It’s summertime in New York. And you know what that means — it’s time to grill. Whether it’s just for yourself in the middle of the week, for the whole family, or for that family reunion on your in-law’s side that you’ve been officially “looking forward to,” we’ve got you covered here at DiSanto Propane.
In our last post, we shared with you some flank steak, leg of lamb, and individual pizza on-the-grill ideas. We also provided our readers with some propane safety information, with specific regards to dealing with gas leaks and owning a home that carries gas-fueled appliances.
In today’s post, we are going to continue with the above trend of offering up a few tasty grilling ideas for our readers, but before we get there allow us to say a brief word or two regarding our propane company history. After all, we’ve been around since 1937, and we are fairly certain you won’t find another upstate NY propane supplier that can boast that level of experience. And though we understand that a propane distributor isn’t worth their salt if they can’t adapt to the changes of the 21st-century, we believe it isn’t a coincidence that we’ve been successful for close to a century. So what do we do well here at DiSanto Propane? Find out below.
A Bit Of Background
1937 was a long time ago. World War II, the internet, and in all likelihood, you, all came between then and now. Another thing that has taken place between our inception and today is that we’ve developed a sterling reputation over the years, putting our customers first in every way we can. We pride ourselves on being reliable, affordable propane suppliers. We are a fourth-generation family owned propane company, and many of our long-time customers have come to associate the DiSanto brand with a name they can trust. With lightning-fast turnaround times on orders, punctual deliveries, and a dedication to providing our customers with a tailored propane solution for their unique needs, there’s a lot to like about becoming a DiSanto customer.
Beyond the above, we set ourselves apart from other propane suppliers in a variety of ways. We have an extensive propane storage facility, which gives us the ability to offer a vast delivery network for both commercial and home-propane use. In case you were wondering, many of our commercial propane clients hail from agricultural, construction, and fleet (transportation) backgrounds.
Our Upstate New York propane services include:
- 24-hour emergency service – We are here when you need us. You can get in touch with us over the phone, but you can also check on your account information from your desktop computer or mobile device.
- GasCheck certified technicians – we adhere to the highest of standards when it comes to safety checks for your propane appliances. When you choose DiSanto, you get nothing less than top-line quality, so you can rest easy.
- Service protection plans – Some of our competitors do not offer the service protection plans, and to our knowledge none of them can offer exactly what we can. Contact us for details.
- Automatic delivery scheduling – Here’s one less thing you have to worry about. If you need regular propane deliveries, we’ll be there when you need us — on time!
- Fuel budget and Pre-Buy Plans – Sometimes you need to change your usual order. If you want to stay ahead of the curve, we’ve got you covered with customized Pre-Buy Plans.
- Construction and temporary heat services – While it might be sunny and hot right now, it’s not going to stay that way forever. For contractors who need to keep their team warm and productive, we’ve got you covered with temporary propane-fueled heat services.
- Propane delivery, installation, and service for commercial and residential use
Tips For Beginner Grillers
In light of the fact that it’s summer and there is a new generation of Millennial homeowners popping out of the ground like weeds, it follows that there would be plenty of young and men out there who have never experienced the wonderful world of grilling. While our first instinct may have been to be offended at something as objectionable as this, we’ve come around to be part of the solution. Hence, we are going to help those of our readers who are interested in getting down the fundamentals when it comes to grilling. If that sounds like you, by all means, read on because this post is for you!
Gas Or Charcoal?
When we are discussing something as significant and intricate as grilling preferences, it’s important to note that there are multiple variables involved, so let’s not be hasty and think that there is only one factor worth analyzing. That being said, this is a dang propane company blog, so which do you think we are going to recommend? That’s right baby, propane all the way. But even though we have a horse in this race, it doesn’t mean we are biased to the point where we can’t see some virtues of coal grilling. It’s simply the case that said virtues pale in comparison to the gift from the heavens that is propane/gas grilling.
Why? Gas burns cleaner for one, as charcoal emits more carbon monoxide, soot, and particulate matter into the atmosphere. So if you care about the planet on which you live, maybe think about that for a few seconds. And while coal does have a certain smokey appeal that some prefer, propane gas grills can get much hotter, much more quickly. That might not matter if you are cooking a chicken kabob, but if you are serious about getting a sear on your steak, you know which one you should be going with…let’s not kid ourselves.
Brush Your Grill Off
People can sometimes forget this, which is pretty gross. But many people don’t realize that it’s easier to scrape and get the gunk off while the gridiron is hot, so go ahead and preheat your grill and then do your brushing and scraping. Make sure you scrape your grill after you are done using it. Again, do it immediately, while the irons are warm.
Use Oil
We aren’t sure why, but we’ve seen more and more people try to grill without using the proper lubrication. Even on a grill that you’ve never used before, lean foods tend to stick when you place them squarely on the gridiron. Use olive oil or vegetable oil to soak a paper towel. Then take that paper towel and grab it with some tongs, slowly brushing it across the surface area of the grill you intend to use. And voila! That’s all.
Be Safe
Never store your propane tank indoors, or for that matter, in any kind of enclosed space. Other rules to live by include avoiding cross-contamination by using separate cutting boards while preparing your meal. Use different platters for raw meat and cooked meat, and make sure you keep foods at the appropriate refrigerated temperature before cooking. Also, don’t ever use your marinade for basting your protein unless you have boiled it first. If you boil it, there’s a good chance it might be pretty stinking good, if you know what you are doing, that is.
The Beauty Of Marinating
Speaking of marinating, let’s talk about some of the science behind. It’s not just a tool for bringing more moisture and flavor to your meat, but it also makes sure that possibly carcinogenic HCAs (heterocyclic amines) don’t form. When you grill meats like fish, steak, lamb, or poultry, these HCAs can form. Marinating your meat reduces HCA formation anywhere between 92 and 99 percent, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research.
How To Deal With Flame Flare-Ups
Our final word of advice to grilling beginners is to choose leaner cuts of meat. Doing so will make sure that a minimum of fat drips down to the heat source, which in turn means fewer flame flare-ups. Why do we care about flames touching the food itself? For one, it makes the protein taste a little funky, and secondly it can cook the exterior of the food so quickly that the interior can’t catch up. Finally, fat-caused flare-ups cause carcinogenic PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), which, as you can probably tell from the name itself, aren’t great for your health.
Contact DiSanto Propane Today!
We are an Upstate New York propane distributor that believes in being there for our customers when they need us. While most people don’t think about propane until there is a problem with their appliance or they are planning a barbecue, all we do is think about propane! Become a Disanto Propane customer today!