Barbequeing with natural gas?

[Gregory of Sherwood Forest]

In rehabbing out back porch, I found an NG line that was cut and capped. There was also a hole in the porch, but was filled at some point.

I've never cooked with NG, just LP. Is there any difference in taste? I wouldn't mind not having to refill LP bottles.

For the purists, I also grill the better meats over coals. This is for the quick and dirty and wrapped items.

Opinions? Recommendations?

Thanks.

[fredhargis]

None whatsoever. When we lived in Olathe we had our grill hook to nat gas, the ultimate in convenience. You will have to change to orifices on the burners, If I had the option, I'd change in a heartbeat. You can get a kit (HD, maybe) that has a 10' flex hose to connect the grill to the line, giving you some mobility with it. Word of caution, critter like to chew the cover off the SS hose, then it leaks....so if you choose it, watch for chipmunks, squirrels, whatever. I think it my case it was one of those 2 creatures.

[pprobus]

fredhargis said:

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None whatsoever. When we lived in Olathe we had our grill hook to nat gas, the ultimate in convenience. You will have to change to orifices on the burners, If I had the option, I'd change in a heartbeat. You can get a kit (HD, maybe) that has a 10' flex hose to connect the grill to the line, giving you some mobility with it. Word of caution, critter like to chew the cover off the SS hose, then it leaks....so if you choose it, watch for chipmunks, squirrels, whatever. I think it my case it was one of those 2 creatures.

---

+1

My sister and BIL have had a nat. gas grill for 20+ years. Every time I have eaten grilled food at their house, it tastes no different than food grilled on my propane grill. As a matter of fact, their current grill is the same exact grill as my wife and I have (obviously they had to have theirs converted to nat gas), I think we even bought it the same year. Had to spend quite a bit of time there last summer because mom passed, and we mostly ended up grilling something, no difference in taste.

Speaking of coals, seriously thinking of getting one of those Big Green Egg "clones".

Paul

[Cooler]

Burn temperatures are not the same. This from Wiki:

Charcoal...750 to 1,200 degrees F.
Natural gas...900 to 1,200 degrees F.
Propane...1,200 to 1,700 degrees F.

Temperature required to cremate your mother-in-law: 1,400 to 1,800 degrees F.

If you want to add some real smokiness to your foods: http://www.nakedwhiz.com/lumpindexpage.htm?bag

[WaterlooMarc]

Maybe I'm mistaken but I thought that was the reason the burners have to be replaced with larger orifices...to account for the lower burn temperatures?

[Wizard of Oz]

Natural Gas has a much lower pressure, than Propane.

[pprobus]

Cooler said:

---

Burn temperatures are not the same. This from Wiki:

Charcoal...750 to 1,200 degrees F.
Natural gas...900 to 1,200 degrees F.
Propane...1,200 to 1,700 degrees F.

Temperature required to cremate your mother-in-law: 1,400 to 1,800 degrees F.

If you want to add some real smokiness to your foods: http://www.nakedwhiz.com/lumpindexpage.htm?bag

---

LOL, it was not MIL, it was mom and we did not have to grill her, she'd already had the burial arrangements made.

Paul

[BrentDH]

I have used the same grill with both NG and propane. (Obviously with the orifices changed between the two fuels.) I started with the NG and thought all was good until I moved out of town and had to switch it over to propane. Propane is A LOT HOTTER. The continuous supply of NG was convenient, but I personally would not run a grill off of natural gas again.

Another con for NG: You also run the risk of a valve not closing and leaking from your continuous supply of NG. If a valve on a propane version leaks, you are out 30 bucks - who knows what it might cost on NG since you wouldn't even know it was leaking until you got the bill.

[woodhead]

My grilling season is shorter than those who use Propane. When it gets below 50, that is pushing the NG grill I own. Still love the fact that I don't have to cart those tanks to be refilled.

Al

[Gregory of Sherwood Forest]

Thank you all, I think I'm going to do it. I rarely need the full heat of propane anyway, but I can't count the number of times that LOML or I have forgotten to refill the propane after using it all. The kit to make the changes to the grill also help, from what I've heard.