GEAR

Now we’re cooking with gas!

Few things are as delicious as a fresh lamb chop that’s been braaied over hot coals. But you’ll be forgiven if you’re craving something other than braai meat after your 38th night in the bush. It’s no shame to swap your folding braai grid for a frying pan. And once you’ve tasted the delicious dishes that you can make with some clever gas kit and accessories, you’ll forget about that old lamb chop lying at the bottom of your freezer.

YES, GAS CAN BE DANGEROUS

Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), or cooking gas, is used around the world to prepare food or provide heat. Here at home it has been used for many years for anything from frying pancakes at church bazaars to gas stoves in houses and caravans. And for a long time it has also been found on the back of many 4x4s ready to head to the bush. Cooking gas is also something that makes the greenies among us happy. There are far less toxic gases (carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide) that cause damage to the atmosphere when burning gas compared to the burning of fossil fuels like charcoal and oil. Naturally, carting around a medium-sized gas bottle also takes up less packing space than 20 bags of braai wood, and you’ll be able to cook more with the gas. Even if you’ve only seen one Hollywood action movie, you’ll know that gas can explode. That is why it’s stored, transported and purchased in cylinders. It is pressurised in the cylinder in liquid form, which prevents it from randomly bursting into flames. The reason that gas is sold by weight is also due to the fact that it is stored in liquid form. When the valve or tap is opened, the pressure is released and the liquid transforms into a gas, which then combines with oxygen. If you bring a flame near it then, it will ignite and burn. And that is why any undetected gas leak can be very dangerous. These days, a fragrance is added to gas to ensure that any leaks are noticed quickly. So if something smells sharp, don’t go blaming the garlic bread or the dog, rather check if your gas pipe is leaking.