Grilled food has a special pull. The charred edges, the smoky smell and the juicy centre are hard to get from a regular pan. If you have ever seen “lava grill” on a menu and wondered what it means, this article explains how lava stone grilling works and how it compares with other ways of cooking over fire.

A mixed platter of grilled chicken and kebabs with salad, naan and lime

What Is a Lava Stone Grill?

Lava stone, also called lava rock, is volcanic rock. It forms when molten rock cools and hardens, and it is full of tiny air pockets, which makes it porous and fairly light. Cooks put pieces of it in a tray beneath the cooking grate. The rocks are heated from below, usually by gas burners, and the food cooks on the grate above them.

The rocks are not the fuel. Their job is to soak up heat and give it back out evenly, which turns out to be very useful for grilling.

How Does It Cook?

A lava stone grill does its work in a few ways at once.

Radiant Heat

Once hot, the stones radiate heat upward. Radiant heat cooks the surface of the food quickly, helping it brown and form a crust. Because there are many stones side by side, the heat tends to be more even than the narrow flame of a single burner.

Dripping Juices and Smoke

As meat cooks, fat and juices drip down. On a lava stone grill they land on very hot rock and vaporise, rising back up as smoke and steam. That smoke carries flavour and settles on the food. This is a big part of why grilled food tastes “grilled” and not just cooked.

Heat Storage

Because the stones hold heat, the cooking surface does not cool down as quickly when cold food is put on it. That helps the food sear instead of stewing in its own juices.

Lava Stone vs Charcoal vs Gas

All three can make excellent food. They simply behave differently.

	Lava stone	Charcoal	Plain gas grill
Heat source	Rocks heated from below	Burning charcoal	Burner flame under the grate
Smoke flavour	From vaporised drippings	Strong, from the charcoal and drippings	Light
Heat evenness	Good, stones spread heat	Varies with how coals are laid	Can have hot spots
Control	Adjustable with the burners	Needs practice	Easy
Clean-up	Stones need occasional care	Ash to dispose of	Simple

Charcoal gives a distinctive smoky flavour that many people love, but it takes skill to manage. A plain gas grill is convenient and controllable, but with less smoke. Lava stone sits in between: you get the convenience of an adjustable heat source and extra flavour from drippings vaporising on the rocks.

These are general differences. Every grill is built differently, and a good cook can get great results from any of them.

Tips for Better Grilled Food

Whatever kind of grill you use, a few habits make a real difference.

Preheat Properly

Let the grill get hot before the food goes on. Food placed on a cold grate sticks and cooks unevenly. A hot surface gives you proper grill marks and a better crust.

Marinate With Purpose

A marinade adds flavour and can help keep lean meat from drying out. Simple combinations work well: olive oil, lemon or yoghurt, garlic, salt, pepper and herbs such as rosemary. Keep marinating meat in the fridge, not on the counter, and discard any marinade that has touched raw meat unless you boil it first.

Pat the Food Dry

Surface moisture turns to steam and stops browning. Pat meat and vegetables dry before they hit the grill, and brush on only a thin layer of oil.

Do Not Keep Flipping

Resist the urge to turn food constantly. Let it cook until it releases from the grate on its own, then turn it. Fewer flips usually mean better browning.

Use Two Zones

If your grill allows it, keep one hotter area for searing and one cooler area for finishing. Sear the outside, then move thicker pieces to the cooler side so they cook through without burning.

Rest the Meat

Give grilled meat a few minutes to rest before cutting. The juices settle back into the meat, so you lose less of them on the board.

Cook It Through Safely

Chicken, minced meat and sausages need to be cooked all the way through. A food thermometer is the most reliable way to check. Keep raw and cooked food on separate plates and use separate utensils.

Do Not Forget the Vegetables

Peppers, courgette, aubergine, onions and mushrooms all grill well and pick up the same smoky flavour. Cut them into larger pieces so they do not fall through the grate.

Lava Grilling at Fresh Elements

We have a lava grill in our kitchen, and it is where dishes such as our Lava-Grilled Chicken come from: marinated chicken with rosemary, roasted vegetables and herb jus. The platter in the photo above is from our lava grill too. Grilling is a natural fit for the way we like to cook, with fresh ingredients and minimal oil, because the fire does a lot of the flavouring for you.

Come and Try It

If this has made you hungry, you can see what we are serving on our menu. We would love to share our grilled dishes with you at our restaurant in Lakeside, Pokhara.