The start of summer (kind of) has us thinking about being outside, spending languid afternoons in the garden, and grilling juicy steaks. You probably need a new gas bottle whether you have bought a new gas BBQ or are taking your old one out of storage. But which gas is best for your barbecue? And where may one purchase it? Discover the responses to these and more questions by continuing to read.
A gas BBQ warms up quickly, has little to no setup, and does not need to be cleaned of ash. Although made for propane, gas BBQ grills can be simply adapted to use natural gas. Also known as BBQ gas or patio gas, gas for a barbecue (propane gas or butane gas). Both propane and butane are offered for sale as barbecue gas, and both are equally effective. The most popular type of barbecue grill for homes is a gas grill. They are fueled by LPG barbecue gas bottles or a connection to the house’s natural gas supply.
BBQ
Barbeque or barbecue is a phrase used with considerable regional and national variations to describe a variety of cooking methods that employ live fire and smoke to cook the food. It is known as BBQ informally in the UK, US, and Canada, barbie in Australia, and braai in South Africa.
The phrase is also typically used to describe the tools used in conjunction with those techniques, the wider cuisines that these techniques result in, and the meals or events where this kind of food is prepared and served. Although there are many different grilling cooking techniques, outdoor cooking accounts for the majority of them.
Broadly speaking, direct and indirect heating techniques can be used to categorize the numerous regional variations of barbecue. North American cuisine is often linked with indirect barbecues, which cook meat by roasting or smoking it over wood or charcoal.
These barbecue techniques use smoke to cook food at low temperatures and for extended periods of time (several hours). Barbecuing is most frequently used to refer to grilling food over hot coals or gas, which applies heat more directly. For a few minutes, this procedure is typically performed over direct, dry heat or hot fire. Additional national and regional distinctions can be found within these more general classifications.
What Gas for BBQ?
Gas Liquefied petroleum gas, which is a form of gas, is used for BBQs (LPG). Butane and propane are the two different forms of LPG. Because butane gas is kept in blue cylinders and propane gas is kept in red cylinders, it is easy to distinguish between the two forms of gas. Despite the fact that patio gas is occasionally offered as propane in tiny green bottles.
Butane and Propane Gas
Isn’t gas just gas? Nope! The distinction between butane and propane gas is substantial.
- Camping, single burner cooking equipment, and portable heaters for indoor usage are the principal uses for butane gas. With a boiling point of -2oC, butane is often more affordable than propane.
- The primary uses of propane gas are for large appliances and commercial heating (such as heating and cooking in catering vans or on BBQs). Since propane has a boiling point of -42 degrees Celsius, it can be used year-round. If you want to utilize your grill or other devices in really cold weather, propane is the best fuel.
- On a BBQ, either sort of gas can be utilized, but propane is frequently the preferred option.
- Beyond these distinctions, there are various benefits to each type of gas which we have detailed below.
What are the Benefits of Using Butane Gas for BBQs?
Butane gas has a number of benefits when using it with a gas BBQ. These benefits include:
- Efficiency in warm weather –Butane gas is a very effective fuel source for BBQs when the weather is warm (warm weather is the best, right?). On the other hand, butane won’t flow properly in cold temps if you want to cook outside during the winter.
- Low toxicity – Because butane burns so cleanly, it is the ideal fuel source if you want to choose one that has no negative influence on the environment.
- Quick and effective burn – With butane, getting it lighted and burning doesn’t require a time-consuming operation. If you want to start cooking as soon as possible, pick butane gas as your fuel source because it ignites instantaneously and reaches its maximum heat output practically immediately.
- Cost-effective – When it comes to BBQ gas, butane is typically the less expensive alternative; therefore, if you’re trying to save money, butane should be your fuel of choice.
- Energy-Efficient – Butane is far superior to propane if you’re seeking a fuel source that will provide you with the most heat for your money. For the same amount of gas burned, butane typically provides 12 percent more energy than propane. So, if you frequently use a BBQ, stock up on butane gas!
- Easy to use – It’s really simple to use butane gas. All you have to do to get going is connect the gas bottle to your BBQ, let the gas flow through to the device, and then turn on the ignition. Easy!
What are the Benefits of Using Propane Gas for BBQs?
