I was so p.o'd last evening. Dinner disaster.

[ImStillMags]

I had some friends over for dinner. I had made a wonderful Thai
marinade and had the chicken breasts soaking in it all afternoon.
Got the rest of the dinner together and lit the gas grill to let it
heat up.

When I went to put the chicken on the grill.....no heat. I was out
of propane. I thought there was enough for one more grilling. I was
wrong.

So I had to bake the chicken off in the oven. I was SOOO
disappointed. It was good,
but I missed that wonderful grill flavor.. a lot.

This morning I lugged my tank down to where I buy propane and filled
it up. I saved
some of the marinade and have some thighs soaking in it right now.
I'm going to grill them off for my lunches this week.

Nothing like having a nice dinner all ready to go and ...no gas.

Have you ever done anything like that?

[A Moose in Love]

Yeah. I've run out of gas in the middle of grilling. No big deal.
Went to the prop store, got some more and continued.

[ImStillMags]

On May 13, 1:50 pm, A Moose in Love <parkstreetboo...@gmail.com>
wrote:

It was too late by the time I saw we were out of propane to go get
more. I had to make do with the oven.

What really hacked me off is that I have a back up tank....but it was
empty too!

[A Moose in Love]

Well, console yourself that you still had a pretty good tasting meal.
Not exactly what you wanted, but in life, we don't always get what we
want.

[ImStillMags]

On May 13, 2:52 pm, A Moose in Love <parkstreetboo...@gmail.com>

Ain't that the truth...

[merryb]

Hope you filled the back up one also...
Another reason I like to use charcoal!

[ImStillMags]

On May 13, 4:09 pm, merryb <msg...@juno.com> wrote:

I had to do the breasts in the oven last evening. One thing I forgot
to mention was that since I was going to do them on the grill I
pounded them to an even thickness so that they would cook evenly.

Anyway....I reserved the marinade and soaked the thighs for about 3
hours and just finished them on the grill.
Now THIS is how the chicken was SUPPOSED to taste. They are really
good.

Here's a picture of the thighs, I didn't take a picture of the
breasts.

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/tjjO-2wT09bOPkAUPakm207UHZ9SwRVS9ZU7qKhh_b4?feat=directlink

Here's the recipe I used for the Thai marinade:

This makes a lot but I was going to use it for a lot of chicken. So
if you want you can halve the recipe.

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 small bunch fresh cilantro (soap haters can leave it out)
2 T minced fresh ginger ( I used a bit less because I find ginger to
be sharp tasting)
2 T minced fresh garlic ( used more cause I like garlic)
2 T Sambal (or any Thai style chili paste)
2 T Tamari (or soy sauce)
2 T Olive oil
1 tsp sesame oil
2 T brown sugar

I used my stick blender to make this into a slurry, and put the
chicken in a gallon zip lock with the marinade, massaged it well to
coat everything, and let it rest.

Started the grill on screaming hot, put on the chicken and turned the
grill down to med-low. Let it go
5 minutes, turned the thighs over and let them go another 5 minutes.
Thighs don't take very long because they are small and not very thick
and I didn't want to overcook them to dry.

So, the end of the story is better than the way it started....happing
ending !!

[Sky]

It's never fun when Murphy's Law hits is it ? Ugh! Oh well, at least
the chicken wasn't burnt was it ?! :)

Sky

--

Ultra Ultimate Kitchen Rule - Use the Timer!
Ultimate Kitchen Rule -- Cook's Choice!!

[Leonard Blaisdell]

In article
<801f18c5-82d3-4e6e...@to5g2000pbc.googlegroups.com>,

ImStillMags <sitar...@gmail.com> wrote:

> Nothing like having a nice dinner all ready to go and ...no gas.
>
> Have you ever done anything like that?

What? Run out of gas? I do it all the time. I mostly run out of gas
doing honeydos.

leo

[Dave Smith]

Worse.... about two years ago I was making Tandoori chicken for a friend
who was visiting from Texas. My tank was empty. My spare tank was
empty. I had bought a second tank so that I would never have to worry
about running out of fuel. I should learn to take the empty for a refill
immediately because once I start using the second tank I forget about
the first one.

[ImStillMags]

well......ditto that..... duh....me.

[jmcquown]

"Sky" <skyh...@NOsbcglobal.SnPeAtM> wrote in message
news:a1e3qa...@mid.individual.net...

