How to Cook With Lava Rocks
Lava rocks are the heating elements used over a propane burner on a gas grill to cook food outdoors. The rocks are porous, long-lasting, and absorb and distribute heat evenly. Follow these steps and use a little care when cooking with lava rocks so your food will taste better and you won't need to replace the rocks as often. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Gas grill
- Lava rocks
- Filled propane tank
- Food for grilling
- Grilling utensils
Instructions
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1
Place lava rocks on the grate over the grill burner only one layer deep. Do not stack lava rocks on top of each other.
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2
Turn on your grill with the igniter switch or use a safety lighter and preheat the grill by closing the cover for about 10 minutes. This gets the rocks hot enough for cooking and also burns off any grease or food residue left from the last time you grilled.
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3
Place the food on the grill and cook according to your recipe.
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4
Remove your cooked food and adjust the burners to high, allowing the lava rocks to heat up and burn off any grease for about five minutes.
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5
When the grill is cooled, occasionally turn over the lava rocks so a different area of the surface is exposed to the direct flames of the burner. This helps the rocks wear more evenly.
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6
Replace the lava rocks with a fresh bag (available at hardware and large department stores) when the rocks begin to crumble, are completely charred and black, or begin to emit unpleasant food odors.
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Tips & Warnings
Chicken is very difficult to cook on a gas grill because of the high fat quantity dripping on the lava rocks, which causes flareups. Keeping the lid and vents closed will help prevent a grease fire.
Never leave a grill unattended. Keep children away from the grill while igniting and cooking.
