Barbecue cleaning made easy
During the first part of the year, a tour of the garden allows us to contemplate the remains of the outdoor cooking activities of recent years. Our grills are often left outside in the open, uncovered, and in many cases have seen much better days.
It’s this time of year when we start thinking about cooking our favorite food on the grill outside during the warmer months with our friends and family, but before we’re ready to start throwing charcoal and lighters on the grill, it’s time to shift our attention to cleaning our kitchen equipment so things start off hygienically.
Barbecue cleaning methods
wire brushing
A stiff wire brush is a great help in cleaning your grill. Simply give your rack a thorough scrub before and after each use. If you have used oil to coat your grill, cleaning the grill should be easy with a brush alone. Brushes with brass bristles are especially good for cleaning porcelain-coated cooktops, as they won’t damage the porcelain.
grill stones
The grill stones are specially designed to help remove grease and food stuck to the grill. They look like a large pumice stone with a handle to make scrubbing easier and is also an excellent heat carrier such as volcanic rock, ceramic tile, etc. The main difference from a stone grill is that it does not have holes, and due to this feature, it greatly reduces the chance of flare-ups and poor cooking. Grilling stones are capable of withstanding incredible heat, up to 2000 degrees Fahrenheit. Grill stones are ideal for use on most grill shapes and sizes, as the design of the stones allows them to work with almost any shape of grill.
Burned
This is one of the most common methods of cleaning grills/bbq grates. All you have to do is leave your barbecue on after cooking once you have removed all the food. Once you’ve done this for about a quarter of an hour, let the grill cool for about 5 minutes and then use an old trowel or flat piece of metal and gently scrape both sides of the grill to remove any hard, sticky residue. . Keep in mind that ceramic grills can be very easily damaged if too much force is applied with sharp objects, so be careful with the tools you choose.
If you have an old metal kitchen utensil, like an egg turner, these are ideal tools to make the job safer and easier.
However, you should be careful that the grill manufacturer doesn’t prohibit this method so you don’t accidentally void your warranty.
Ensure your own safety if you use this method by wearing a suitable pair of oven mitts or special heat-resistant gloves.
Soaking
If all else fails, letting your grill grates soak in warm water will help loosen stubborn grime and food debris. This can be good for really cleaning the edges of the shelves, which are often difficult to properly scrub.
grease the grill
A good way to reduce the pain of cleaning a barbecue is to prevent the worst of the residue from sticking to the grill in the first place. To do this, coat your grill with a layer of oil before you start cooking. This will help prevent food from burning and sticking to the grill and will also make cleaning the grill much easier afterwards. Remember to only spray oil on a cold grill. If sprayed onto a hot fire or grill, the oil will ignite and could cause serious injury.
steam cleaning
If you use your barbecue several times throughout the year, why not invest in a steam cleaner? This will speed up the time it takes to clean the barbecue after use and can be very effective; So if you’re tired of scrubbing off barbecue residue, an investment in a steam cleaner can go a long way and save you time.
When you’ve finished cooking your food, soak an old newspaper in water and place it on top of your hot grill with the lid tightly closed. After about three quarters of an hour, open the lid and clean the residue. Don’t let the newspaper sit on the grill rack for too long, as it will dry out and create even more work for you.
Preventive measures to keep your barbecue clean
Using a cover on your barbecue
The number one way to help keep your barbecue clean is to simply buy or make a cover to put on your unit while it’s not in use. To give your barbecue some protection from the elements, it’s a good idea to cover it with a plastic sheet, or preferably a cover from the manufacturer that’s specifically designed to do the job right, as they’re usually a tighter fit and more durable. effective.
During the winter months, you can also remove the grill and store it in a dry place away from moisture and the elements. This will slow down the rate at which rust forms, and you will benefit most if done in conjunction with the lubrication method mentioned above.
This helps to inhibit rust during the months when your barbecue is not in regular use.
The sheet “tray”
Now that you have the basics of indoor grill cleaning, you now need to turn your attention to cleaning the inside of your grill.
After several uses, there is a fair amount of dirt left on the bottom that hasn’t particularly benefited from being out in the open. Over time, this buildup can become unhygienic and become an extra chore to deal with.