> On 5/13/2012 3:07 PM, ImStillMags wrote:
>> I had some friends over for dinner. I had made a wonderful Thai
>> marinade and had the chicken breasts soaking in it all afternoon.
>> Got the rest of the dinner together and lit the gas grill to let it
>> heat up.
>>
>> When I went to put the chicken on the grill.....no heat. I was out
>> of propane. I thought there was enough for one more grilling. I was
>> wrong.
>>
>> So I had to bake the chicken off in the oven. I was SOOO
>> disappointed. It was good,
>> but I missed that wonderful grill flavor.. a lot.
>>

(snippage)

I don't understand how people get "grill" taste from cooking on a propane
grill. What, Alan, you just want to be able to say you cooked it outside?
My father had a gas grill. As far as flavour goes there was no discernible
difference from cooking inside, really. I'm a charcoal grill gal all the
way.

>> Nothing like having a nice dinner all ready to go and ...no gas.
>>
>> Have you ever done anything like that?
>

Nope. This is why I prefer charcoal. You can easily tell when the bag is
almost empty and you go to the store to buy more before your guests arrive.
Not to mention when you cook over hot coals the food actually tastes like
it's been grilled. JMHO.

Jill

[spamtrap1888]

On May 15, 7:17 am, "jmcquown" <j_mcqu...@comcast.net> wrote:
> "Sky" <skyho...@NOsbcglobal.SnPeAtM> wrote in message

>
> news:a1e3qa...@mid.individual.net...> On 5/13/2012 3:07 PM, ImStillMags wrote:
> >> I had some friends over for dinner.   I had made a wonderful Thai
> >> marinade and had the chicken breasts soaking in it all afternoon.
> >> Got the rest of the dinner together and lit the gas grill to let it
> >> heat up.
>
> >> When I went to put the chicken on the grill.....no heat.   I was out
> >> of propane.  I thought there was enough for one more grilling.   I was
> >> wrong.
>
> >> So I had to bake the chicken off in the oven.   I was SOOO
> >> disappointed.  It was good,
> >> but I missed that wonderful grill flavor.. a lot.
>
> (snippage)
>
> I don't understand how people get "grill" taste from cooking on a propane
> grill.  What, Alan, you just want to be able to say you cooked it outside?
> My father had a gas grill.  As far as flavour goes there was no discernible
> difference from cooking inside, really.  I'm a charcoal grill gal all the
> way.
>

From grease dripping and incinerating on the lava rocks?

Cabela's sells a nice holey SS box for the grill (whatever fuel) that
you can stick wood flavor chips into. They slowly smoke as you cook,
flavoring the meat just like charcoal.

[George M. Middius]

jmcquown wrote:

> I don't understand how people get "grill" taste from cooking on a propane
> grill. What, Alan, you just want to be able to say you cooked it outside?
> My father had a gas grill. As far as flavour goes there was no discernible
> difference from cooking inside, really. I'm a charcoal grill gal all the
> way.

What kind of inside cooking? Outdoor gas grilling is a lot like indoor
broiling, but it's way different from roasting.

[George Leppla]

On 5/15/2012 9:33 AM, Hank Valley wrote:

> On Sun, 13 May 2012 13:07:13 -0700 (PDT), ImStillMags wrote:
>
>> Nothing like having a nice dinner all ready to go and ...no gas.
>>
>> Have you ever done anything like that?
>

> This is why you should be using lump charcoal. You can always tell
> how much fuel you have left and food tastes much better cooked over
> wood.
>
> -hv (Anti-propane and propane accessories)


(Right now, our Bradley Smoker is running with a 14 pound brisket, two 9
pound pork shoulders and because there was room, 3 turkey drumsticks)

After years of messing around with charcoal grills, I bought a gas grill
and have never gone back.

1) Taste... sorry, but when I grill something like a steak, it isn't on
the grill long enough to get any kind of discernible wood/charcoal fuel
taste.

2) Grilled food derives tastes not from the fuel but from spices and
marinades and the smoke that is formed when drippings hit the heat
source. That happens more efficiently on a gas grill. (there are metal
bars or "lava" rocks that do this... without getting ash on your food)

3) Control... far easier and raster to control the heat on a gas grill.
I love people who use a squirt bottle of water/beer/etc to cool down a
charcoal fire. The resulting steam and ash deposits on the food is
oh-so-delicious!

4) Convenience... Turn it on, 5 minutes to heat, cook, turn it off. No
time consuming fire starting and cleanup.

5) No wasted fuel... and gas is a heck of a lot cheaper than charcoal.

Se we have the best of both worlds... if we want smoked flavor, we have
a smoker. if we want grilled food, we have a gas grill.

George L

[Brooklyn1]

I never have that problem anymore, my Weber is plumbed to a 500 gallon
propane tank that's on automatic delivery... and my bulk propane
grilling costs less than half of what you pay for fill-ups. If you do
much grilling, and don't need propane for cooking/heating, you really
ought to check into getting a 100 pound propane cylinder set up.

[Kalmia]

I know nada about gas, but I did have a neighbor who every so often
would be seen behind his place hooking up a new tank during the supper
hour. Can this be done ( spare on hand) with your system?

