The Volcanic Hack For Getting Your Grill As Hot As Possible This Summer

Summertime means it's officially barbecue season, and during the warmer months, you're probably giving your gas grill much more love than you would other parts of the year. Along with other differences between gas and charcoal grills, you've probably noticed that gas grills can only get so hot. As a result, you don't always get the perfect, golden-brown sear you're looking for. 

Thankfully, there's a trick to turning up the heat (and keeping it up!) — and it starts with lava rocks, also known as hardened, crystallized lava. Yes, these rocks are safe, and they'll heat quickly and stay super hot, giving your meat the perfect golden appearance. Another perk of grilling with lava rocks is that they won't infuse flavor into your meat. While some people prefer to have charcoal-grilled meat, it's not for everyone, and lava rocks don't give off that same flavor.

Putting lava in your grill might sound dangerous, but it's not what it seems: Lava rocks are completely hardened and won't break apart when heated. Plus, they're readily available and can last a few months to a couple of years depending on how much use your grill gets — meaning you can get through an entire grilling season (or two) without ever having to replace them.

Typically, when you use a gas grill, propane helps ignite the flames beneath the grill's grates, heating the grates and effectively cooking your meat. The downside to the use of flames is that there is nothing to help retain that heat, so every time you open the grill, some of that heat gets lost. But lava rocks retain heat, which means they keep the grill piping hot so your meat can not only get the perfect sear but also cook more quickly.

To get your grill ready, you'll just need the lava rocks and expandable grates, which will help keep the lava rocks in place above the flames. Remove the grates that come with your grill, and put the expandable grates on the bottom, above the heat source. Then, layer the lava rocks closely together on those expandable grates. After you're done, simply replace the cooking grates, turn on the heat, and the lava rocks will start to heat through.

You'll want to give the rocks at least 20 minutes to heat up, the same way you would using just propane. But once they get hot, they'll stay at about 500 degrees Fahrenheit regardless of whether you open the grill several times to check your meat.

Of course, the first concern with lava rocks might be whether it's safe to place them on top of the heat source on your gas grill. Lava rocks are safe to use because they can withstand the high temperatures of the flames without issue (after all, this rock was once 2,200-degree lava), so as long as you properly install them into your grill and use general grilling safety measures, you should be fine.

If you plan to remove the lava rocks, make sure the grill has completely cooled before attempting to do so; otherwise, you risk burning yourself. The cooling time depends on how many lava rocks you've used, but you should generally give the lava rocks at least an hour to fully cool before attempting to touch them — and even then, it's best to use tongs or high heat-proof oven mits rather than your bare hands.