# Side burner on gas grill **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 19, 2010, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/side-burner-on-gas-grill/536688 "2010-04-19T23:54:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/side-burner-on-gas-grill/536688/1 "2010-04-19T23:54:28Z")
What are they mainly for? Are they for people so dedicated to outdoor cooking that they just don’t want to make ANYTHING inside? Or is there some inherent grill-based purpose that relates to the meats being grilled or some such? Basically, I’m debating whether to pay a mere $20 more to get a side burner on the gas grill I’m considering buying. It’s not a lot, but I’ve always been happy enough cooking the corn or french fries in the kitchen and bringing them out to the patio from there while the meat goes on the grill…so, is there a different reason for having it there? Or would I just be wasting the 20 bucks? ---
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/side-burner-on-gas-grill/536688/2 "2010-04-20T00:01:25Z")
I use my side burner to hold a pan of beer, butter and sliced onions to hold the bratwursts after I grill them or to warm up a pan of BBQ sauce for those who feel a need to ruin their pulled pork with it. It’s generally useful but not critical. ---
**Author:** ![Campion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@Campion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Campion)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/side-burner-on-gas-grill/536688/3 "2010-04-20T00:05:51Z")
My barbecue is way far from the kitchen, so it’s much more convenient to have the burners there than to do the cooking in two places. It’s a convenience, not a necessity, but since the price is so low, I’d get it. ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/side-burner-on-gas-grill/536688/4 "2010-04-20T05:23:54Z")
If your [whatever main course] has been marinated, it would be a very convenient place to cook the marinade down to a sauce. ---
**Author:** ![retterath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/919ad9/32.png) [@retterath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/retterath)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/side-burner-on-gas-grill/536688/5 "2010-04-20T06:10:00Z")
I used mine once to heat a VW ring gear in a bath of motor oil. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/side-burner-on-gas-grill/536688/6 "2010-04-20T12:25:32Z")
> [@retterath](#): > > I used mine once to heat a VW ring gear in a bath of motor oil. What sides did you serve with that? Beans? ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/side-burner-on-gas-grill/536688/7 "2010-04-20T12:35:16Z")
I used the burner for stuff I would have had to cook on the stove at the same time I was barbecuing. Your food gets ruined when you run between a kitchen and outside to cook. I also use a fry daddy outside at the grill to deep fry. Before I had the Fry Daddy I deep fried using the burner on the grill so my house didn’t stink up. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/side-burner-on-gas-grill/536688/8 "2010-04-20T13:13:26Z")
I rarely use mine for anything. It’s much more convenient, for me, to just boil corn (or whatever) in the house and save propane. ---
**Author:** ![crazyjoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/side-burner-on-gas-grill/536688/9 "2010-04-20T13:20:50Z")
If you do use it, make sure you coat the bottom of any pans you like with soap, as I have blackened the bottom of pans before using that burner. It is not as finely adjustable as most stove burners, and I think the heat gets way more concentrated there than on a stovetop. Or, maybe I have a cheap burner. ---
**Author:** ![williamweigand](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b3f665/32.png) [@williamweigand](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/williamweigand)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/side-burner-on-gas-grill/536688/10 "2010-04-20T13:25:24Z")
When grilling pork chops for our church’s fundraiser we keep a big pot on the side burner to hold chops that have been mostly cooked but not yet ready to go inside to be served. We have a bit of water in the pot to keep the chops moist. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/side-burner-on-gas-grill/536688/11 "2010-04-20T13:29:43Z")
After having one without, I got one with the burner and use it all the time. It’s more convenient to do all your cooking in one place, rather than shuttling back and forth to the kitchen; you don’t spill as much beer 😃 I use the side burner for boiling corn (lots more BTU’s than my indoor gas cooktop), or sautéing vegetables. My wife got me a pan that has holes in it (similar to [this one](http://www.lillianvernon.com/catalog/product_display.jsp?pdId=523)) and it great for cooking onions and peppers or other vegetables, and giving them that grilled taste. ---
**Author:** ![LateComer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b5ac83/32.png) [@LateComer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LateComer)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/side-burner-on-gas-grill/536688/12 "2010-04-20T13:47:53Z")
I tried using my side burner a couple of times and found it to put out a LOT of soot onto the pan. Is this normal? Am I not cleaning it properly? ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/side-burner-on-gas-grill/536688/13 "2010-04-20T14:18:44Z")
I use mine for beans when I’m barbecuing. I also use it for anything I’d like to sear in cast iron at high heat - my stove is electric, and just can’t get the pan hot enough in any reasonable amount of time. ---
**Author:** ![MrFloppy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@MrFloppy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrFloppy)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/side-burner-on-gas-grill/536688/14 "2010-04-20T14:39:07Z")
I just got a new grill and the side burner doubles as a panini press - no kidding. But, on previous grills, it comes in handy for corn on the cob, beans etc. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/side-burner-on-gas-grill/536688/15 "2010-04-20T15:13:55Z")
Collards. If you cook them out there you don’t have to smell them in the house. Seriously, that’s why my mom made my dad get a grill that had one of those. ---
**Author:** ![justrob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a9adbd/32.png) [@justrob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justrob)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/side-burner-on-gas-grill/536688/16 "2010-04-20T15:37:19Z")
I have a side burner on my gas grill and I don’t think I’ve ever used it. I also feel the need to point out that if you’re boiling your corn on the cob you’re doing it wrong. ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/side-burner-on-gas-grill/536688/17 "2010-04-20T15:40:51Z")
I’ve got one of [these](http://images.hayneedle.com/mgen/master:CG020.jpg) bad boys. So I use my side burner to light my charcoal chimney when I’m grilling over coals and I use it as a shelf when I’m using the gas side. I haven’t used it yet for cooking anything though. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/side-burner-on-gas-grill/536688/18 "2010-04-20T16:00:28Z")
Have one, hate it, never used it. It just makes an otherwise useful side shelf - useless. My bbq is right outside my kitchen door (at my insistence), and only a few steps from my stove, which I am very comfortable using. If I had my druthers, I’d have got a bbq without. But my husband bought the bbq, cheap, from a friend who won one at a golf tournament, I think. It is a better bbq than we had so I didn’t complain too loudly but, I hate that the side shelf is useless to me. ---
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/side-burner-on-gas-grill/536688/19 "2010-04-20T16:05:59Z")
> [@crazyjoe](#): > > If you do use it, make sure you coat the bottom of any pans you like with soap, as I have blackened the bottom of pans before using that burner. It is not as finely adjustable as most stove burners, and I think the heat gets way more concentrated there than on a stovetop. > > Or, maybe I have a cheap burner. If you’re getting soot from the burning of propane, you have something not adjusted properly. Soot comes from incomplete combustion, and somewhere on the feed system there is a vent. Open the vent until you get a nice clean flame. ---
**Author:** ![phreesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@phreesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phreesh)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/side-burner-on-gas-grill/536688/20 "2010-04-20T16:28:10Z")
I had one on my old BBQ and used it occassionally. My new one doesn’t have one and I miss it. I make a lot of homemade BBQ sauces and it was nice to be able to have it right there next to my meat. (That’s what she said). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/side-burner-on-gas-grill/536688.md?page=2)