I'm sure the guests didn't mind a bit, but i know how it feels to have
some thunder stolen.

[George Leppla]

On 5/15/2012 10:09 AM, Brooklyn1 wrote:
> I never have that problem anymore, my Weber is plumbed to a 500 gallon
> propane tank that's on automatic delivery... and my bulk propane
> grilling costs less than half of what you pay for fill-ups. If you do
> much grilling, and don't need propane for cooking/heating, you really
> ought to check into getting a 100 pound propane cylinder set up.

This old house is piped for natural gas in every room. We're going to
build a deck/screen room in the back maybe next year and I will pipe
natural gas out there for the grill. Now, I have a spare tank of
propane for when the current tank runs out.

Sheldon... we are also thinking of putting in a gas-powered emergency
generator some time down the road. The folks across the street have one
and it is great. Power goes off, generator comes on. Minimal yearly
maintenance.

George L

[Brooklyn1]

Charcoal in of itself imparts no flavor whatsoever (zero), unless you
use briquittes, then you may as well marinate with diesel. Real
charcoal has no more relationship to wood than 10W-40 has to
dinosaurs. Gas grills impart flavor exactly the same way as charcoal
grills, by fats dripping onto the hot surface of coals or lava racks
or hot metal. For a wood smoke flavor both methods require smoldering
wood chips... or cook over a wood fire, not charcoal. People who
swear by lump charcoal over gas are performing mental masturbation.

[spamtrap1888]

Or, for people who don't live in the boondocks, do what a friend did
and get a natural gas line plumbed out to your grill. (Outside gas
lines were not uncommon back when this area was all orchards, because
trying to can fruit inside during summer heat and humidity was
considered a form of insanity.)

[ImStillMags]

On May 15, 7:33 am, Hank Valley <swe...@cluemail.compost> wrote:
> On Sun, 13 May 2012 13:07:13 -0700 (PDT), ImStillMags wrote:

> > Nothing like having a nice dinner all ready to go and ...no gas.
>
> > Have you ever done anything like that?
>

> This is why you should be using lump charcoal.  You can always tell
> how much fuel you have left and food tastes much better cooked over
> wood.
>
> -hv (Anti-propane and propane accessories)

Well. If I had a backyard I might consider a charcoal grill. I live
in a condo and my grill is on my deck.
I am not going to use charcoal on a wood deck. I don't want to take
the chance as well as I don't want to deal with the mess and cleanup
of a charcoal grill on a deck that is not on ground level.

The lava rocks do a really nice job of smoke and I do add wood chips
for things that I want to impart smoke flavor on. There is a
discernible difference in cooking on a gas grill that doesn't have the
lava rocks and one that does. I really like mine.

You guys can do charcoal, and you can tell me I'm wrong. I do what I
do for a reason and I think my methodology produces very good
results. At least those people who eat my food seem to think so.

[Brooklyn1]

On Tue, 15 May 2012 09:33:22 -0500, Hank Valley

<swe...@cluemail.compost> wrote:

>On Sun, 13 May 2012 13:07:13 -0700 (PDT), ImStillMags wrote:
>

>> Nothing like having a nice dinner all ready to go and ...no gas.
>>
>> Have you ever done anything like that?
>

>This is why you should be using lump charcoal. You can always tell
>how much fuel you have left and food tastes much better cooked over
>wood.

Lump charcoal is no more wood than 10W-40 is dinosaurs... and my 500
gallon propane tank has a fuel gauge, but still it gets filled
automatically, it's never less than half full. Regardless which fuel
food will only taste good if one keeps their entire grill scrupulously
clean... with a sooty grease encrusted grill one may as well use
briquittes and lighter fluid.

[George Leppla]

On 5/15/2012 9:50 AM, ImStillMags wrote:
> Well. If I had a backyard I might consider a charcoal grill. I live
> in a condo and my grill is on my deck.
> I am not going to use charcoal on a wood deck. I don't want to take
> the chance as well as I don't want to deal with the mess and cleanup
> of a charcoal grill on a deck that is not on ground level.
>
> The lava rocks do a really nice job of smoke and I do add wood chips
> for things that I want to impart smoke flavor on. There is a
> discernible difference in cooking on a gas grill that doesn't have the
> lava rocks and one that does. I really like mine.
>
> You guys can do charcoal, and you can tell me I'm wrong. I do what I
> do for a reason and I think my methodology produces very good
> results. At least those people who eat my food seem to think so.

You know what would be neat.... a taste test. Set up a gas grill and a
charcoal grill. Cook something that is uniform... like hamburgers, and
have a blind taste test to see how many people can tell the difference.

I'm betting not many could.

