Maintaining Your Gas Grill
Theres really not a whole lot you need to do to keep your grill in tip-top shape. Following the few tips below will ensure years and years of successful and safe cooking:
1. Routinely check for propane leaks. On a monthly basis, run some soapy water along the gas line and connections . If you see bubbles form, you know theres a leak, and you either need to tighten the connection or replace the line.
2. Cover your grill. Keep your grill covered when not in use. Most brands make their own covers, which of course have to be bought separately, but theyre well worth it. Protecting your grill from the elements keeps it from rusting and becoming dirtier than it needs to be.
3. Clean it regularly. Beyond the detailed cleaning below which should be done every few months when grilling a lot you should also spot clean it after each use. Brush the grates, and wipe down the exterior with some Windex, and youre good to go. Its also a good idea to turn the grill up to high for 15 minutes once a week or so to burn off some of the excess gunk. Doing this ensures that grime doesnt build up too much, which can happen quicker than you expect it to.
Clear The Burner Tubes
If you have a gas grill, one part that often gets clogged are its burner tubes. One symptom of dirty burners is reduced flame size. They may also burn with an orange color instead of the usual blue. Both indicate abnormally low temperatures and an underpowered grill.
Typically a gas grill has multiple burner tubes, though some may have only one. Use a nylon or steel wire brush to gently clean the small holes on the tubes. Be sure to brush from the center of the tube outward, moving sideways . Otherwise you may push debris into the tube or holes themselves instead of clearing them.
Use a metal scraper instead of a steel brush with bristles.
Best Ways To Clean And Maintain Your Propane Grill
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As warmer weather approaches, attention turns to creating delicious meals outdoors on your propane grill. What better way to bring both your family and good friends together than a cookout? In addition to the menu, your grill needs to be in top shape every time you fire it up.
Keeping your propane grill clean and well-maintained is a top priority. To accomplish this, keep supplies on hand and create a timeline of when to complete the following tasks. Get in the habit of keeping your grill in great shape with these best cleaning and maintenance methods.
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How To Clean Grill Grates
You dont have to clean every part of yourgrill every time, but you should always clean the grate. Food, grease and watercan build up on it quickly, causing corrosion in some cases. Steel grates canbe particularly vulnerable to damage as their coating wears off, but evenceramic-coated high-quality cast iron grill grates can be damaged byimproper handling, causing the coating to chip, and making the whole gratesusceptible to rust. Frequent cleaning will help ensure that it has a longlife, and keep your food tasting great, every time.
Before you clean your grill, its a good ideato check the manufacturers recommendation for which brush to use. Stainlesssteel and uncoated cast iron grates generally wont be damaged by a wire brush,but any grill grate that is porcelain coated may be vulnerable. If youre unsurewhether your grill might be damaged, use a nylon grill brush rather than asteel one. It may take a bit more elbow grease, but youll still be able to getyour grill sparkling clean.
Not quite sure how to clean your grill grates?Heres the basic process to get you started:
Our Final Thoughts On Cleaning A Gas Grill
Cooking with a dirty gas grill isnt just nasty, it is downright dangerous. Food bits and grease built-up can cause flare-ups and even full-fledged fires. Moreover, grimy grilling surfaces impact unpleasant flavors to the food you cook and get in the way of sear marks. This is why it is so important for you to clean the gas grill before you actually use it to cook food.
We have provided a detailed guide to help you clean the grill from the inside as well as outside. By following our advice, you will be able to remove the grime, grease, debris, and food bits from your grill. When you cook on a clean grill, your food will taste better. Moreover, your gas grill will perform at its best and last longer.
This is all we have for you today. Stay tuned to our blog for more interesting information about grills.
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Cleaning Your Gas Grill
Experts seem to agree that your grill only needs to be deep cleaned 1-2 times per year, but Id say that with regular year-round grilling it should be done every few months. Veggies fall through the grates, chunky marinades splatter, and grease from your burgers and steaks build up rather quickly. You can often use the eye test and tell when it needs to happen. Youll see how dirty my own grill was with about 9 months between cleanings it should have been done quite a bit sooner. If nothing else, do it before before and after the high holy summer grilling season.
All you need is a good grill brush, a bucket of soapy water, another empty bucket for your debris, and an old sponge that you dont plan on using again.
Cleaning Your Propane Grill
To continue grilling mouth-watering meals, cleaning your propane grill is imperative. While it may not require a deep clean after each use, developing a cleaning timeline for regular maintenance on your grill is an excellent practice to adopt.
