What are BBQ Lava Rocks? Guide to Using Lava Rocks
Using lava rocks over fire is one of the oldest cooking methods, and even with the advances in technology, Lava rocks haven’t become irrelevant. You can still find lava rocks used with gas BBQ grills since they help add a scrumptious flavor to your food.
In this post, we’re going to see what makes BBQ Lava rocks unique, find out the correct way to use and clean lava rocks, look at viable alternatives, and answer some of the common questions about Lava rocks.Â
Let’s get started!
What Are BBQ Lava Rocks?
Barbecue Lava Rocks are porous rocks of cooled lava taken directly from a volcanic site. These rocks are excellent at retaining heat and can ensure stable and high temperatures that are difficult to maintain in ordinary gas grills.Â
Lava rocks were a necessity until a few years ago since gas grills and smokers weren’t as good at retaining heat. Gas grills are easy to use and have the easiest clean-ups, but getting that smoky, charry flavor could be difficult. However, lava rocks have many other benefits, which is why they are used even today.
Looking for BBQ Lava Rocks?
Check out our Recommended Lava Rocks.
What are the Benefits of Using Lava Rocks?
If you are looking for a quick upgrade to your gas grill, lava rocks may be just the thing you are looking for. Despite the advances in technology, lava rocks are still used today. Lava rocks are good for BBQ because of the following reasons:
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Better Heat Retention
Lava rocks just happen to be very porous. Since every Lava rock was once part of an active volcano, it must go through a cooling process before we can use it. During this cooling process, the gas bubbles trapped in the lava cause the rock’s surface to become porous.Â
This makes grilling more efficient since the empty spaces allow the rock to hold heat better. This ensures steady, uniform heat throughout the grill. Another plus is that when the delicious fat or juices drip onto these rocks, it gets vaporized, releasing the aromatic flavors and infusing flavor back into your food.
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Less Energy Consumption
Without lava rocks, gas grills must be operated on low heat to avoid burning food. While the grill is on low heat, it simultaneously radiates a lot of heat to the surroundings. This makes gas grilling take a long time and therefore consume a lot of fuel. Â
When using lava rocks, you can turn up the heat while the rocks absorb and evenly distribute heat across the grill. This leads to faster cooking times and therefore reduces the amount of gas consumed.Â
As a bonus, the lava rocks continue to radiate heat for some time after the gas is turned off. This heat can be used to finish off the meat or simply keep the food warm until you’re done praying for it.
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Grill Hygiene
Since lava rocks are porous, they absorb the food drippings, fats, and juices, leaving you with little to no grease at the bottom of your grill. This reduces the effort required for cleaning your grill, resulting in an effortless grilling experience.Â
However, you still need to clean the lava rocks. If they are too dirty, the oils and fat can seep through, which can cause flare-ups.
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Economical
Lava rocks are very durable and can, therefore, be used repeatedly. With the right care, they can last you for years together. They are suitable for grilling as long as they maintain their porosity.Â
Once the grease begins to clog up the holes, it is time to get new lava rocks. This is because the rocks stop absorbing food drippings, and the drippings reach the burner and cause flare-ups. However, you can still clean these rocks and use them in your garden for landscaping.
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Environment Friendly
Not only is grilling with lava rocks economically sound, but it’s also great for the environment. Since lava rocks are organic, they don’t pollute the environment when they have to be disposed of.
Fun fact:Â
Lava rocks have other uses too. They are used in garden landscaping, filtration systems, and jewelry, but my favorite is when it is used for barbecue. You can take the lava rocks that you use in your landscaping décor, and they work just as well on the grill!
How to Use BBQ Lava Rocks?
What good are all the benefits of Lava rocks if using it is not easy. Luckily, using lava rocks isn’t rocket science. You can get grilling with lava rocks in no time by following these steps:
Buy the Right EquipmentÂ
For grilling with Lava rocks, you will need to purchase lava rocks and a wide-hole stainless steel rack to place them on.Â
Make sure that the steel rack fits your grill. The steel rack should fit in the supports made for the fire rack without touching the burner tubes. This keeps the burner tubes safe by not loading them unnecessarily.
Ensure that the lava rocks are not too big. Otherwise, they will be too close to the grill grates, giving you higher temperatures than required. Also, Make sure to lightly rinse and dry the lava rocks before the first use.Â
Accommodate Lava Rocks
To place the lava rocks correctly, remove the grill grate and place the steel rack above the grill burners. If your grill has Flavorizer/Vaporizer bars, remove them. They prevent the lava rocks from reaching the appropriate temperature.Â
Now carefully arrange your rocks over the stainless-steel rack. Distribute them evenly and make sure that they don’t overlap.Â
Pitmaster Tip:
Store the larger rocks at the back and smaller rocks upfront. Larger rocks allow more smoke to pass through, so this arrangement will help prevent the excess smoke from being released towards yourself.
Get Grilling
Put back your grilling grate while ensuring that there is some space between the rocks and the grilling grate. Then turn on your burners and shut the lid to let the grill come up to temperature.Â
Once the grill is heated, use your grill as always. Your meal will now have the delicious smoky flavor that you have been missing.
Looking for BBQ Lava Rocks?
Check out our Recommended Lava Rocks.
How to Cook with Lava Rocks?
You can cook just about anything with Lava rocks. Lava rocks help you have a uniformly distributed heat that is perfect for evenly searing the meat. The charring is not as intense as charcoal grills, and not as weak as gas grills. If your food is charred too much, your lava rocks may be too close to the grill grate.Â
You can barbecue meats, fruits, and veggies with lava rocks to enjoy the unique smokey flavor. You can also toast your burger buns on the grill to keep them from getting soggy. However, avoid cooking bigger cuts with lava rocks. Big cuts of meat are best when smoked since smoking is perfect for tenderizing the meat.