George L

[S Viemeister]

On 5/15/2012 11:09 AM, Kalmia wrote:
>
>
> I know nada about gas, but I did have a neighbor who every so often
> would be seen behind his place hooking up a new tank during the supper
> hour. Can this be done ( spare on hand) with your system?
>

My house doesn't have the option of mains gas, so the cooktop is run on
propane. There are two tanks out back with an automatic changeover valve
connecting them. When the first one is empty, a red flag pops up and the
valve seamlessly switches over to the other cylinder. I check for the
flag from time to time; when it appears, I call the local dealer, who
comes by with a new cylinder, and removes the old one.

[sf]

On Tue, 15 May 2012 10:17:50 -0400, "jmcquown" <j_mc...@comcast.net>
wrote:

>
> I don't understand how people get "grill" taste from cooking on a propane
> grill. What, Alan, you just want to be able to say you cooked it outside?
> My father had a gas grill. As far as flavour goes there was no discernible
> difference from cooking inside, really. I'm a charcoal grill gal all the
> way.

I know the feeling. Cooking inside on the grill pan is easier and I
don't have to trek outside to do it.

>
> >> Nothing like having a nice dinner all ready to go and ...no gas.
> >>
> >> Have you ever done anything like that?

I never know how much gas I have, and the uncertainty is such a turn
off that I don't use the gas bb - ever. I see that Cost Plus World
Market now sells those gas pressure gauges for $20, but I probably
won't get one because although my gas grill is rarely used - the salt
air has done a number on it anyway and my son tells me it should be
replaced. I'd be wasting my money if I bought a gauge for it because
I want to replace it with a charcoal grill - not gas.

> >
> Nope. This is why I prefer charcoal. You can easily tell when the bag is
> almost empty and you go to the store to buy more before your guests arrive.
> Not to mention when you cook over hot coals the food actually tastes like
> it's been grilled. JMHO.

+1

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

[sf]

On Tue, 15 May 2012 10:21:29 -0500, George Leppla
<geo...@cruisemaster.com> wrote:

> Sheldon... we are also thinking of putting in a gas-powered emergency
> generator some time down the road. The folks across the street have one
> and it is great. Power goes off, generator comes on. Minimal yearly
> maintenance.

So you're thinking of a whole house generator? My brother has a
generator, but it's mobile and he uses it to do other things around
the property when the power is on. The power here is so stable that
the only time we needed a generator is during a disaster and they had
the power back on so quickly, it was amazing. Telephone service took
longer to come back than the power did.

[ImStillMags]

On May 15, 8:38 am, George Leppla <geo...@cruisemaster.com> wrote:
.
>
> You know what would be neat.... a taste test.  Set up a gas grill and a
> charcoal grill.  Cook something that is uniform... like hamburgers, and
> have a blind taste test to see how many people can tell the difference.
>
> I'm betting not many could.
>
> George L

Most people couldn't.

If you go to a fine steak house you will find that they cook on gas
grills and gas broilers. They don't cook on charcoal.

Now, if I'm doing ribs or a pork butt or a brisket, I put in wood
chips for smoke. But I don't want my steak to taste like
smoke, I want flavor to come from the crust and char from the
seasonings and the meat. Same with hamburgers. My burgers, if I do
say so myself, are about the best around.

[Gary]

ImStillMags wrote:
>
> > > Nothing like having a nice dinner all ready to go and ...no gas.
> >
> > > Have you ever done anything like that?

At least you saved your dinner.

Worse for me once. I had moved into my first apartment. It had small gas
stove fueled from a 4' high tank of propane (?) sitting on the outside of
the house. I lived there for 2 years and always had gas so I never gave it a
though.

Then one Thanksgiving, I decided to do the "works." I bought a large turkey
and stuffed it, then put in the oven and set timer for 5 hours or whatever.
A couple of hours later, my house was filled with the wonderful smell of
turkey cooking. I just went about my business and didn't ever check on it
until the timer went off. Hours later, the timer went off and I went in to
take out my turkey.

It was completely cold. The gas had run out hours before. Since it got hot
enough to make the house smell good and then cooled down to cold, no way was
I going to eat it. So i sadly had to throw it out and go buy a pizza.
arrghhh!

Gary

[George Leppla]

A few years ago after a hurricane, power was out in this area for a few
days. This area is just outside of the hurricane evacuation zone....
about 60 miles from the Gulf of Mexico. We are thinking of getting
something like this:

http://www.apelectric.com/5871-Generac-Guardian-Generator-10kW-p/5871.htm

We have had a few outages in the 4 months since we moved here. One
lasted 8 hours.

George L

[spamtrap1888]

I want my steak to taste of hickory. Even for the few minutes that
it's above the coals, the hickory chips' smoke is flavoring it. Same
when I do burgers. Smoking on the grill is different -- I need to set
aside four hours. That's where the big pieces of mesquite found in
each bag come in handy. But I find mesquite to be a tasteless smoke --
I will put hickory (or apple, or alder) on top of that.

