With the warmer temps, it’s time to get your grill ready for BBQ season. We don’t know about you, but nothing compares to that char flavour you get from grilling. Whether you’re an all-season grill-master or you’re about to crack ‘er open this weekend, now is the time of year to give your outdoor cooking machine a thorough once over. Cleaning your BBQ before firing it up for a busy season of grilling makes for not only more accurate grilling but safer grilling as well.
The folks over at Napolean have shared some pro tips about ensuring your BBQ is ready for all the summer grilling you’re about to throw its way.
See also: Spice It Up With This Mexican Grilled Corn Recipe
Here’s everything you need to know about getting your grill ready for the season!
Give It A Thorough Cleaning
As delicious as the end product may be, grilling is messy. Grease, food bits and charred remnants can both inhibit the effectiveness of your grill and be dangerous. To start the season, give each piece of your grill a good scrub. Using soap, warm water and a steel wool pad, scrub down each of your cooking grates. Do the same for your heat deflectors, ensuring they are in good working order. If not, buy replacement parts. Gently clean each burner ensuring they are in good shape and no holes are plugged. Pull out the tray that collects all the burnt remains and scrub it clean. Empty the grease tray and replace it. Finally, give the outside a good clean using a non-corrosive cleaner or de-greaser.
Check For Possible Leaks
Once your cleaning is done, it is a good idea to visually inspect all hoses and feed tubes on your grill. Look for any crimps, scratching and or punctures. If you detect any of these, it is time to replace the hoses. A leak test should be performed any time your grill has been in storage for a prolonged length of time or when you are changing any components on your grill. Cover each hose with warm soapy water and look for bubbles — if there are no bubbles forming, you are good to go. If there are bubbles, it is indicative of a gas leak that needs repair before using the barbecue.
Check All The Ignition Parts
Now that your grill is clean and safe, it is time to check out how it lights. For battery ignitions it is a good idea to replace the batteries with new ones. Check all electrode leads and ensure the tips of the electrodes are clean and have no grease or rust build-up on them. If they do, you can use fine-grit sandpaper to clean them.
Get Your Basic Barbecue Tools
Make sure you are equipped with a good grill cleaning brush — cedar scrapers are all the rage right now, but there is something to be said for a good abrasive pad. You will also want to make sure you have a good set of tongs, a quality spatula and it is a great idea to invest in a temperature probe.
Featured Image: Napolean Canada
