Portable Propane Gas Grill
Outdoor cooking with a portable propane gas grill, should always be kept out-of-doors. Sometimes propane gas grills are used in a garage, but this isn’t a very safe practice. Portable propane gas grills should be set-up in a well-ventilated place on a driveway, a patio or other non-flammable surface, well away from any buildings. It goes without saying that you should always read and follow the instructions supplied by the portable propane gas grill manufacturer, to keep you safe when using their product. The three stages of safely using a portable propane gas grill are: lighting the grill, cooking (grilling) and the closedown process.
Lighting Portable Propane Gas Grills
Igniting a propane gas grill is quite a simple operation, but there is a correct way to do it which should be adhered to each time you use the gas grill. Some gas grills have an automatic ignition and others need to be lit manually. However, you should always follow the procedure set out below to make sure that you do not get a flash fire or an explosive ignition of collected propane vapor. Before using your portable propane gas grill, always read through the manufacturer’s instructions carefully. The instructions written by the manufacturer always supercede any other information you may read here or in any other place.
1) The burner control knobs should be set in the closed “off” position.
2) First of all, open the propane gas grill lid (cover). This is important so that no gas vapors escape into a closed area, when the gas flow begins.
3) Slowly open the propane cylinder valve, to begin the gas flow. The burner knobs should be closed, until you have opened the service valve on the propane bottle.
4) Start the ignition source and open the burner knobs nearest to the ignition source. This means that if the source of ignition is on the left side of the grill, do not begin ignition with just the far right burner open. If lighting the grill manually, make sure that the flame is next to the burner that is producing the gas flow.
5) You can now open the other burners in order, starting with the burners nearest to the burner that is already lit. You are now ready to begin your propane gas grilling.
Propane Gas Grilling
Portable propane gas grilling usually has one individual who is responsible for producing a tasty meal and this person is also responsible for the safe operation of the propane grill. The lid can be shut after the grill has been ignited and the burners are operating. Let the grill heat up before you start placing food on it, as this will burn off any grease left over from the last time you used it. Keep a close eye on the grill, as fatty foods sometimes cause a flare-up when cooking and – it stops you from burning your meal!
Here are some more safety tips for when you are using a portable propane gas grill:
- Make sure that children and pets are kept away from the grill.
- Make sure that the gas cylinder is well-secured to prevent it from falling over accidentally.
- Cylinders which have condensation or frost on the side, show the liquid propane level. This is normal.