A bbq mod....

[foodpump]

Now that fall is here and backyard bbq-ing is pretty much done, I finally got myself a little tabletop gas bbq that will fit on our balcony. It’s a cheapy $140 from home despot, but it is actually well built and came with fittings for a regular 20 lb propane tank.

One of the biggest problems with any gas bbq is flare ups, and this one is no different. Mine came with S/S “flame tamers”, basically a sheet stainless tent that covers the burners. Fats and oils drip onto this and immediately ignite.

So this is what I did:

 

[Iceman]

I've been using the same $107/otd. gas grill for over 25 years. It's the base-model "Char-Broil". I love the ever-loving bageebies outta it. As for your "flare ups". ... I use a cast grill plate. NEVER had any problems ever.​

** I did also however, remove everything in-between the flames and grill plate.

​

 

[brianshaw]

I don’t want to appear stupid, but what is that which you did? I suffer flare-ups and cremated chicken way too often on my gas grill.

 

[foodpump]

I used bbq grill stones.
Normally on most bbqs and grills you lay a grid over the burners and place these cheap ceramic tiles on the grid. You can also use “lava rock”. When fat/oil hits the ceramic material it won’t ignite like it does when it hits hot metal.

On my cheapie suitcase bbq I didn’t have enough room for a grid plus the tiles underneath the actual cooking grid. So I drilled holes in the tiles and in the S/S burner covers and pop riveted the tiles to the covers, this still allows me almost 3/4” of clearance underneath the actual cooking grid.

Not only does this dramatically reduce flare ups, it also evens out the heat, and since tiles are riveted on, I can pick up the bbq and store it without all the tiles shifting about.

 

[redbeerd cantu]

I've been using the same $107/otd. gas grill for over 25 years. It's the base-model "Char-Broil". I love the ever-loving bageebies outta it. As for your "flare ups". ... I use a cast grill plate. NEVER had any problems ever.​

** I did also however, remove everything in-between the flames and grill plate.

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How do you place the grill and griddle? Right on the original grill grates? Don't u end up just cast-ironing?

 

[Iceman]

YES. ​

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I took out the "deflector pan/cover/trays" whatever you want to call them off the top of the burners. ... Then I just lay the grill plate right on the grate. The flames come up from the burners to the grill plate. ... It works like a charm.​

 

[toxicant]

I have an older Webber and got tired of replacing rusted out flavorizer bars. They are almost right angle pieces of steel that are placed under the grilling rack, one short layer front to back and another layer side to side.

I went to a stone counter top company and in their scrap pile out back there were piles of cut offs about an inch and a half or so wide of all different lengths. I grabbed a bunch of them and cut them into the two different lengths and problem solved.

They don't rust out, there are no more flareups and they hold the heat better then the original steel.

 

[redbeerd cantu]

I have an older Webber and got tired of replacing rusted out flavorizer bars. They are almost right angle pieces of steel that are placed under the grilling rack, one short layer front to back and another layer side to side.

I went to a stone counter top company and in their scrap pile out back there were piles of cut offs about an inch and a half or so wide of all different lengths. I grabbed a bunch of them and cut them into the two different lengths and problem solved.

They don't rust out, there are no more flareups and they hold the heat better then the original steel.

You cook on granite slabs in the grill?