Much will depend on what you cook and your style of grilling. If you grill everything from steaks to vegetables, youre likely to experience food items falling through the grates, grease building up from the meats, and even splatters of sauces and marinades. Examine your grill often and determine what you need to do to keep it in the best shape possible throughout the grilling session.
As a basic guideline, perform a deep clean of your grill before the summer season ramps up and then again at the close of the season when the weather turns colder. This deep clean will include all of the following. Adapt each task as you see fit, based on how often you grill and what foods youre working with.
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Routine Cleaning Can Help You Spot Grill Damage
When you clean your grill its not only a chance to eliminate bacteria and germs, but its also a good opportunity to examine the entire appliance and ensure that everything is in working order. Having a grill cleaning routine will make you more attuned to things like a cracked gas line or a flaking grill plate, which you might not have otherwise noticed if you werent cleaning it out so regularly.
Mandatory Gas Grill Maintenance Tips
Oil it up. Use a pair of long handled tongs and paper towel to apply vegetable oil to your grill grates before each use. The oil will prevent food from sticking to the grates too much. Be sure to apply the oil once the grates are hot.
After each use, while the grates are still hot, use your long handled stiff wire brush to scrape off any residual food. Itâs like brushing your teeth, if your teeth were made of metal and your toothbrush was extremely abrasive.
Torch food drippings between uses. If youâre using your grill regularly, once a week you should turn it on high and leave it on for about 15 minutes to burn off any residual food build up, grease and grime.
Invest in a grill cover. The reasoning behind this should be obvious, but the less your grill is exposed to weather, the better. Also grill covers might prevent hypothetical wasps or birds from nesting in your grill between uses.
Safety first. Occasionally check your fuel line for leaks by liberally applying soapy water to all of the propane connectors, valves and line with a sponge or wet rag. Fire up the grill and check for any little bubbles forming in the soap suds. If you see bubbles forming, you may have a gas leak and should replace the problem area, whether it be the hose, valves or connectors.
Note: If youâre storing your grill outside, itâs okay to leave the propane connected but OFF. If your grill is inside, like in a garage or enclosed patio, best to disconnect the gas entirely when not in use.
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But My Bbq Has A Clean Setting
Many gas barbecues, youll find have a self-cleaning setting. While this is a good place to start, it certainly shouldnt replace a manual clean. Yes, it does burn off certain particles, but its not a substitute for regular cleaning.
Be sure to clean every cooking compartmentafter using it and clean the head deflectors every couple of uses. You shouldalso plan in an annual clean and disassemble each part to give it a thoroughclean. Before putting your utensil back together, allow each component the timeto thoroughly dry so that dampness doesnt affect your product when left tosit.
How To Get Rid Of Rust
A common issue people face when caring for grills is rust, which Lyman said comes from moisture on exposed metal surfaces. A rusty grill is generally avoidable if you take care of it, but if you notice rust on your grill grate especially, you should work to get rid of it before it becomes a bigger problem.
West said you can soak rusty grill grates overnight in a salt and vinegar solution and then use steel wool to scrub it down. Afterwards, coat the previously rusted area with oil. He noted that patches of rust on the exterior or bottom of grills are generally not a concern.
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Summit Charcoal Grillseason To Season Tips
1. When the grill is cool, brush or scrape off built-up carbon on the underside of the lid.
2. Brush the cooking, charcoal grates and diffuser plate to remove the leftover debris from your last grilling session.
3. Using a clean brush, clear the burner tube ports of rust and debris by brushing across them, not down the length of the burner.
4. Use a scraper to chip away any hard-to-remove debris on the inside of the bowl. Use the One-Touch Cleaning System to push ashes and debris into the ash catcher.
5. Make sure to empty the ash catcher – ashes left sitting in the ash catcher can promote corrosion.
6. Use our exterior grill cleaner to clean the outside lid and use our stainless steel cleaner on the side table of your grill.
How To Clean A Stainless Steel Grill
It is hard not to be allured by a shiny stainless steel grill. It is bright and clean and sparkling. However, after a few uses, your beautiful grill may not look so polished and new anymore. And that is due to the fact that not all stainless steel is created equallyjust because they call it stainless doesn’t mean it wont stain, discolor, or even rust. You need to use some prevention, the right cleaners, and a bit of elbow grease if you’re going to keep that stainless steel grill shiny and new looking.
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How To Clean And Maintain A Gas Grill
There is perhaps no finer way to spend a summer evening than grilling and enjoying the fruit of your efforts with friends and family. Doing so of course requires a properly functioning grill. Gas grills often have a long lifespan, but that can be shortened if you dont clean and maintain yours regularly. Burners can get dangerously clogged, gunk can build up so much that it causes small fires, and rust can take over your once-beautiful cooking machine. Luckily, maintenance and cleaning doesnt take too much effort. Read on to find out how to keep your gas grill functioning smoothly and belching meat-searing fire.
