Summer is fast approaching and the days are getting brighter so it’s time to dust down the barbecue and dig out the tongs. Read on for our top 5 mistakes to avoid when using your gas powered BBQ.

NOT CLEANING YOUR GRILL

Having a dirty grill can affect the taste, look and smell of your food. We know on top of the dishes it isn’t ideal to have the grill to clean as well however, it is important to do so.

Start to clean your grill once it is off and cooled down but not so much that any food stuck has begun to harden. Alternatively, you can clean any hardened food once it has Preheated before you have begun cooking. Both methods use a grill brush to scrape off and remove any food that has stuck.

NOT OILING YOUR GRILL

Some foods such as steaks won’t be a problem cooking on an un-oiled grill however, if you're cooking fish, vegetables, or fruit, rub a light coating of vegetable oil over the unlit grill with paper towels to help prevent the food from sticking.

NOT PRE-HEATING THE GRILL

It’s tempting to jump the gun and get cooking right away and although turning the gas on creates instant flames you need to wait till some of that heat transfers to the grates of the BBQ before you start chucking food on. Once you have turned on your grill, give it 10 to 15 minutes with the lid closed to heat up before cooking.

HAVING THE HEAT SPREAD EVENLY

There should be at least two levels of heat coming from your grill, the very hot portion for meats etc and a slightly cooler part for fish and vegetables or as a cooler place for anything that's flaring and burning over high heat to sit to avoid burning. With a gas grill, assuming that you have at least two burners, simply turn one to medium or low. 

NOT CHECKING YOUR PROPANE LEVELS

Running out of fuel halfway through cooking leaving loads of hungry guests to go refill your propane tank just sounds like a nightmare. Keep an extra bottle of fuel on hand so you never have to worry about it.

If you’ve got a gas Barbecue or patio heater in your garden, our 11kg Patio Gas is normally the ideal size. All our 11KG gas bottles have a 27mm valve, meaning they come ready to use with most barbecues and patio heaters, unlike standard propane bottles that require a new regulator to be fitted to your appliance.