Nothing is more aggravating than trying to grill a large batch of burgers only to discover that one side is cooking faster than the other. It’s not your cooking abilities; it’s your grill. You have hotspots. Every grill has hot areas, which is sometimes a good thing. When you know where your hot spots are, you can usually cure them in minutes.
Meanwhile, you can use them to your advantage, for example. You can briefly sear a steak on a hot spot and then shift it to a lower heat region to complete cooking. More on that in a moment.
If you’re not thrilled with your gas grill’s hot spots, they’re easy to locate and repair. In this piece, we’ll reveal our best Grill Hack for finding hot spots, as well as our recommendations for:
Problems that May Result in Gas Grill Hot Spots
Adjusting gas grill burners and other grill hacks
Let’s get this party started.
Grill Hack: Finding Gas Grill Hot Spots
With sliced bread, you can easily find gas grill hot zones. Here’s how it’s done:
Preheat the grill for 15 minutes on high, then reduce the heat to medium.
Cover the entire surface of your grill with a single layer of sliced bread.
Close the lid and broil the sliced bread for 60 seconds before turning off the grill.
Turn each piece of bread over, keeping the slices in the same spot.
Hot areas can be found where there is overcooked toast.
Grill Hack: Don’t throw away all of that bread! Flip it over and roast the other side before sealing it in plastic bags and using it as bread crumbs later. Alternatively, brush the slices with olive oil and fry until crisp, then cut into bite-sized cubes for great homemade croutons.
Once you’ve discovered your hotspots, you can work to resolve them. Before you disassemble your grill, it’s a good idea to know what causes gas grill hot spots.
What Causes Hot Spots on a Gas Grill?
A clogged burner frequently causes hot spots on a gas grill. Look more closely at specific blocking difficulties and how to resolve them.
Obstructed Burners
One of the most prevalent reasons for gas grill hot spots is clogged burners. If you observe areas of your grill producing reduced heat or no flames, a blocked burner or port opening could be the cause.
Food residue can accumulate and cause problems, while spiders and insects can impede the tubes that deliver gas to your burners. The excellent news is that blocked burners are straightforward to repair, generally requiring only a simple cleaning. If a thorough cleaning isn’t enough, you can replace gas barbecue burners in minutes.
How to Clear Blocked Burners or Port Holes
If you’re experiencing blocked burners or burner port holes, the first step is to remove the heat plates and burners. Then, utilize a flexible venturi cleaning brush to scrape away any debris inside the tubes for each burner. Take the following steps:
Turn off the propane tank or the gas pipe.
Remove the cooking grates and the heat plates, and set them aside if your grill has them. This is an excellent time to clean the cooking grates and heat plates thoroughly.
Remove the rock grate and lava rock or ceramic briquettes from an older grill to gain access to the burners.
Turn off the burners. Depending on the type of burner and how it is attached to the box, you may need to use a screwdriver to remove one or two screws or the cotter pin before removing the burner.
After removing the burners, thoroughly clean the burner box. This will aid in the prevention of flare-ups and grease fires.
Scrub the burner venturi tube with the venturi brush to remove obstructions or debris.
Return the items from steps 2 to 4 to the gas grill.
Grill hack: To bring back the regular gas flow, it is recommended to utilize a wire brush to eliminate any debris from every blocked port hole.
Burner Tubes that are Misaligned
If cleaning the burners and port holes does not solve the problem, the venturi burner tubes may need to be aligned. Temperature distribution issues, such as hot patches, can arise when the burner tubes are not correctly aligned with the gas valves.
Fixing misaligned burner tubes:
Check that the gas line is turned off, that the grill grates and heat plates are removed, and that the burner tube is correctly positioned on the gas valve. If this is not the case, adjust the line so the valve is inside the burner aperture.
Grill Burner (Gas) Air Shutter Adjustment
The air shutters that control the gas flow are sometimes dusty or need to be changed. The air-to-gas ratio is crucial for even heat dispersion throughout the entire grill surface. Hot spots occur when the air shutters do not function properly.
Adjusting gas barbecue burners and air shutters:
A short cleaning might sometimes make your grill’s air shutters work correctly. If that doesn’t work, try the gas grill burner setting listed below. Try this if you can’t access the air shutter without removing the burners:
Remove the burners.
You’ll find some gas grill burner adjustments at the base of the burner. Loosen the screw that holds the air adjuster to the burner and crank the air adjustment.
Replace the burner on the grill and relight it.
The setting is correct if you see blue flames with yellow tips.
Remove the burner and tighten the nut that secures the air adjuster.
Repeat this procedure for each burner.
Try this if you can access the air shutter without removing the burners:
Start the grill.
To expose the valves and manifold, remove the front control panel.
Loosen the gas grill burner adjustment screw.
Adjust the metal sleeve until you see the perfect flame that is blue on the bottom and yellow on the top.
Continue with the remaining burners.
Learn to Appreciate Your Gas Grill’s Points of Interest
Gas grill hot spots can irritate, especially if you’re grilling for a large group. If cleaning does not work, you can live with your hot areas until you receive the necessary replacement parts.
Because not all items cook at the same temperature, the entire grill surface must not be at the same temperature. That means you can use hot spots to your advantage while waiting for new parts to create direct and indirect heat zones.
Use your hot spots for high-heat jobs, such as searing steaks, and avoid them when grilling delicate foods that cook quickly, such as vegetables or fish. A somewhat less intense flame on one side of your grill can also be helpful when cooking with sauces that tend to burn at higher temperatures, such as BBQ chicken and ribs.