Choose charcoal or gas, buy a top-class model or a cheap on a budget, if you use a barbeque one thing remains the same – you need to take care of the grills. Taking care of the grills includes regular cleaning and maintenance of the appliance, occasionally washing the flavorizer bars and emptying the grease traps or ash.
If you love cooking and eating grilled foods, you must learn the basics of taking care of your bbq grills. The upkeep is not only necessary for keeping your appliance in a good state but also for your own health.
Clean the grill grate before cooking – As your food is going to be in the direct contact with the grill you should always clean it before cooking. Turn on the fire and let the grill get heated on intense heat for five minutes. Now take your long-handled grill brush with firm bristles and start scrubbing the grill. When you are cleaning on high heat you do not need much of your elbow grease to clean-up your grill. But, remember, you can afford this ‘hot cleaning’ only when you use a charcoal grill. Gas grills must be off while cleaning. This pre-cleaning ensures that no food from previous cooking remains stuck in the grill.
Oiling the grate – Once you clean your grate before cooking you might think whether to oil the grills or not. Oiling is always a good idea before grilling foods as oil prevents the food from sticking to the grills. But, remember that smaller quantity is always the best when talking about oiling a bbq grill. A larger quantity of oil can start a flare-up causing accident. If the food item you are going to grill is oiled then you can safely skip oiling the grill. In other case use an oil-dipped paper towel to oil the grills with the help of tongs.
Taking off the ash and remaining charcoal – After feasting on the home grilled meat you’ll surely like to go lazy and postpone all responsibilities for the next day. But, if you want your bbq to stay in good health you need to fight your procrastination. Ash and coal have a natural tendency to trap moisture. So, when you leave those ashes unattended after cooking they will sit there and trap as much moisture as they can. And, this surely would not be good for your barbeque appliance.
Cleaning the outer surface of your barbeque – You can simply use some cleaning agent and rags to clean the outer surface of your appliance. If you store your grill in a grill cover, a monthly cleaning regime would be okay to keep the appliance shining. And, you must always cover your appliance when not in use, especially when it is kept outdoors. The covering up increases your appliance lifespan. When cleaning the exterior portion of your barbeque you might want to clean it up from inside. But, the best time to clean the grills is just before cooking. The blackness that envelopes the grate actually forms a protective layer that protects it from the atmospheric moisture.
Take regular help from the professionals – Involving yourself actively in the upkeep of your barbeque maintains it in a good position but, the fact is, you cannot do it all by yourself. There are a lot more to be taken care of a barbeque than cleaning the grate, outer surface and removing the residual fuel. You will need a professional to take care of things like flame tamers, cast burner, and venture tubes etc. You can stay in regular contact with the professionals from a reputable agency like Grill Tanks Plus bbq grill cleaning who have their localized agency in the major cities. The professional grill cleaners do not only clean your barbeque but they also keep it safe for you. A simple thing like a loose fuel line can cause a big accident. When you hire professionals you can rest assured that no such mishap would occur due to your barbeque. Your grill needs a thorough clean-up by a professional at least twice a year. And, if you use your barbeque frequently you should get it done after five or ten uses.
You can lengthen your appliances lifespan by taking care of it as discussed above. In addition to these general instructions make sure you read the instruction manual that came with your barbeque. Every manufacturer has some specific instruction to take care of the given appliance and these instructions really matter a lot. So, never skip reading an instruction manual.