Using propane gas with your BBQ has a number of additional advantages. These advantages consist of:
- All-year-round operation – Perhaps the largest advantage of propane gas is that it can be used year-round without experiencing any issues. That is as a result of its boiling point being -42 C. This implies that if you frequently grill, propane can keep you cooking even through the worst of the winter!
- Instant and efficient burn – Propane gas begins to act just as rapidly as butane. Propane ignites fast and quickly reaches its peak heat output. Propane is a great option if you want a quick, practical, and simple way to cook on your gas BBQ.
- Ease of use – Again, propane gas is a simple fuel to use, just like butane. You just need to connect the gas bottle to your BBQ, let the gas get to the device, and turn on the ignition to start cooking with gas!
- Taste –Some people contend that food cooked on butane-fueled BBQs doesn’t taste as well as food cooked on propane-fueled BBQs, which is a slightly odder benefit. Since everyone has different tastes, we’ll let you make your own decision.
What Type of the Gas Bottle Should I Use with My BBQ?
You must choose the type of gas you should use for your BBQ in addition to the type of gas bottle you should use. For usage with your BBQ, there are numerous different kinds of gas bottles available.
Patio Gas Bottles
Small “patio bottles” of gas are readily accessible. These were created especially for use with outdoor equipment like BBQs. Propane gas is typically used to fill patio gas bottles.
Additionally, they are made to work with regulators, which will be discussed in more detail later, making it simple to attach the gas bottle to your barbecue. Some patio gas brands also have an indicator on the side of the bottle that lets you know how much gas is left inside.
Compared to other types of gas bottles, patio gas bottles are typically smaller. 5 kg patio gas bottles are available for purchase and can be stored within or beneath your barbecue. Patio gas bottles up to 13kg in size are available if you need a little bit more gas.
Some patio gas bottles might be green instead of the red or blue mentioned above. As opposed to the screw-on regulators used by other types of propane gas bottles/cylinders, green patio gas bottles will employ a clip-on regulator.
Propane Gas Cylinders
You may have noticed these larger gas bottles on industrial estates. These larger gas bottles, which range in size from 3.9 kilograms to gigantic 47-kilogram cylinders, are used to store propane rather than butane.
For usage with BBQs, large propane gas cylinders are often not advised. You would need to utilize a screw-on high-pressure adjustable propane regulator if you wanted to use one of these cylinders with your barbecue.
How Much Gas do I Need for My BBQ?
It can be challenging to determine how much gas your BBQ will use. You definitely don’t want to run out of ingredients in the middle of preparing a meal for friends and family.
Depending on how many burners your BBQ has, you will require a certain amount of gas. A 5kg patio gas bottle should work nicely if your barbecue is normal size and has one to three burners.
However, it is advised that you purchase at least a 13kg bottle if your BBQ is larger and has four or more burners. Larger gas BBQs can be fairly “hungry,” especially if you use them frequently, so having at least one bottle in addition to the one connected to the BBQ can make sense.
Why do I Need a Gas Regulator for My BBQ?
The purpose of gas regulators is to keep you safe. The gas flow to your BBQ from the bottle through the hose is regulated by a regulator. Without a regulator, there is a chance that you could accidentally allow too much gas to flow into your BBQ at once.
However, there is one restriction on this. If you have a high-pressure barbecue grill, you won’t need to utilize a regulator. This is so that the BBQ can use a threaded connection to attach directly to the gas bottle. High-Pressure BBQs don’t need a gas regulator because they are made to handle a significantly higher gas flow.
Conclusion
The use of gas for a BBQ is widespread, with various uses that are unrelated to grilling and patio use. The requirement for a compact and/or portable fuel source unites them all. Gas BBQs, patio heaters, pizza ovens, smokers, spit roasters, outdoor fire pits, gas lights, mosquito traps, and caravans are just a few examples of common home uses.
Outboard motors, lawnmowers, bird scaring canons, and other somewhat strange items are among them. Small gas bottles have a variety of industrial uses, such as floor polishers, blow torches, soldering, industrial burners, melting and molding jewelry, small kilns, flame weeders, and floor sanitizers for livestock enclosures, and other things. People use BBQ gas, also known as patio gas, for generators, cooking, hot water, heating, and other purposes during big calamities like floods, cyclones, earthquakes, and other natural disasters.
