Cooking on Gas: How to Maximise Your Gas Bottle Products When Preparing Food

Whether you’re a street food vendor, barbecue aficionado or motorhome holidaymaker, gas bottles are an essential piece of kit for food prep on the go. 

Their portable nature makes them a safe choice for all seasons  sparking conversations around the camping stove in summer and  providing much-needed warmth in winter. 

Amidst current cost-of-living concerns, regular users will want to make their gas last as long as possible.  

With this in mind, here are some things to consider when cooking: 

How to Make Your Gas Cylinder Last Longer 

Keep a Lid on It

No matter what you’re cooking, ensure that you use a lid to increase the overall temperature inside the pan. This can make your food cook quicker and use less gas.  

Use a Pressure Cooker 

Consider the type of cooker your cylinder is hooked up to. A pressure cooker is a strong choice here which cooks the food more quickly due to its high temperature and can use up to 70% less energy. 

Clean the Burner Regularly  

Ensure the colour of your flame is a bright blue as this means your gas is burning efficiently. A yellow and orange flame is a sign of incomplete combustion, which means the gas isn’t being used properly. If this is the case, clean the burner using lukewarm water and a brush.  

Cover the Entire Flame  

Turning the gas up too high can cause the flames to lick the sides of the pan, losing heat to the surrounding environment. Instead, lower the heat until the flames are contained by the bottom of the pan, which will cook the food more thoroughly and efficiently.  

Keep Pans & Utensils Clean 

It may sound simple but keeping pans and utensils sparkling clean can be more difficult when on the road. Ensure the bases of your pans are thoroughly clean to speed up the cooking process and reduce your gas consumption. 

Measure for Measure 

Measuring out your ingredients precisely can also save on gas. Often, people don’t use an amount of water proportional to their ingredients which wastes cooking time waiting around for water to boil or excess liquid to evaporate.  

How to Check How Much Gas You Have Left  

While these simple tips and tricks can save you money, it also pays to know how to check how much gas you have left. 

You can check your remaining gas levels by using a set of scales. Gas cylinders are usually fitted with a tare weight disc which tells you how much the metal cylinder weighs prior to being filled with gas. Simply deduct this from the overall weight of your canister and you will find out how much gas is left.  

Sources: 
Gas Bottles and Cylinders | Flogas | Flogas
https://www.ecoandbeyond.co/articles/under-pressure-how-a-pressure-cooker-can-save-you-time-and-energy/#:~:text=Since%20less%20steam%20escapes%20from,hands%20to%20do%20other%20tasks.