How to make Genesis gas grill hotter


 

BoydN-Grillman

New member
Hi All - This is my first post here. I just bought a used Genesis grill. It was only used about 12 times for $400. I thought it was a good deal. I think it is the previous model of the Genesis line. Anyways, I have searched here for ways to make it hotter and I have only found suggestions to use Grillgrates. I read varying opinions about Grillgrates...some like em some don't, My last grill got hot fast and got up to 700-800 degrees. This grill takes longer and seems to only get to 500-550 maybe 600 if I wait long enough.

Is Grillgrates the only way to make it hotter? or are there other ways? Increase gas flow to the burners? a different regulator?

Thanks in advance!

Here is a pic of my grill.

Best,
Boyd

20211017_173340.jpg
 
Welcome Boyd,

Cleaning the burners may improve the heat output.

Pull the grates and flavorizer bars and clean the burners really well. If the burner openings are rusted that could be limiting.

Remove the burners and make sure nothing is blocking flow on the inside is another step.

New burners are not very expensive so if cleaning does not help, it might be worth trying new burners.

Have you tested your thermometer with a boiling water temp check? If it's off that could be misleading you.

Good luck and let us know how things turn out.
 
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Weber gas grills that I've used always seemed to have less BTUs than other brands I've used. As low usage as your grill has, I would not expect it to have any clogging of the burners from either food or corrosion (yes, even stainless steel corrodes, it's just a gray color instead of red rust and it's much slower process, but accelerated by heat).

In order to put out more heat, it needs more gas flow. That means opening up or adding more holes in the burners, along with opening the gas jet at each burner control. Mind you, we're talking about very small dimensional increases in diameter on both the burner holes and the jets. The other issue is getting more air in the pre-mixer. I've built propane burners and had to construct the burner and holes along with adjusting the jet hole size. It's delicate balance that takes some trial and error. The additional air flow required may not be enough difference to matter and may take care of itself. Maybe some of the members here have done this mod and can tell you. Or search online for a solution. I'd be interested in any successes people have had in this area.

But this low heat output is the main reason I haven't replaced my old BBQ Galore Capt n Cook with one of the Webers. It has 4 burners that each put out much more heat than each of the 3 Weber burners in about the same grill area. So, I spent a couple hundred $$ rebuilding my old gasser last year.

You might watch some YouTube videos on burner adjustments. It could either help your situation or give you some tips on how to make your burner output higher.

I found Weber's output for your model. It's 39,000 btu total for the grill burners. My Capt n Cook is 60,000 btu. I consider it adequate and convenient to heat up. I think it's reasonable to think you could increase the heat output of yours to get somewhere near that without a lot of modifications.
 
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According to Weber, that is about the temperature they are designed to reach. Grillgrates will not change the temperature, maybe only the evenness. My old Silver B used to peg the thermometer while my new Weber gets up to about 600. They cook and sear pretty much the same though. I attributed it to the thermometer location.
 
Boyd,

Next time I'm at my friends house with a front control EP-310 I'll crank it up and time how long it takes to get to 500. I've checked the lid thermometer on it and it is accurate.

I can test my E330 this weekend and not use the sear burner, however mine was converted from NG to LP so it may not be an accurate test.
 
Maybe some of the members here have done this mod and can tell you. Or search online for a solution. I'd be interested in any successes people have had in this area.

I think the consensus here is modifying the jets, and or burners, valves or regulators are risky and should not be considered lightly.

I have cooked on an identical ( except for color ) 2016 ( AR date code ) Gen E - 310 LP front control and it gets plenty hot.

Maybe not 700F as I've never tried to cook pizza on it.
 
According to Weber, that is about the temperature they are designed to reach. Grillgrates will not change the temperature, maybe only the evenness. My old Silver B used to peg the thermometer while my new Weber gets up to about 600. They cook and sear pretty much the same though. I attributed it to the thermometer location.
Gonna have to agree to disagree here.

My Silver B definitely runs hotter with the GrillGrates. My kettles do too.

I think the reason is that they they trap more heat than conventional grates.

I agree that they heat more evenly, which is a disadvantage if you cook indirectly. A poster here said he got around that by cooking at a lower temp, to prevent burning. I haven't tried that, though, so I can't attest to it.
 
