Grilling meat over a fire is arguably the oldest cooking technique that exists. There is nothing as gratifying as a nicely done piece of juicy steak straight off the barbecue. Your beloved BBQ grill is the centerpiece of many memorable times spent with friends and family, and you need to take care of it.
If you are passionate about the cooking discipline of grilling, then you need to ensure that all your tools are in top condition. The modern barbeque grill is a durable apparatus with multiple components, which requires its own special maintenance. Grills also lie dormant in your storage area for a long time, which can lead to some parts getting creaky and dirty. Some cleaning methods need to be employed every grill session, while some can be done periodically.
The Grill Grate
Cleaning the grill grate is one of the most important bits of your grill maintenance routine. The great comes in contact with your food, so you want to ensure a sterile environment for health reasons. One of the simplest hacks to ensure this is by letting the grill stay over a very intense heat for a few minutes. Older food particles will get incinerated, along with any possible microbes. Do the same when you are done with the grilling, so leftover food particles and pieces get burnt out.
A high-quality grill brush is a great tool to have, it makes scrubbing the grill grate a less awkward, and much more effective function.
Periodical Maintenance
Once in awhile, you need to take out the cooking grates and clean them thoroughly. Clean the other metal components around the burners and check your drip pan, in case it needs a replacement. If you are planning to put your grill in for storage, soak the cooking grates in hot water and soap. Brush the grill interior but the leave the grease – it acts as a protective layer to the metal.
To figure out if your burners need a cleaning, start a flame and observe. Uneven flames mean the burners are clogged with foreign particles. A pipe cleaner or small wire should do the job. You also need to wash the exterior of your grill.
When done with the cleaning, start a fire so all the parts inside get dry. Remove the gas connection before a long storage. Make sure you keep your gas tank in a safe area.
Time to Call the Experts
As grills get more complicated, their problems follow suit. Do not spoil your investment by tampering around when you are not sure of the problem. Cleaning does not fix all the problems your grill may have, and the grill experts will evaluate your tool and find the root of the problem.
You may have a grill that you have been neglecting for a while, and one fine day, you take a look at it and feel like it needs to go to the junkyard. The BBQ grill cleaning experts may disagree though, as a change of component here and some fixes there can bring your grill back to life.
It is always recommended that you get your grill a maintenance check from a professional once in awhile. Apart from recovery jobs, the grill experts also ensure that your grill is cleaned thoroughly. Grill hygiene is very crucial; food contamination can cause health problems. Many studies have linked carcinogenic substances in dirty grills to cancer cases.
Most DIY maintenance jobs would involve cleaning of the grates. But you need to dig deeper. Some of the horrible things accumulating in cook box of your grill could include rodent droppings, dead insects and other organic waste. For such deep cleaning, you need people with the special tools.
Other Grill Services
You can enjoy a whole lot of grill-related services with a one-stop-shop professional firm. Is your propane running out? You can just exchange your empty cylinder with a full one and save on gas costs. You can also buy a tank.
Repeated use can lead to components breaking down or fittings getting misaligned or loose. For the casual observer, it can be quite a tricky task to separate the problem from the symptom. Grill experts are familiar with malfunctioning grills on a daily basis so they can facilitate a quick evaluation before presenting the problem and the costs you may incur. Each grill company has distinctive operational and design elements. Some of the most popular brands are LYNX, Alfresco, Dacor, Weber, and much more. Getting spare parts can be a risk if you go to an unknown source or pick things up from the internet. Instead, it would be advised that you get a physical evaluation before making repair related purchases.
The grill is a simple pleasure, but it is also a complex machine that needs attention. Keep it clean and well-maintained, and you can enjoy your BBQ parties with the assurance of a safe and healthy environment.