Insiders secrets revealed
Mar 30 '01
The Bottom Line Proper care and maintenance can extend the life of any grill. It doesn't have to be hard or even time consuming if you just keep up with it.
Rain, Snow or Shine, my family grills out year round. I can remember in London standing beneath the cover of our open garage, tongs in hand turning chicken and steaks on the grill while it rained or even snowed just inches away. Today I continue cooking out despite weather conditions. I simply find that there is no other way to capture that grilled flavor than on my charcoal grill.
This being the case I have learned a few tricks of the trade to minimize the hassle as well as difficulty in cleaning the grill.
1. Always remove the ashes from your grill- yeah this is a no brainer but you would be surprised how many people will simply throw more charcoal on top of old ashes. By removing the ashes you increase the air flow beneath your coals and also you are not heating and sending old possibly rancid flavor from drippings onto the food you are preparing.
2. Save cleanup time afterwards by taking a second before you get started. Use a cooking spray such as PAM or Wesson on your metal grates to reduce sticking. This not only makes for easier turning since what your cooking doesn't tend to stick as much, it also makes it so that the grates have very little sticking to them when you are done. This few seconds can save you time and frustration later on.
3. Grill brushes were designed to scrape off food from your grates and they work but I recommend scraping after dinner while the coals are still hot and they can burn off any little bits that you miss.
4. A simple way to clean grates and even your oven racks is to place them into a plastic bag with ammonia and water and set them in the heat of the sun. The heat causes the ammonia to break down the grease making it easy to simply spray them off with a garden hose. This is easier and much more environmentally friendly than using oven cleaner too. If you have a small grill or large enough bags you could even put the entire grill into it for cleaning, otherwise I would recommend using some light degreaser such as simple green or even dish detergent and some hot soapy water.
Note for smokers you don't necessarily want it to be spotless. Smokers are better the more they are coated with smoke. The smoke flavor is stronger as time goes on. I usually wipe any splashes on the roof of the interior of my combination smoker/grill and scrub out the bottom where the bulk of drippings collect.
5. If you store your grill for one or more seasons it is best to lightly coat the interior and exterior with a cooking oil. This helps to seal it from the humidity and protect it from rusting.
6. Rust- All metal parts are subject to rust. Steel wool or even SOS pads can be used to remove rust from the surface of all your grill parts. I personally like using a wire disk on my drill to remove rust. I find it much more efficient. Once any surface rust has been removed you should seal the affected area. They have many types of paints with rust inhibitors but I recommend avoiding most. Instead look for a high temperature paint. Most have rust inhibitors and they can take the heat your grill is going to be producing. It may slowly come back but it is far better than having the paint flake off or even burn away in no time.
7. Proper storage of your grill can substantially prolong the life of your grill. Where as it should be protected from the elements a grill cover actually can trap moisture beneath it. Be sure to leave the bottom of your grill cover open to prevent moisture becoming trapped. Seasoning the grill for extended storage and keeping it protected from direct sun and rain will greatly reduce surface decay and by keeping it clean inside you will minimize the chance of the base rotting out.
A special note for drum styled grills owners-- Most round drums type grills should have a small curved insert for beneath your coals. This may be reflective or not, it makes no difference, but be sure to clean and replace this piece when it begins to rot or burn away. This is your best way to extend the life of a good grill well into the future because it will prevent you from in effect burning your way through the base of your grill.
For more information about grilling be sure to check out my reviews on my grill as well as how to choose a grill.
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Epinions.com ID:
bermudabum
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Member: Dave
Location: Tidewater, VA
Reviews written: 42
Trusted by: 25 members
About Me:
Grab a rum swizzle and hear what this Bermuda*Beach*Bum and single dad has to say.
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