How To Use Ceramic Briquettes For Gas Grills

How to use ceramic briquettes for gas grills
Written By: Kathy Jeffery
Date Published: March 22, 2022

Do you have a gas grill and are tired of cooking on it as this grill doesn’t give you the same taste like a charcoal grill? Or do you want to cook the food on your gas grill with a smoky flavor? Then the best possible solution for your problem is Ceramic Briquettes. Now, you already know about these Briquettes but still don’t know How To Use Ceramic Briquettes For Gas Grills? No problem here, we are going to tell you every detail of using briquettes on your gas grill with all the safety measures, advantages, and disadvantages of using it.

Guide On How To Use Ceramic Briquettes For Gas Grills

How to use ceramic briquettes for gas grills
How to use ceramic briquettes for gas grills

The first thing you need to know is, Ceramic Barbecue Briquettes provide the grill with a smoky flavor but like wood pellets, they also come in different flavors such as hickory, cherry, pecan, mesquite, apple, and oak. Choose the flavor according to your cooking as this flavor is imparted to your food while cooking.

If you want to use them on a gas grill but don’t have one check out Best Gas Grills Under 500.

Here are some tools you should know about as you'll need these tools while using the grill. These tools and elements are necessary for cooking as these ensure the safety and proper use of these on a gas grill. These required tools are:

  • Ceramic Briquettes are the first thing you’ll need to choose the flavor according to your taste. 
  • Gas Grill for cooking.
  • For igniting your grill, you’ll need a long-handled lighter to save yourself from sudden burning.
  • Aluminum foil if you want quick cooking as it prevents heat loss. 

Steps For Using Ceramic Briquettes

This is a step-by-step guide on How to use ceramic briquettes. Follow every step carefully and correctly to avoid destroying the taste of food or any health risk. These steps are:

  • First of all, Open the lid of your gas grill and remove the grill grate present inside it.
  • Clean the remains of the latest cooking and use a brush for extra cleaning to avoid Flare Ups.
  • Place aluminum foil in the bowl of the gas grill(only if available). As it prevents heat loss.
  • Now place the ceramic tiles just above the burners and distribute them evenly. Some grills also have a built-in Briquettes tray to make it easier for you to use them.
  • Now place the grill back and light it using a long-handled lighter and wait for the ceramics to heat up.
  • When the ceramics get red hot, It is time to start cooking as it has just started to produce delightful flavor and you want to impart it to your food. 

How To Clean Ceramic Briquettes

Cleaning them is not a lengthy process and does not require much labor. It is simple but important as if you do not clean them they’ll cause flare ups and will produce smoke with a bad smell. So, here is the complete guide on How To Clean Ceramic Briquettes don’t miss any step to assure proper cleaning

  • After cooking, put the briquettes upside down on the flame of the burner.
  • Put the lid down and let them heat for 15-25 minutes.
  • After the mentioned time take the briquettes out of the flame and let them cool down.
  • Clean them with water or vinegar(recommended) if any debris remains on the surface due to the drippings of the food. 

Advantages Of Using Ceramic Briquettes

There are many advantages of using them on a gas smoker as it provides you with more flavorful food than charcoal grill or charcoal briquettes. Here are some of the advantages of using them:

  • They can be used for more than 4 years, unlike charcoal briquettes that don’t last for even more than a year.
  • They even offer you different flavors such as hickory, cherry, pecan, mesquite, apple, and oak.
  • They provide even heat to the food and do not form any hot or cold spots.
  • They are capable of increasing the temperature range achieved by the grill.
  • They can also make the BBQ grill fuel-efficient as you can still cook on it while the grill is off as they cool down after some time. 

Disadvantages Of Using Ceramic Briquettes

Besides advantages, it also has disadvantages that are a must to mention to help you better understand the use of it. They only show you these drawbacks when they are near the end. These weaknesses are:

  • Once they have crossed their burning limit, They can cause flare ups.
  • They’ll produce bad smoke when they are near the end. 
  • They can form hot or cold spots when they have ended their capacity.
  • It is very difficult to clean them when you’ve used them out of their limit. 

But all these drawbacks are due to the reason that they have reached their burning limit and there’s a need to change them and bring a new set of briquettes. 

If you want to read a detailed comparison between infrared grill vs gas grill check this detailed article.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do ceramic briquettes take to heat up?

It will only take 15-20 minutes to heat them completely. Make sure to turn them upside down when one side has turned red hot. It is easy to use but make sure to read the user manual before using them. If you have a special briquette tray then it’ll even take less time to heat them.

What is the difference between lava rocks and ceramic briquettes?

There is a huge difference between briquettes and lava rocks as they have a longer lifespan than lava rocks. Although lava rocks are natural products, they need to be changed after every season or two. But they can be used for more than 4 years and provide you food with the same juicier and smokier taste. So these are better than any other charcoal briquettes or lava rocks.

Do gas barbecues need charcoal?

No, Gas Barbecues are not created for using charcoal as they are designed to achieve your required temperature precisely without the help of an external agent such as charcoal. But some still use lava rocks to provide even heat and cook their food quickly which is an unsafe method of cooking because it can cause risk of fire and health hazards.

Conclusion

Using Ceramics on your gas grill has many advantages but only if you know How To Use Ceramics Briquettes For Gas Grills. These are easy to use and can be used to get a great smoky taste on a simple non-smoker griddle. But remember to use them safely as they can cause fire risks and health risks if not used properly. They can also destroy the taste of your food if not used well. After reading all this you can use Ceramics on gas grills safely and correctly.

Article written by Kathy Jeffery
Kathy learned to cook early on in life because she had to feed the ranch hands! Kathy is a mama of 2 boys and dreams of having a vegetable garden one day.

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