Charcoal grills suffer the most from this, and the best way to deal with this without spending a lot of money is to first give the inside of the grill a good cleaning by removing hard, dried-on debris first with an old dustpan and brush (something of us should have in the garage somewhere), and then remove the dirt stuck to the edges of the grill with general household cleaners. There are many barbecue-specific cleaners available, although these can cost two to three times more than regular household cleaners. Feel free to give them a try, though from experience, regular cleaners get the job done adequately.
Just spray on a decent amount of the liquid and allow it to absorb properly for about 10 minutes, then gently scrape off the worst of the buildup with a plastic scraper. Once you’ve gotten this far, you’re ready to place on the kitchen foil.
Use good quality kitchen paper, the thicker the better, and cover it with three layers, turning the edges to look like a tray. Lay this on the bottom of your grill and then add a layer of sand about a quarter inch deep. This will help soak up any fat and excess juices that run off the grill during cooking, and make your life MUCH easier in the long run.
After several uses, simply remove the entire tray and throw it away. Quickly brush and clean the inside of the grill, and insert another one of your homemade foil pans to keep your grill clean for future uses.
If you don’t mind spending a little extra money, you can use a foil catering pan and throw it away after a few uses… just use common sense and dispose of it when it seems like it’s not at its best anymore.
Another tip you can try is pouring leftover coffee on the grill. Clean with a dry cloth. For a really good clean, spray the grill with your regular oven cleaner and leave it in a plastic garbage bag overnight. Wash out the hose the next day and you should have a sparkling grill ready to go.
You can also add vinegar or dishwashing lotion to the water for extra cleaning power.
Another widely used grill cleaning method is to simply rub the grill in the sand. This will remove most of the fat, etc. Once you’ve done this, wash down the grill with a hose. Depending on how caked the grill is, you may have to repeat this process 2 or 3 or more times, but it’s worth the effort.
Gas taps often become difficult to use during the colder months, causing the plastic knobs to crack and in worst cases break. Remove the plastic knobs and spray the area with a light oil to loosen them. You can also try using a small amount of machine oil on each tap and then coating them with a light grease to prevent oil from leaking out.
If one or more of your burners do not produce a strong blue flame, a gas jet may have been clogged.
If you lift up the barbecue burner, you’ll see little brass nozzles called venturis. These are like a small raised walnut with a small hole through them. They can be removed simply with a small key. If you cannot remove the blockage, purchase new nozzles from a specialized supplier.
Insects tend to nest inside the venturis when they are not in use and the openings can become blocked. Use a venturi brush to clean the openings of the venturis. If you’re not going to be using your grill for a long time, consider using some venturi covers to prevent anything from getting in.
Reconnect the gas supply and check the connections by covering them with a 1:1 mixture of dishwashing liquid and water. Any fault in the gas supply will be easily detected at this point and you will know that you will need to do something to fix it. You can start by tightening the connections or replacing the seals, and if this doesn’t work, you should either replace the faulty unit per the manufacturer’s instructions or return it to your local service center.
Barbecues with wooden carts can be kept in good condition by re-greasing them once a year. All you have to do is lightly sand the cart with a high grit paper and then use a suitable furniture oil or specially formulated barbecue cart oil. Not only will this absorb any oil stains on the top of the cart, but it will also help prevent new stains from forming.
Volcanic rocks also need care, if you use them. Be sure to clean or renew them every year, as they always get clogged with grease and oil. Remember to dispose of the old litter from the drip tray, clean the tray and spray it with cooking oil before lining it with aluminum foil. Put fresh washed sand on top of the foil to help keep it clean.
If your lava rocks show signs of cracking you can replace them, you may want to consider replacing them with porcelain briquettes. These disc-shaped “rocks” are less porous than volcanic rocks and are considerably easier to keep clean.
If you live near the sea or in an area where the density of salty air is high, be aware that you will need to take extra time and precautions to ensure your grill is not unduly exposed to the elements that will invariably lead to component failure and rust. .
Wash exterior surface periodically with fresh water and dry immediately for best results.