Gel fuel is used in fireplaces (both indoor and outdoor), grills and fire pits. It is also used in catering to keep food dishes warm that are sitting out for a period of time. Gel fuel is odorless and doesn't produce smoke, making it an ideal way to heat a fireplace in a home without a chimney. Outdoor fire pits allow you to enjoy the warmth and dancing flames and even cook over a gel-fueled fire.
Fire Pits
Modern fire pits sold on the market today are decorative places to create a fire. A benefit of a fire pit is the ability to move it (before you start the fire) to various parts of the lawn or garden, allowing you to enjoy it wherever you like. Fire pits come in a wide array of sizes, colors and shapes. A gel-fueled fire pit does not use coal or lighter fluid to generate its flame. Instead, it uses canisters filled with a flammable gel.
Cooking on a Gel-Fueled Fire Pit
Many people are cautious about cooking directly over a gel fuel's flame because of concerns about chemical emissions. However, this worry is unfounded. Gel fuels are odorless and the chemicals will not affect your food. Sterno is one of the most prominent brand name creators of gel fuel and, according to the company's website, cooking directly over the flame is perfectly safe in terms of chemical emissions. They do, however, caution against open flame cooking because drippings that can come from food cause flare-ups that can result in injury. You should also not eat food that has cooking fuel on it or that has fallen in the flame.
To avoid food drippings or direct contact with the cooking fuel, there are many accessories available to transform a fire pit into a proper grill. You can cook food in a way that will minimize any injury resulting from flare-ups or contact.