Use Lava Rocks to Give Your Grill a Mega Heat Boost

Make no mistake, most gas grills are hot enough already, but if yours is a little on the old side or you're having trouble getting it hot enough to cook your food, here's a simple way to hack your grill: pack lava rocks around the burners. You won't make the actual grill run hotter, but you will retain much more heat under your cooking surface, which means deliciously browned grilled meats and veggies.

This tip comes from Top Chef vet Preeti Mistry, talking to the folks at You'll need some expandable grill grates that are easy to remove and replace (if your grill doesn't have them already) and enough lava rocks to form a tightly packed layer around the gas burners. Layer in the lava rocks, cover them over with the grates, and fire up the grill. Wait about 20 minutes or so, and your grill will be ready to go: just be careful when you open the lid, it'll be seriously hot in there.

The lava rocks retain a ton of heat, and you know what meat plus heat equals: the delicious Maillard effect. Chow notes that over time, those lava rocks will start to get covered with rendered fat, so you'll have to flip them over when they're covered. Replace them every few months or so. That's all there is to it: a quick trip to your department store or backyard store and a few minutes of work can drastically improve the power of your gas grill.

What do you think? Willing to give it a shot, or have you tried this before? Let us know in the comments below.

how to Make Your Gas Grill Burn Hotter | CHOW