Remove The Burner Guards And Simply Soak Them In Warm Water And Use A Sponge To Wipe Them Down
How to clean a griddle top grill. Pour oil over a hot flat top grill. There should be a latch that allows you to do this. Make sure you rub in the direction of the grain so you don’t ruin the stainless steel surface.
Make sure to use an absorbent cloth to wipe off all the excess water and moisture from the top. To get rid of rust, i recommend heating up your grill a little to try and loosen it, making it easier to remove. Once the griddle is clean, rinse it off with hot water.
Use a grill scraper after every use to remove excess grease and food. Seasoning a flat top griddle. Remove the grill top from the body of your blackstone.
The conventional way to clean a flat grill top is by using a dish washing liquid and sponge to remove all traces of oil or dripping. Besides, it will remove any smell from the previous oil or meals that can make your next food stink. Use a clean folded paper towel to dry the griddle.
If you use water to clean the griddle top: As far as frequency is concerned, you should clean your griddle whenever you use it. The oil should slide off the pan, and then you can clean it normally.
This can lead to flaking and start to leave its mark on your food. If you want the minimal product to clean the flat top, you have to get the grill brick. Drop a few drops of oil and liquid soap on the top and then scrub using a grill stone.
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Charcoal Vs Gas Grill Cleaning
If you have a charcoal grill rather than a gas BBQ, then many of your start- and end-of-season tasks will still look the same. The main difference is that charcoal grills do require more regular maintenance to remain in peak condition, and should ideally be cleaned after each use.
Surfaces will be easier to clean while the grill is still hot. It is recommended that you use a grill brush that can dispense water to make the process of cleaning the grate easier. Alternatively, you can sprinkle some water on the brush for a similar effect. Make sure you also clean out the ash at the bottom of the grill after every use to prevent it from blocking the vents. Just remove the charcoal bricks once they have cooled and brush the ash out.
Keeping Your Grill Clean & Maintained Through The Summer
If you love cooking on your grill, then you need to keep the grill clean and well maintained. For so many grill users, cleaning and maintenance seems to go by the wayside, but if you want this unit to work well and last a long time, then you need to treat it right. Your grill is something you prepare food on and just like your stovetop, you should want to keep this item that you cook on clean. To make this task easier follow a few of these tips for grill cleaning.
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How To Clean A Flat Top Grill
While gas grills and charcoal grills are the most common types of grills most people use, flat top grills, or Blackstone grills, are becoming the new thing at tailgates and for cooking for a crowd. Cleaning a flat top grill is a much simpler process because they dont have any grates for food and grease to drip through.
Tools and Materials Needed:
- Grill cover
Step 1: Collect Supplies
You only need a few supplies to clean a flat top grill, so grab them and head outside.
Step 2: Heat the Flat Top Grill
Cleaning a flat top grill goes much more quickly when the surface is still warm. Either heat the grill or clean it shortly after grilling a meal. It should be warm but not so hot that its uncomfortable to the touch.
Step 3: Scrub the Grilling Surface
After putting on rubber gloves, scrub the surface of the flat top grill with hot, soapy water and a sponge or grill brush. Use the scouring pad side of the sponge or the wire bristles of a grill brush and a food-safe degreaser for any stubborn food buildup.
Step 4: Wipe the Surface
Next, wipe the grilling surface down with a clean, dry towel.
Step 5: Clean Any Other Surfaces
Using your sponge and hot, soapy water, clean any other surfaces of your grill such as the lid, shelves, and knobs.
Step 6: Cover the Flat Top Grill
Cover the surface of your flat top grill so that it stays protected from rain, sleet, hail, and snow.
Photo via Chas Crazy Creations
Get Rid Of All The Gunk At The Bottom
After wiping the burners, youll want to move on to the plates underneath. My grill has two of these, and as you can see, they were pretty filthy. These pull right out, and are easy to clean off with your grill brush. I found that the sponge didnt do a whole lot on these plates, as this is where most of your grime ends up and you get a nice layer of char. Much like a cast iron skillet. Mostly just worry about the big chunks with these plates.
After the plates are out, youre left with basically just the removable bottom tray. Scrape any chunks from the edges onto your tray.
This is what my tray looks like . Slides right out.
Before and after of cleaning the tray. Some of the gunk will be loose, but some will probably need to be scraped off. I also used the sponge here to get at least some of that grease and grime off. Its not perfect, but are grills really supposed to be spotless?
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