[Gary]

jmcquown wrote:
>
> I don't understand how people get "grill" taste from cooking on a propane
> grill.

I've always preferred charcoal too. Even just getting the charcoal burning,
that smell makes me hungry. Maybe because many people are burning off the
last meal when they start up the grill?

I've heard though, that the grill taste comes from drippings on the coal
(the smoke) and not charcoal so much. I don't know....never used a gas
grill.

Regardless, I live in the police state of Virginia and no grilling of any
kind allowed on balconies at apartments or condos. State law.

I could do it way out in the back yard but I'd have to provide enough food
to feed the entire neighborhood if I did.

The only grilling i do now is the occasionally hot dogs over my gas stove
burner.

Gary

[spamtrap1888]

> http://www.apelectric.com/5871-Generac-Guardian-Generator-10kW-p/5871...

>
> We have had a few outages in the 4 months since we moved here.  One
> lasted 8 hours.
>

Will the dealer do the install? At least get a licensed electrician to
set up the transfer switch.

10kW won't run your whole house, so identify the most critical
circuits.

[Janet]

In article <a1f6sf...@mid.individual.net>, j_mc...@comcast.net
says...

??? grilling and BBQing are not the same cooking method, quite
different flavours.

Janet

[Gary]

Sqwertz wrote:
>
> you'll never convince me that gas is
> better than lump charcoal or real wood.

I've always claimed (and still do), my best steak ever (and I don't remember
what kind of steak it was).... was the one I brought to a boy scout camping
trip one weekend and cooked it that first night over randomly gathered dry
wood campfire. I put it on a forked stick and held it over the fire until
done they just ate it right off the stick...no salt or anything.

Gary

[Gary]

George Leppla wrote:
>
> Sheldon... we are also thinking of putting in a gas-powered emergency
> generator some time down the road. The folks across the street have one
> and it is great. Power goes off, generator comes on. Minimal yearly
> maintenance.
>

Many of my customers have done that since the hurricane about 10 years ago
that killed their power for over a week. If you can afford one, it sounds
like the way to go.

Gary

[Gary]

George Leppla wrote:
>
> You know what would be neat.... a taste test. Set up a gas grill and a
> charcoal grill. Cook something that is uniform... like hamburgers, and
> have a blind taste test to see how many people can tell the difference.
>
> I'm betting not many could.

That would be a good test. Maybe someone here with both kinds of grills
will try it and report back. Great idea!

Gary

[George Leppla]

On 5/15/2012 12:08 PM, spamtrap1888 wrote:

>> A few years ago after a hurricane, power was out in this area for a few
>> days. This area is just outside of the hurricane evacuation zone....
>> about 60 miles from the Gulf of Mexico. We are thinking of getting
>> something like this:
>>
>> http://www.apelectric.com/5871-Generac-Guardian-Generator-10kW-p/5871...
>>
>> We have had a few outages in the 4 months since we moved here. One
>> lasted 8 hours.
>>
>
> Will the dealer do the install? At least get a licensed electrician to
> set up the transfer switch.
>
> 10kW won't run your whole house, so identify the most critical
> circuits.

I am pretty handy and like to do a lot of repairs, etc myself, but I am
not an electrician so I leave that stuff to people who know what they
are doing. I need enough juice to keep the refrigerator and freezer
running, plus some lights and computers. I'm not worried about air
conditioning or heat (we have gas heaters and a gas hot water heater).

When the time comes I might spring for a bigger unit depending on how
the funds are, but as long as the basics are covered, I'm OK with
partial power.

George L

[jmcquown]

"Brooklyn1" <Gravesend1> wrote in message
news:nhs4r7plfmc61memc...@4ax.com...

You mean those fake "lava" rocks that come with the gas grill? Yeah, I'm
impressed by that.

> Charcoal in of itself imparts no flavor whatsoever (zero), unless you
> use briquittes, then you may as well marinate with diesel. Real
> charcoal has no more relationship to wood than 10W-40 has to
> dinosaurs. Gas grills impart flavor exactly the same way as charcoal
> grills, by fats dripping onto the hot surface of coals or lava racks

> or hot metal. (snippage)


Who says I don't use wood? I soak hickory chips and use oak. I do not use
liquid fluid to ignite the wood. IMHO, gas grills are for wimps who don't
know how to start a fire.

Jill

[jmcquown]

"Gary" <g.ma...@att.net> wrote in message news:4FB28BCD...@att.net...

