I received a bright shiny new gas grill for Mother’s Day. This is a departure from the norm because my husband and I have been charcoal purists for nearly a decade.
There was an episode of King of the Hill years ago when Hank and their new Laosian neighbor had an argument over whether charcoal or gas grilling was superior. Kahn said, “I like charcoal. It gives meat nice taste of wood.” Hank retorted, “Well propane gives meat nice taste of meat!”
The fact of the matter is that occasionally we find ourselves short on time. Now and again we don’t have the time to get charcoal started AND cook with it during the dinner crunch. Additionally, we need more space to cook with as often as not. So this new grill is there to augment- not supplant- our cherished old grillmaster charcoal beastie, Genghis. They will be tag-teaming to grill for us. Most meat on the charcoal, lots of veggies and any overflow meat on the gas grill.
Yesterday we decided to do some burgers on the new grill. (Aside: We have not yet named this grill. Suggestions are welcome.) We fired her up and threw on the hamburgers. Things were going beautifully and then- FLAME ON! Holy wuh! I haven’t seen flames like that outside of a bonfire or professional kitchen. The boys were duly impressed. Liam said, “Mom! The flames went over my head!” My husband was like some medieval smithy throwing the spatula into the flames and performing mysterious hamburger manoeuvers. He did a little circus flame-thrower routine when he turned the heat off and continued cooking the burgers with the grease fire. He could’ve thrown in the towel, closed the lid and written off the burgers, but his heroics (and unwillingness to waste that much food) saved dinner.
The burgers were done to perfection quickly thanks to my husband’s intrepid spatula work. The grill had a baptism by fire (literally!) and performed beautifully (and dramatically.)
I think I can find a place in my heart for the new grill on the block.
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