How to Clean a BBQ

Posted on July 9th, 2009 by Marck

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Grilling is a healthy way to cook delicious meals in a short amount of time. Yet like every pot and pan you use in the kitchen, you have to clean your grill regularly to keep your grilled food tasting great. Here are tips on how you can clean your outdoor grill.

Why Clean a Barbecue Grill?

Whether it’s a charcoal grill or a gas-powered barbecue, cleaning your grill is an essential part of kitchen maintenance. Some people may swear by the idea that some oils and flavoring agents are imparted on food when cooked in a grill that’s not clean, but that doesn’t have to be the case. Here are some reasons why you should clean your grill:

Cleanliness. The flavor of the food does not come from the slats of the grill, but from the food itself. Cooking food in a dirty grill will only result in dishes that taste rancid or burnt.
Heat efficiency. Particles of burnt food, grease, or fuel on the grill slats keep heat from being distributed effectively and efficiently across the grill.
Health. Burnt particles of food and grease can sometimes cause many illnesses, ranging from digestion problems to ulcer. Intense heat can make chemical changes to fatty deposits and turn them into carcinogens.

Tools

The high heat of a grill can help clean a grill, although you need to get down and dirty every now and then to keep the grill slats clean. Here are the tools you need to clean your grill:

Grill brush (usually comes with the grill, although you can buy a separate grill from a kitchen supply store)
Hot soapy water
Nylon scrubbing brush
Vegetable spray

Steps

To clean the grill, follow these steps:

Heat the grill to burn or melt off the excess grease on the grill slats.
As soon as the grill is cool, detach the grill slats from the appliance.
Wash the grill with brushes and hot soapy water. Make sure to get as much of the burnt grease and food particles as you can. It will take a lot of time and effort to remove the grease so that you’re left with clean, sparkling slats. Do not use lubricant or other industrial products on a grill unless they’re made with food-grade cleaning agents.
Rinse the grill with cold water, and allow the grill slats to dry.
Replace the grill into the appliance, and spray the surface with vegetable spray.
Heat the grill to prime the surface of the slats.

A clean grill is a great tool to cook just about anything. With these steps, you can maintain the cleanliness of your grill, as well as preserve the fresh flavor and taste of whatever food you’re cooking on the barbecue.