> jmcquown wrote:
>>
>> I don't understand how people get "grill" taste from cooking on a propane
>> grill.
>
> I've always preferred charcoal too. Even just getting the charcoal
> burning,
> that smell makes me hungry. Maybe because many people are burning off the
> last meal when they start up the grill?
>

Not if you use a grill brush and clean the grill after every use :)

> Regardless, I live in the police state of Virginia and no grilling of any
> kind allowed on balconies at apartments or condos. State law.
>

There are reasons for not allowing grilling on balconies. In one apartment
in Tennessee I had a downstairs neighbor who had teenage kids. One day they
fired up the grill before their dad got home from work. I lived on the
second floor of this apartment and the balcony was made of wood. The kids
fired up the grill on the downstairs patio (using lots of lighter fluid).
Then they went inside and played video games and completely forgot about the
fire. I'd come home from work and was sitting on the balcony reading a
book. I saw flames shooting up through the slats. I grabbed a fire
extinguisher and ran downstairs. They could have set the entire building on
fire! Yeah, there are reasons you're not allowed to have a grill on
balconies.

Jill

[Brooklyn1]

On Tue, 15 May 2012 10:21:29 -0500, George Leppla
<geo...@cruisemaster.com> wrote:

Sounds like a winner... just be absolutely certain to have the gas
company check out your old piping and certify it, with natural gas
they usually tell you to hire a private plumber that's licensed to
work with gas lines (not all licensed plumbers are qualified). My
propane gas piping is relatively new but still I have the propane
techs come out to test for leaks once a year... it's pretty easy to
discover if there's a gas leak, they attach a special meter to the
system (a meter with a about a yard long glass tube of mercury-don't
aske me how it works) and with all valves closed it will register the
most minute leak, takes a few hours, they will leave and come back.
Then if there is a leak they need to go about checking with soapy
solution. So far in ten years no leaks. The propane company doesn't
charge for testing, I heat and cook with propane, they are happy to
have my business. Those full house gas generators are a bit pricey,
also pricey to maintain even if you never need to use it; Amazon has
the lowest price, substantially less than all the rest, and free
delivery to your door... you'll have to pay for instalation. I gave
it a lot of thought but decided that I don't care about watching TV,
playing PC, or having lights. I bought a portable emergency radio
that you crank (works great-Eton), I have lots of candles but I bought
an emergency lantern that's pretty bright and runs about 24 hours on
three D cells; on low it lights a room fine, on high gives plenty of
light for reading (Rayovac). I discovered that my fridge and freezer
will hold food perfectly for about three days if I don't open the
doors, and I can buy dry ice not far down the road... in winter I can
put food in my garage... I don't keep a big stock of frozen foods
anyway, I rather let the stores use their refrigeration until I'm
ready to buy, I'd much rather keep my money in an interest bearing
account than invested in food in a freezer. I get water from my
private well but I keep at least a dozen gallon jugs of bottled on
hand at all times, and for toilet flushing I fetch water from my
creek, it's no biggie dipping out 5 gallon buckets of creek water. My
only problem was having heat in winter so the pipes don't freeze,
problem solved by having a ventless propane heater installed in my
basement, works terrific, just doesn't make hot water. For hot water
and cooking my stove is propane. For as often as I have power outages
and for how short duration I decided I didn't need a generator. The
only thing I'd miss is A/C in warm weather, but I think I can tolerate
living without short term. Irene was the only outage here that lasted
like three days in fifty years, typically I have 1-2 outages a year
but if they last one hour at most, usually it's maybe 2 minutes.

[Brooklyn1]

On Tue, 15 May 2012 11:51:58 -0500, George Leppla

<geo...@cruisemaster.com> wrote:

>On 5/15/2012 11:31 AM, sf wrote:
>> On Tue, 15 May 2012 10:21:29 -0500, George Leppla
>> <geo...@cruisemaster.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Sheldon... we are also thinking of putting in a gas-powered emergency
>>> generator some time down the road. The folks across the street have one
>>> and it is great. Power goes off, generator comes on. Minimal yearly
>>> maintenance.
>>
>> So you're thinking of a whole house generator? My brother has a
>> generator, but it's mobile and he uses it to do other things around
>> the property when the power is on. The power here is so stable that
>> the only time we needed a generator is during a disaster and they had
>> the power back on so quickly, it was amazing. Telephone service took
>> longer to come back than the power did.
>>
>
>A few years ago after a hurricane, power was out in this area for a few
>days. This area is just outside of the hurricane evacuation zone....
>about 60 miles from the Gulf of Mexico. We are thinking of getting
>something like this:
>
>http://www.apelectric.com/5871-Generac-Guardian-Generator-10kW-p/5871.htm

They very likely have it shipped directly from Amazon, that's what a
couple of electritians here were going to do, then charge an inflated
price for installation.

>We have had a few outages in the 4 months since we moved here. One
>lasted 8 hours.

8 hours is really no big inconvenience, I lived through many power
outages from hurricanes on Lung Guyland... light your gas grill and
fress.

