From the article: Converting a Gas Grill to Lava Rocks
Have you converted your gas grill to use lava rock, ceramic briquettes or some other heat medium? There are people who say that without something to hold heat and burn off the drippings, that a gas grill can't produce flavorful food. Since gas grills are not made with lava rocks these days, many people have taken to modifying their grills to get this feature back. How have you modified your gas grill? Share your modifications
modified gas grill
- I replaced the lava rocks on a table top grill with a piece of fiber cement board. I drilled vent holes in it. Seems to work ok. I cooked some chicken on it today. It is eazy to scrap the drippings off the board. I don't know yet if too much heat is trapped under the board
- —handyman54
Amazon
- Amazon carries rock grates and ceramic tiles of various sizes to fit most grills
- —Guest Rich
Gas Grill Gasket
- I have modified two Weber Genesis grills (the previous model E-310 and the currrent EP-330) with woodstove gasket around the front and sides using high heat adhesive (not low heat woodstove adhesive) . Since I almost always grill with wood chunks in a smoke box set below the grates on the flavorizer bars, this mod forces most the smoke out the rear vent gap providing a much improved smoke flavor.
- —Guest richlife
Lava rocks vs Ceramic
- I like the ceramic best they don't fill up with grease and other stuff like the pourous lava rocks do
- —Guest ric
Modify gas grill
- I lucked out and found one bag of ceramic briquets at Lowes for $0.45. I then went to a loval metal shop and bought a piece of expanded metal in the measurements of the space. Fits beautiful. Am now heating new briguets to season them. Maybe I can get back to using my grill again.
- —Guest clhoward
flame to food bad taste
- We just got a gas grill. Propane flame to the food really made the food taste bad. This article tells me what I need to do. Deflector tents are getting removed. Lava rocks going in. Heat up the rocks then turn off the flame then cook. Cant believe anyone would put a steak over a direct flame like that. The fumes go right onto the food. Yuk
- —Guest Russ
Grillputz
- Made a two burner out of a Q220. The center burner serves to slow roast or add to the outer normal burner. Bought a replacement controller for a Q300/320 (with knobs) and made a bracket of 1/8" x 2" alum. bar. Center burner cut from old 220 burner and brazed where needed. Center burner needed smaller orifice (.025") to work (made myself with 5/16 brass hex stock - 1/4-32 thread) This grill (Weber Q220) is perfect sized - did not want a larger grill so modified to suit - works super great!
- —Guest BillyBob
Lava Rocks on Gas Grill
- Although Great Mountain stated no lava rocks are needed in their gas grills, I use them. I really need to place a wire grill under the rocks, but haven't yet. Great Mountain has brass burners that has a small ledge above the burner holes. I just place rocks on top of and around the burners. Works well!
- —Guest sailor4you
Converted gas grill
- Sure have converted. Used to have lava rock on a flame tamer. That kept rusting out & needed regular replacement. Eventually had to replace the whole BBQ & bought one with ceramic briquettes in a frame. The ceramic burns the drippings completely away & I think, gives more flavour in doing so. Better than lava rock. Rock tends to retain the burnt drippings.
- —Guest Barry Oliver
BBQ with ceramic briquettes
- I bought a bbq that came with ceramic briquettes - the Broilmaster P3. It was hard to find, as almost all bbq's now come with the metal bars. Makes all the difference - although it takes much longer to heat up - it also keeps the heat in. Most restaurants use ceramic briquettes of some sort on their grills. It's the only way to go for flavor and to get a bit of char. The metal bars have eliminated flare ups, but also any flavor, and you can't char anything on them.
- —Jeffthechef1
KentLPhilli
- Added an upper level grill to my weber gas grill. Also, I use a smoker box to get a wonderful smoke flavor.
- —Guest KentLPhilli
Converted Gas Grill
- I recently converted my Jen-Aire gas grill to ceramic briquettes to provide more direct heat and flavor. Bought expandable grill grates, remove the heat deflectors and place the briquetts on the new grate. I only did 2 burners to start, but I'm going to do the entire 5 burners. It has given a better flavor to the food I grill, especially putting a crust on a steak. Got the parts at Home Depot
- —Guest Mike Hedulnd
Grill Modification
- I developed a way to smoke food using my gas grill and am able to impart a delectable flavor to all foods. I can get up to an hour of good smoking if I need it. I can cook with the gas and have smoke too.
- —Guest C Varga
gas grill mods
- I wasen,t getting the heat higher than 350 degrees, so I sheet metalled the back side to prevent the heat from escaping. I now get it up to an easy 425 degrees. I also got tired of buying propane when natural gas is so cheap and availlable, so I bought a natural gas bar b q . You don,t even notice the difference on your gas bill, and we bar b q all year long even through the winters
- —Guest william Balacko
Closing the gap
- I have a Char-Broil "Commercial" and it has a HUGE air gap at the back.I bought some sheet metal and closed most of the gap. Then I replaced their grates with GrillGrates (TM). The combo has really amped up the temp and the ability to hold smoke.
- —Guest Meathead
Haven't tried this yet
- I haven't tried this, but am interested in learning more. I just ordered a replacement for my Kenmore Elite and got a Weber Summit 670. I wonder if the flavorizer bars accomplish the same thing?
- —gtrichm
Modify Gas Grill
- Bought my first gas grill in 1975, equipped with ceramic briquets. I was so impressed that I immediately bought a second set of these ceramic briquets! Don't use dirty Lava rocks; use clean ceramic briquets. Simply turn them over before each use to a clean surface ready for grillin'.
- —Guest JimmyBoyFlorida