Agree with Rick.

My old Silver B clearly runs hotter with the GGs. I've measured it.

One question is why exactly do you want to cook at 600+ degrees?

If that is (presumably) for searing, you can easily get more searing oomph several different ways other than just increasing overall temps. Use hot metal (flat side of GGs, griddle, cast iron skillet) since induction always transfers much more energy into the steak than convection/hot air will at the same temperature.

Or you can sear with a weed burner or flame thrower or torch. Works great and a lot of fun.
 
You should be fine. My new grill's sear station sears gets hotter than my Silver B did, but I never had a problem with it doing the job. As mentioned, you are sure not going to cook at 600+.
 
Hi All - This is my first post here. I just bought a used Genesis grill. It was only used about 12 times for $400. I thought it was a good deal. I think it is the previous model of the Genesis line. Anyways, I have searched here for ways to make it hotter and I have only found suggestions to use Grillgrates. I read varying opinions about Grillgrates...some like em some don't, My last grill got hot fast and got up to 700-800 degrees. This grill takes longer and seems to only get to 500-550 maybe 600 if I wait long enough.

Is Grillgrates the only way to make it hotter? or are there other ways? Increase gas flow to the burners? a different regulator?

Thanks in advance!

Here is a pic of my grill.

Best,
Boyd

View attachment 39987
What do you need to do at 800 degrees?
 
I gotta laugh at this. The Maillard reaction takes place at 350F. So having a blow torch for a grill is nothing but bragging rights IMO. OP take your valves out ream the orifices out to 1/8" should have all the heat you want...................for a short while anyway. Just SMH
 
Thank you all! Great suggestions. ...one asked why 800? I like to get it real hot for a steak and sear and have it flame up, then I turn it down. Yes, I can use iron skillet to sear which I do sometimes. But sometimes, I want the fire. I cooked two t -bones the other night and I could never get that flame broil or for it to flame up. Maybe not enough fat in that cut of steak I had.

Its not like my grill won't cook it. Indeed it does and it tastes fine. I just want that little oomph when I want it.
 
Thank you all! Great suggestions. ...one asked why 800? I like to get it real hot for a steak and sear and have it flame up, then I turn it down. Yes, I can use iron skillet to sear which I do sometimes. But sometimes, I want the fire. I cooked two t -bones the other night and I could never get that flame broil or for it to flame up. Maybe not enough fat in that cut of steak I had.

Its not like my grill won't cook it. Indeed it does and it tastes fine. I just want that little oomph when I want it.

If the steak doesn't have enough fat to get the fire burning, or if its too cold at the start, a slight drizzle of canola oil or some butter added to the steak can help set it on fire.

That said, my friends E310 with two burners set to high gets hot enough to cause a tri-tip to catch fire on a reverse sear, so if yours is not getting hot enough, maybe the burners need a little attention...

good luck.
 
I gotta laugh at this. The Maillard reaction takes place at 350F. So having a blow torch for a grill is nothing but bragging rights IMO. OP take your valves out ream the orifices out to 1/8" should have all the heat you want...................for a short while anyway. Just SMH

A Weber gas grill is a bit anemic, IMO. Mailliard might happen at 350f, but toss a thin steak on a fire that doesn't have very high radiant heat and you'll never see Mailliard reaction before the steak gets cooked in the middle. My wife makes little skewers of thinly sliced beef and chicken (yakitori). In order to get any Mailliard reaction and not dry out the meat, I have to crank my gas grill to the max and let it heat really well before putting these on the grill. Otherwise, they just end up as gray meat, if you want any moisture in the meat. A higher powered grill provides flexibility.
 
If you want 800° you either need an IR burner or a charcoal vortex and put that steak directly over it. The IR burner on my Napoleon goes a way over 1000° and that is how I cook my steaks.
 
The temperature of a propane flame is almost 3600F, regardless of how large or small the burner. You can sear a steak with a cigarette lighter or a common propane torch, but it will be a little area at a time. When we see the temperature of a bbq on the built in gage, it's a function of how much energy is available to heat that bbq box. That is a concept typically measured in BTUs for gas bbqs.
 

 

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