[Brooklyn1]

Right, you'd need at least a 20KW unit to run an average sized house,
especially if you need central A/C.

[Brooklyn1]

The 20KW unit is not much more expensive and installation will cost
about the same... don't even think about buying the larger unit later.

[sf]

On Tue, 15 May 2012 09:37:01 -0700 (PDT), ImStillMags
<sitar...@gmail.com> wrote:

>
> If you go to a fine steak house you will find that they cook on gas
> grills and gas broilers. They don't cook on charcoal.

The places where I eat fired meat use lump charcoal - probably
mesquite. I know what they use because the grill is outside and I
usually get a seat right in front of it, so I watch my food being
cooked. I don't have a huge problem with a gas grill other than I
never know how much gas there is and I don't like that uncertainty.
If I had a better indoor/outdoor situation, I'd have one of both and
I'd use gas for chicken and charcoal for steak.

[Dave Smith]

On 15/05/2012 11:38 AM, George Leppla wrote:
>
>
> You know what would be neat.... a taste test. Set up a gas grill and a
> charcoal grill. Cook something that is uniform... like hamburgers, and
> have a blind taste test to see how many people can tell the difference.
>
> I'm betting not many could.

I think that most would know the charcoal cooked stuff.

[Gary]

jmcquown wrote:
>
> There are reasons for not allowing grilling on balconies.

I realize that. Most places have wooden balconies. Mine just happens to be
all fireproof....brick walls and cement ceilings and floors. They "threw
out the baby with the bathwater," in my case. And my place is probably the
exception rather than the rule. Regardless, it's a state-wide rule now.

I don't miss it too much though. Actually, many of my neighbors still grill
out. They just wait until after 5PM when all the apartment police have gone
home. ;)

Gary

[Bob Terwilliger]

Clueless AOL newbie Sheldon "Pussy" Katz blathered ignorantly:

> People who swear by lump charcoal over gas are performing mental masturbation.

Do you believe that gas burns at the same temperature as lump charcoal?
Or did you just want to fantasize about masturbation?

Bob

[Bob Terwilliger]

Sitara wrote:

> I had some friends over for dinner. I had made a wonderful Thai
> marinade and had the chicken breasts soaking in it all afternoon.
> Got the rest of the dinner together and lit the gas grill to let it
> heat up.
>
> When I went to put the chicken on the grill.....no heat. I was out
> of propane. I thought there was enough for one more grilling. I was
> wrong.
>
> So I had to bake the chicken off in the oven. I was SOOO
> disappointed. It was good,
> but I missed that wonderful grill flavor.. a lot.
>

> This morning I lugged my tank down to where I buy propane and filled
> it up. I saved
> some of the marinade and have some thighs soaking in it right now.
> I'm going to grill them off for my lunches this week.

>
> Nothing like having a nice dinner all ready to go and ...no gas.
>
> Have you ever done anything like that?

That is most emphatically NOT a disaster.

Bob

[Lou Decruss]

I've already done the test. Lump and/or wood is better. My gasser is
60k btu so an inferior grill is not the problem. I'll use the gasser
for convenience but don't fool myself into believing it's just as
good.

Lou

[jmcquown]

"George Leppla" <geo...@cruisemaster.com> wrote in message
news:jott9...@news4.newsguy.com...
> On 5/15/2012 9:50 AM, ImStillMags wrote:
>> Well. If I had a backyard I might consider a charcoal grill. I live
>> in a condo and my grill is on my deck.
>> I am not going to use charcoal on a wood deck. I don't want to take
>> the chance as well as I don't want to deal with the mess and cleanup
>> of a charcoal grill on a deck that is not on ground level.
>>
>> The lava rocks do a really nice job of smoke and I do add wood chips
>> for things that I want to impart smoke flavor on. There is a
>> discernible difference in cooking on a gas grill that doesn't have the
>> lava rocks and one that does. I really like mine.
>>
>> You guys can do charcoal, and you can tell me I'm wrong. I do what I
>> do for a reason and I think my methodology produces very good
>> results. At least those people who eat my food seem to think so.

>
>
> You know what would be neat.... a taste test. Set up a gas grill and a
> charcoal grill. Cook something that is uniform... like hamburgers, and
> have a blind taste test to see how many people can tell the difference.
>
> I'm betting not many could.
>

> George L
>

You want to pay for the grills and the gas/charcoal? I'm willing to taste
test whatever if you'll pay for the equipment and supplies :)

Jill

[jmcquown]

"Dave Smith" <adavid...@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:hPzsr.25891$_d5...@unlimited.newshosting.com...

I agree, Dave. I'm pretty sure I could tell the difference.