Grilling Safety
Before cooking with lava rocks, ensure that your grill is placed in the right location. You must also follow all the gas grill safety tips and personal fire protection tips.
How to Clean Lava Rocks?
Cleaning your lava rocks is just as important as cleaning your grill grates, base, and exterior.Â
If the grease buildup from the food drippings on the lava rocks is not regularly cleaned out, it could cause flare-ups. Apart from the excessive food-charring that flare-ups cause, they are also very dangerous since they are a common cause of household fires.Â
Ideally, you should clean your lava rocks after every grilling session. However, if you are facing an increase in the number of flare-ups, it is definitely time to clean them.
Note:Â
When you encounter flare-ups, do not pour water on top of your grill as it will only intensify the fire.Â
Follow these steps to clean your lava stones:
- After you are done grilling, turn off your burner to let the grill cool down.
- Once it has cooled down, flip the lava rocks so that the greasy surface faces downward.
- Place a sheet of aluminum foil over your grill. Make sure it covers all areas of your grilling grate.
- Now turn up the heat on your grill and leave the lid open. You will notice smoke rising from the grill. This is caused by the grease burning out.
- Leave your grill on for around 30 minutes. Once the time is up, check your rocks. If you still notice grease on it, just repeat the process for another 30 minutes. You want to make sure that the grease is completely burned out before you use your grill again.
Cleaning the lava rocks can also prevent food particles from blocking the burner. When the burner is blocked, it can’t produce as much heat, which increases the cooking time and higher fuel consumption.
Alternatives to Lava Rocks
If you can’t find Lava rocks where you live, it’s not a problem at all. Here are some great alternatives that help you get the benefits of lava rocks.
Flavorizer Bars
Lava rocks and Flavorizer bars are very similar in function. They both sit between BBQ grates and burner tubes, help avoid flare-ups by deflecting grease away from the burner tubes, and vaporize meat juices, sauces, and other drippings creating a smoky flavor in the grilled food.Â
Lava rocks last longer and are more environmentally friendly. You can also get a better range of charring using Lava rocks since the closeness of the rocks to the grill grate can be easily adjusted.Â
On the other hand, Flavorizer bars are easier to clean and easier to manage since they are uniformly shaped. Learn more about Flavorizer Bars.
Looking for Flavorizer Bars?
Check out our Recommended Flavorizer Bars.
Ceramic Briquettes
Ceramic briquettes, also known as fire bricks or gas grill bricks, are small ceramic bricks that help in even heat distribution, preventing flare-ups, and giving food a smoky flavor.
They are better than lava rocks at retaining heat. This means that you can get higher temperatures, and the quicker cooking times help you save fuel. They are more resistant to flare-ups and easier to wash since they don’t have a porous surface.Â
Ceramic briquettes even last longer than lava rocks since they don’t crumble away after heavy use. Because of all these benefits, they are more expensive than Lava rocks. Learn more about Ceramic Briquettes here.
Looking for Ceramic Briquettes?
Check out our Recommended Ceramic Briquettes.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can You Add Lava Rocks To Any Gas Grill?
Yes, any gas grill can be converted to a lava rocks grill. All you need are some lava rocks and a steel rack for housing the lava rocks. Here is how to use lava rocks with your gas grill.
Where Do Lava Rocks Go On A Gas Grill?
Lava rocks are placed in a steel rack just above the burner tubes and below the grill grates. Here are my recommendations for the best steel racks for holding lava rocks.
 Can You Cook Over Lava Rocks?
Yes, it is completely safe to cook over lava rocks. They retain heat very well and give your food an amazing smoky flavor. However, be sure to use a grill grate to hold your food. Putting the food directly on the stones isn’t recommended because some pieces of the lava rock may end up in your food.
Are Lava Rocks Poisonous?
No, lava rocks are not poisonous. Some people may suffer from food poisoning if they don’t clean their lava rocks. But if you clean your lava rocks the right way, you are completely safe.
Do Lava Rocks Prevent Flare-ups?
Yes, lava rocks do prevent flare-ups to a certain extent. They absorb in the dripping fats and juices. But if they are covered excessively in grease, the oil will drip onto the burner and cause flare-ups.
Why Do Gas Grills Not Use Lava Rocks Anymore?
The latest gas grills do not need lava rocks to heat the grill because newer products like charcoal briquettes and Flavorizer bars have better features. However, lava rocks are still the most cost-effective and organic way to raise the temperature of your grill up to 500℉ (260℃).
How Long Do Lava Rocks Last?
Lava rocks last for a long time. If you use them often, you can expect them to slowly shrink in a couple of months. But if you only use them for occasional grilling, they can be used for up to two years. After that, it’s best to buy a new pack.
Do I Need Lava Rocks For A Gas BBQ?
No. Lava rocks are not required for running gas BBQs. Gas BBQs run on either propane or natural gas. But if you are using a simple gas grill without ceramic briquettes, adding Lava rocks to your gas grill will help your grill hold heat better.
Can I Use Lava Rocks With Charcoal?
Yes. You could use lava rocks with charcoal, but it will not be of any benefit. Lava rocks are best used with gas grills because ordinary gas grills are not great at retaining heat. On the other hand, charcoal is great at providing a consistent heat source and can help you get a better smoky flavor than Lava rocks.
Looking for BBQ Lava Rocks?
Check out our Recommended Lava Rocks.
Summary
I hope that I have been able to do justice to the topic of lava rocks with this article. I hope the detailed information helps you make an informed decision on the best heat retention apparatus for your gas grill.
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, drop me a comment below, and I’ll be sure to respond.Â
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