Vegetables
How To Cook On A Gas Grill
When the warm weather comes, our thoughts turn to grilling. Outdoor cooking over a gas grill is a simple way to entertain or to come up with a tasty meal for your family. Gas grills are easy to light, preheat quickly, and provide even, predictable cooking temperatures, plus they are easy to clean. Just about any kind of meat can be cooked on a gas grill, as well as fish and vegetables, or even vegetable proteins like tofu and seitan. Let us take a look at how to make delicious meals using your gas grill.
The first part involves hooking up the gas. You will want to make sure that there is gas in the propane tank. Some will allow you to see this with a gauge. Others lack a gauge, so you will need to lift the tank and shake it slightly to see if it is full. Make sure that the valve on the tank is closed and all burner valves are off, and then attach the grill. Check for leaks by applying soap and water to connections and opening the valve. If you see bubbles, you have a leak.
If you think there is a leak, turn the gas off right away and call your manufacturer. Do not cook on a leaky grill. If everything is fine, you can light either the grill using a match or (if your grill has a spark igniter or Start knob) by simply turning it on. Turn burners to high and preheat the grill with the lid closed for a few minutes, then check the temperature.
The desired temperature should be about 500 degrees. Once that temperature has been attained, turn the burner you are planning to use to low and the others to medium. Place meat over the lower heat and close the lid for indirect cooking. For direct cooking, grill right over a higher heat.
Follow recipes if you have one on hand, but generally an inch thick steak needs about four minutes per side. Fresh grilled vegetables may be done in only a minute or two. Cooking times vary with the grill, and large items or bone in meat may cook unevenly. Consider poaching it in advance to ensure doneness and grill to add flavor...
Turn items on the grill using tongs instead of a fork to provide more stability and prevent leaking. Remember to cook fattier items over indirect heat to prevent flare-ups, while lean items can be cooked either directly or indirectly. Once you are done cooking, enjoying delicious grilled food, simply turn all the burners to high, and close the lid to burn all particles to charcoal. When the grill ceases to smoke, it is done with cleaning. Turn off burners, close the gas valve, and allow it to cool. Once the grill has cooled, you can clean it thoroughly with a brush and a dry cloth, and then put the grill away.
