At the beginning of the year, a trip through the garden leaves us looking at the remains of past years in the open air. Often our grilles remain outside in the elements, unshakable, and in many cases have seen much better days.
It is at this time of the year that we start thinking about cooking our favorite barbecue food outside during the warmer months with our friends and family, but before we can start throwing coal and lighters on the barbecue, it's time to turn our attention to cleaning our kitchen equipment so that speed up the process of hygiene.
Barbecue cleaning methods
Wire cleaning
A hard wire brush is a great help in cleaning the grill. Just give your rack a thorough cleaning before and after each use. If you used oil to cover your rack, cleaning the grill should be easy with a brush. Brass bristle brushes are especially good for cleaning porcelain coatings, as they won't damage porcelain.
Grill stones
Grill stones are specifically designed to help get grease and junk food on the grill. They look like a large pumice stone with a handle to facilitate cleaning, as well as an excellent thermal convector, such as volcanic rock, ceramic tile, etc. The main difference from latticed stone is that it does not have holes and behind this, it greatly reduces the likelihood of outbreaks and poor cooking. Crystal stones can withstand 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 you to work with almost any kind of grill.
Combustion
This is one of the most common barbecue / grill cleaning methods. All you need to do is leave the barbecue after cooking after all your food has been removed. Once you've done this for about a quarter of an hour, allow the grill to cool for about 5 minutes, then use an old spatula or a flat piece of metal and gently clean both sides of the grill to remove the sticky solid residue. Keep in mind that ceramic grids can be damaged very easily if too much force is applied with sharp objects, so be careful with your choice of tools.
If you have old metal kitchen utensils such as egg-flipper, these are the perfect tools to make work safer and easier.
However, you must be careful that this method is not prohibited by the grill manufacturer, so that you do not accidentally void the warranty.
Observe your safety if you use this method by wearing a suitable pair of cooking gloves or specialized heat-resistant gloves.
getting wet
If all else fails, letting your grill racks soak in warm water, it will help loosen stubborn dirt and food debris. This can be useful for getting the edges of your shelving that are often difficult to clean, really clean.
Grill cover
A good way to reduce pain when cleaning a barbecue is to prevent the worst of the remnants from remaining on the grill in the first place. To do this, apply a layer of oil on your rack before you start cooking. This will help you keep your food from burning and sticking to the grill, and also make it easier to clean the grill. Do not forget to spray butter on a cold grill. Spraying on the fire or a hot grill will cause the oil to swell and may 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 your barbecue after use and can be very effective; therefore, if you get tired of cleaning to remove any BBQ residue, investing in a steam cleaner can be very rewarding and time saving.
When you finish cooking, soak the old newspaper in water and place it on top of a warm grill with the lid tightly closed. After about three quarters of an hour, open the lid and wipe off the leftovers. Do not let the newspaper sit on the lattice for too long, as it will dry out and create even more work for you.
Preventive measures to keep your barbecue clean
Using the cover on the barbecue
One way to help keep the barbecue clean is to simply buy or make a cover to fit on your device while it is not in use. To give your barbecue some protection from the elements, it is a good idea to cover it with a plastic sheet or, preferably, a cover of manufacturers specially designed for proper operation, as they usually have a more dense fit and more effective.
During the winter months, you can also remove the grill and store it in a dry place away from moisture and elements. This will reduce the rate at which rust forms, and you win the most by doing this in combination with the lubrication method mentioned above.
This helps prevent rust during the months when your barbecue is not used regularly.
Foil "tray"
Now that you have the basics of cleaning the grill, you should pay attention to cleaning the internal surfaces of the barbecue.
After several uses, quite a few residues remained on the bottom, which did not get much effect from remaining outside the elements. Over time, this build-up can become unhygienic, as well as additional work for you.
The charcoal grill suffers from this the most, and the best way to handle it without spending a lot of money is to first clean the inside of the barbecue by removing the solid and dry residue first using an old vacuum cleaner with a brush (something all of us should be somewhere in the garage) and then remove the stuck dirt from the edges of the grill using common household cleaning products. There are many special barbecue cleaners, although they can cost two to three times more than regular household cleaners. Feel free to give them a try, although from experience regular cleaners perform the task adequately.
Simply spray a decent amount of liquid and allow it to soak in properly for 10 minutes, then gently clean the worst accumulation with a plastic scraper. Once you reach it, you are ready to lie in the kitchen foil.
Use high-quality kitchen foil, the thicker the better, and triple-layer it and turn it around the edges so that it looks like a tray. Place it on the bottom of the grill, and then add about a quarter of an inch of a layer of sand to it. This will help absorb the fat and excess juices that drain from the grill during cooking, and make your life much easier in the long run.
After several uses, simply remove the entire tray and discard it. Give the inside of the grill a quick brush and wipe, and insert another one of your home foil trays so that your barbecue is clean for the next few uses.
If you don’t mind spending a little extra money, you can use the foil tray with food and dispose of it after each use ... just use common sense and get rid of it when it is at its best.
Another tip you can try is to pour the remaining coffee on the grill. Wipe dry with a cloth. For a really good cleaning, spray the grill with your regular oven cleaner and leave it in a plastic garbage bag overnight. Hose it the next day, and you should have a flickering grill that is ready for use.
You can also add a moisturizing lotion for vinegar or dishes to the water for additional cleaning.
Another well-used grill cleaning method is to simply rub the grill into the sand. This will remove most of the grease, etc. After you do this, wipe the grill. Depending on how the grill is clamped, you may have to repeat this process 2 or 3 or once, but this is well worth the effort.
Gas taps often become difficult to reach during the cold months, which leads to cracking of plastic handles and in the worst cases breaks. Remove plastic pens and spray the area with light oil to loosen them. You can also try using a small amount of engine oil for each tap, and then cover them with light grease to prevent oil from leaking out.
If one or more of your burners do not form a strong blue flame, this may be due to the fact that the gas jet is clogged.
If you pull the burner out of the barbecue, you will see small brass nozzles, called venturis. They look like a small raised nut with a tiny hole through them. They can simply be removed with a small wrench. If you cannot remove the blockage, purchase new nozzles from a specialist supplier.
Insects tend to nest inside venturi when not in use, and holes can be blocked. Use a venturi brush to clean the venturi holes. If you will not be using the grill for a long time, consider using some venturi covers to prevent penetration.
Connect the gas supply and check the connections by covering them with a 1: 1 mixture for the dishwasher and water. Any interruptions in gas supply will be easily detected at this stage, and you will learn that you will need to do something to repair it. You can start by tightening the connections or replacing the seals, and if this does not work, replace the faulty unit according to the manufacturer’s instructions or return it to your local service center.
Barbecues with wooden carts can be kept in good condition by relubricating them once a year. All you need to do is to give the cart a soft sanding using large paper paper, and then use suitable furniture oil or specially developed barbecue oil. This will not only be soaked with oil stains on the top of your cart, but will help prevent the appearance of new stains.
Volcanic rocks also need help if you use them. Make sure you clean or renew them every year, as they are always clogged with grease and oil. Do not forget to discard the old sand from the drip tray, clean the tray and let it spray vegetable oil before you apply it with aluminum foil. Place the new washed sand on top of the foil to keep it clean.
If your volcanic rocks show signs of hacking, you can replace them, you can replace them with porcelain briquettes. These disc "rocks" are less porous than volcanic rocks, and are probably easier to clean.
If you live near the sea or in an area with a high density of salt air, note that you will need to spend extra time and precautions to make sure that your grill is not exposed to excessive elements that will inadvertently lead to component failure and rust.
Periodically rinse the exterior with fresh water and immediately wipe it off for best results.