Jill

[Steve Pope]

jmcquown <j_mc...@comcast.net> wrote:

>"Dave Smith" <adavid...@sympatico.ca> wrote in message

>> On 15/05/2012 11:38 AM, George Leppla wrote:

>>> You know what would be neat.... a taste test. Set up a gas grill and a
>>> charcoal grill. Cook something that is uniform... like hamburgers, and
>>> have a blind taste test to see how many people can tell the difference.

>>> I'm betting not many could.

>> I think that most would know the charcoal cooked stuff.

>I agree, Dave. I'm pretty sure I could tell the difference.

I think usually most people could, but there are many variables.
For example, if one got a grease fire going in both grills, that
may drown out what would otherwise be the difference in flavor.

(Tangentially vaporized grease is very yucky and I squick at
the fact that there are people who do this deliberately when
grilling.)

Also, if the charcoal grill was uncovered, and had charcoals burning
in the cherry-red stage rather than the more smoky stage, there may
be too little charcoal smoke to impart any flavor.

I always add a few pieces of charcoal every now and then as I
am going along. And, well, I leave the grill covered almost always
to promote a build-up of smoke. And, I add wood but I suppose
that would be cheating for the purposes of this comparison.


Steve

[ImStillMags]

On May 18, 11:08 am, Melba's Jammin' <barbschal...@earthlink.net>
wrote:
> In article
> <801f18c5-82d3-4e6e-8636-a6327d797...@to5g2000pbc.googlegroups.com>,

> I keep a close watch on the level of propane left.  I'm curious about
> why you didn't broil the chicken instead of bake it.
> --
> Barb,http://web.me.com/barbschallerSeptember 5, 2011- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

I did broil it....at the end. I baked it first and finished it under
the broiler. I didn't want to burn the marinade which was pretty
thick on the chicken. It was ok, but it just didn't have that great
done on the grill flavor.

[Cheryl]

On 5/15/2012 12:31 PM, sf wrote:

> On Tue, 15 May 2012 10:21:29 -0500, George Leppla
> <geo...@cruisemaster.com> wrote:
>
>> Sheldon... we are also thinking of putting in a gas-powered emergency
>> generator some time down the road. The folks across the street have one
>> and it is great. Power goes off, generator comes on. Minimal yearly
>> maintenance.
>
> So you're thinking of a whole house generator? My brother has a
> generator, but it's mobile and he uses it to do other things around
> the property when the power is on. The power here is so stable that
> the only time we needed a generator is during a disaster and they had
> the power back on so quickly, it was amazing. Telephone service took
> longer to come back than the power did.
>

Question for your brother... if he doesn't have to use it often does he
test it? I found out the hard way that it needs to be not only started
up regularly but you have to plug something into each of the circuits.
Something about polarity if it isn't used often. I can't remember
exactly what the tech said when I had to have mine serviced after
loaning it to my mom when her power went out. Only one of the two
circuits worked. It had never been used or started since I bought it.
The tech had to replace a circuit board and told me one way to remember
to test it monthly was do it when paying my electricity bill. Reminds
me, I have to test it this weekend.

(please no flames - I'm not good with some things, great with others.
I'm learning)

[sf]

On Wed, 23 May 2012 21:09:47 -0400, Cheryl <jlhs...@hotmail.com>
wrote:

> On 5/15/2012 12:31 PM, sf wrote:
> > On Tue, 15 May 2012 10:21:29 -0500, George Leppla
> > <geo...@cruisemaster.com> wrote:
> >
> >> Sheldon... we are also thinking of putting in a gas-powered emergency
> >> generator some time down the road. The folks across the street have one
> >> and it is great. Power goes off, generator comes on. Minimal yearly
> >> maintenance.
> >
> > So you're thinking of a whole house generator? My brother has a
> > generator, but it's mobile and he uses it to do other things around
> > the property when the power is on. The power here is so stable that
> > the only time we needed a generator is during a disaster and they had
> > the power back on so quickly, it was amazing. Telephone service took
> > longer to come back than the power did.
> >
>
> Question for your brother... if he doesn't have to use it often does he
> test it?

He uses it a lot as portable source of electricity. He hitches it up
to the back of his truck and hauls it where he needs to use it.
Not sure what he uses it for, but he has 50 acres and at least 25 of
it is timber that he maintains himself.

> I found out the hard way that it needs to be not only started
> up regularly but you have to plug something into each of the circuits.
> Something about polarity if it isn't used often. I can't remember
> exactly what the tech said when I had to have mine serviced after
> loaning it to my mom when her power went out. Only one of the two
> circuits worked. It had never been used or started since I bought it.
> The tech had to replace a circuit board and told me one way to remember
> to test it monthly was do it when paying my electricity bill. Reminds
> me, I have to test it this weekend.
>
> (please no flames - I'm not good with some things, great with others.
> I'm learning)