Other Fuels

LAVA STONES AND CERAMIC BRIQUETTES are the gas-heated cooking interfaces gas grills rely on to distribute their heat. Lightweight lava stones spread the heat evenly and, thanks to their porosity, they absorb lots of meat drippings. The gas burns these drippings, giving you a great smoke flavor but sometimes also flare-ups. Ceramic briquettes also spread the heat evenly and burn off the drippings. You can buy wood-flavored ceramic briquettes that contain tiny pieces of hickory or mesquite. When heated they impart a wood smoke flavor.