National Grilling Month

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In G&B Energy, Grilling, Propane
Tags G&B Energy, grilling, grilling safety tips, national grilling month, Propane, propane company, propane safety

By Carrie Gregory

July is National Grilling Month and represents the start of the grilling season for new and seasoned grillers across the country. Join us as we embark on the journey of grilling.

The History of Grilling

Grilling isn’t just about food – it’s about creating experiences, building outdoor spaces, and sharing the joy of a delicious meal with your family and friends.

Grilling goes way back in history – to the caveman era. However, backyard grilling became popular after WWII. Today grilling, in the US, has become more than a weekend hobby, with 18.2 million households grilling weekly.

The Art of Grilling

Grilling is one of the most exciting ways to cook. Whether you are using a gas or charcoal grill, grilling provides maximum flavor and optimal tenderness. Grilling is a dry heat cooking method using hot coals and flames to add flavor to meat and vegetables. Some areas of the United States refer to grilling as barbecuing.

When grilling, there are 3 different methods to choose from – direct, indirect, and smoking.
Let’s explore them.

Direct – The most popular grilling method where food is placed directly on a grill grate over hot coals and flames. Direct grilling is great for items that require shorter cooking times so there is no worrying about burning before being cooked through (ex. Burgers, steak, kabobs, foil packets).
Indirect – Similar to slow cooking; indirect grilling is convenient and requires little hands-on attention, but gives you maximum flavor with its lower temps and longer cook times. The grill is commonly prepared with coals or the gas burner on one side of the grill to develop a heat zone leaving a portion of the grill without direct heat..
Smoking – The method of using flavored wood chips, pellets or lump charcoal to develop flavor and as a heat source, Referred to by most as barbecue, this technique delivers richly-flavored, tender results. Smoking is best suited for large cuts of meats like pork butt, brisket, ribs, and roasts.

Grilling Fundamentals

Grilling has become popular because of its no-fuss clean up and it imparts that smoky, grilled flavor you cannot achieve with other cooking methods. Grilling isn’t just for professional experts. With the basic fundamentals any novice griller can achieve the perfect meal.

Prep – Before you start grilling, go ahead and pull the meat from the fridge, season well and then get started right away.
Fire Up The Grill – Make sure your grill is clean and ready to go. For kamado grills, open your top and bottom vent, clean out ash and refresh your lump charcoal. Use a quicklight stick or charcoal lighter. Do not use lighter fluid or compressed charcoal briquettes in your kamado style grill. For gas grills, turn on the gas tank valve, open the grill lid and start one burner at a time, leaving the lid open until all burners are lit.
Time To Grill – For direct grilling, you typically only need to flip the meat one time. Flame ups can happen when cooking burgers and steaks. If you experience flame ups, turn down the heat or move the meat to a cooler spot on the grill, to avoid burning the meat. Remember the internal temperature will continue to rise for a few minutes after removing from the grill. To accurately measure doneness, use an instant-read thermometer.
Resting Time – Allow the meat to rest before serving. For steaks and burgers, about 5 minutes is sufficient. Larger cuts and smoked meats need a minimum 15 minute rest before serving.
Serving – If you are planning on slicing the meat prior to service, be sure to cut across the grain to maximize tenderness. This is especially important with tougher beef cuts like sirloin, tri tip, picanha and london broil.

Grilling Safety Tips

General Safety

Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your grill and keep all written materials and manuals in a safe, accessible place.
Remember to tie long hair back and wear clothing that isn’t loose or flowing.
Use tongs or heat resistant gloves to light a grill, move charcoal or to open and close vents.
Never leave your grill unattended & never allow children to tamper or play with a grill.
Never use or install your grill indoors, on recreational vehicles, boats, enclosed porches, overhangs, or under combustibles.

Gas Grill Specific

Make sure the gas grill has been shut off and cooled down before covering your grill after each use.
When not in use, make sure all grill burner controls are turned off and that the valve on the cylinder is closed.
When your grill is not in use, cover disconnected hose-end fittings and burner air intakes with small plastic bags, or obtain protective fittings caps from your supplier to keep out dirt, insects, and moisture.

Kamado Grill Specific

When setting up your kamado charcoal grill, ensure that it is on a stable surface to prevent the unit from tipping over during use.
Light charcoal with a chimney starter on a non-flammable surface like a patio stone or use charcoal starters for lump charcoal grills. Never touch charcoal if you are unsure if it is lit or hot.
After cooking, close the vents at the bottom and top of the charcoal grill. This restricts the oxygen flow and chokes the fire.
Allow any unburned charcoal and hot ash to cool for at least 24 hours before disposing into a noncombustible container – like a stainless or aluminum bucket. Always store this bucket away from other combustibles.
Don’t forget to clean the ash and grease collector every 1-2 grilling sessions to avoid a grease fire.

Premium Grills

At G&B Energy, we take pride in selling you premium grills that are built to last and provide better flavor. We are authorized dealers for some of the best grills on the market. We invite you to visit one of our grill and hearth showrooms to learn more about the premium grills we offer.

We are G&B Energy!

Thank you for choosing G&B Energy, your local propane company.

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For any inquiries, please contact:

G&B Energy
855-LPG-PROS (855-574-7767)
gbenergy.com
facebook.com/gbenergy

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