Barbecue Cleaning

After you are done grilling, remember to give your barbecue a quick spot clean. The best way to do this is once all of the food is removed, turn up the heat, close the barbecue lid, and allow any remaining food scraps to char and burn. This process should take no more than 5 minutes.

Turn off the heat and open up the lid. Be careful, as the rush of heat may can be very hot! Allow your barbecue to cool down. Now grab your grill cleaning brush, and remove any bits of carbon stuck on the grates. Keep in mind your grill should still be warm and not totally cooled down. The warmer the grill is, the easier debris will come off.

Another handy cleaning tip before you scrub your grates down with your grill scrub, is to take half an onion, and run it across your grates a 3-4 passes using tongs. The the residual heat from the grill will react with the water in the onion, along with the natural oils the onion has, to produce a steam cleaning effect.

It is recommended that you season your barbecue grates before its first use, and regularly afterwards.

The best way to go about this is to soak a paper towel in a high burning point oil – like vegetable or grape seed oil, and rub it on your room temperature grill grates. Give the grates 3-5 passes, making sure that all surfaces of the cast iron grates are covered.

Now you can turn your burners on, close the lid, and get your barbecue to an even 350-400 degrees Fahrenheit, and let the heat do it’s job to the oil for 40 minutes to an hour.

Let the barbecue cool, before you take a cloth to rub off any residual oils, and your barbecue is ready to go!

From difference in cooking time, to flavour, to heat source, to preparation time to get your barbecue going, there are major differences between propane and charcoal powered grills.

Propane Barbecue: In essence, propane grills are the ones that are quick to heat up quickly. The source of combustion utilizes propane gas tanks. Propane grills often come with accessories such as side burners, warming racks, lighting fixtures, and storage racks. Propane grills are generally more expensive than charcoal grills, but they are much easier to use in terms of control of heat, and safer to use in relation to the fire source, as you can control the amount of heat easily.

Charcoal Barbecue: Charcoal barbecues utilize charcoals as its source of heat. As such, your barbecue’s fire will require constant monitoring in order to control for heat source. In addition to that, you will also need to set aside time to start the barbecue and heat up the grill and get the fire going so that the coals are heated through enough that they can be used to cook your food. That said, charcoal barbecues imbues your food with a unique type of smokey flavour that you just cannot get through most other cooking methods.

Other factors that make a difference between the two is that propane grills are more sturdy against weather. It might be more difficult to impossible to use a charcoal grill in the rain, whereas a propane grill can allow you to go about doing your barbecue. Cleaning a gas grill is much easier than cleaning a charcoal grill, as the ashes and used coals will leave a big mess. The safety of a propane grill is much higher than a charcoal grill, as the source of fire can be shut off, if the valve that supplies the propane is shut off. Whether you choose a charcoal or propane grill is dependent on your preference.

Barbecue covers are designed to protect your barbecue from moisture when it’s not in use. Most covers are designed to be water resistant, weather resistant up to a certain grade, and should protect your grill from UV rays and most elements. Certain barbecue covers are better designed than others, and will incorporate air flow vents so not to trap too much moisture, if you live in a humid climate.

If you live by the coast, it is possible that the salty air and inclement weather will be much more difficult to manage. If you live in arid, drier climates, it might not be necessary for you to utilize a barbecue cover at all. At the end of the day, the goal is to protect your grill from damage. This includes rust damage, water damage, and exposure to extreme weather conditions.

The best move you can make to extend the lifespan of your barbecue is to keep it sheltered when not in use.

Common issues with barbecues not lighting may be one of a few reasons. First, check if your gas flow is working. Is the valve open for the propane to connect to the grill? If it is, try to ignite your grill with the gas turned on using a long reach lighter. If this works, it may be a spark problem.

Most barbecues uses a battery to power the spark. It might be possible that the battery is low or drained. Check your ignition spark module unit. The spark area may be covered in dirt or grime, it may also be corroded, which blocks the spark from connecting with the propane fuel, to ignite a fire.

If neither of the above does not seem to be the issue, remove the grates and burner covers and check to see if and portion of the propane as plumbing is clogged with debris, old food, insects, or any other elements.

It is suggested that you have your barbecue cleaned properly at least once a year. This means more than just scrubbing down the grates. Ideally, you are disassembling portions of your barbecue unit to get to tough to reach areas, clearing out any debris or grime that blocks the gas plumbing, removing grease buildup, and keeping the stainless steel clean so that it doesn’t rust. It may be a good idea to hire a professional if you don’t know what you’re doing.

Barbecuing involves an indirect cooking method with the lid of your barbecue closed. Barbecuing utilizes time and the circulating heat to cook foods. The slow movement of hot air in an enclosed environment brings food up to temperature in order cook.
Grilling is what most people picture barbecuing as – where the flames lick the food above it. Simply put, grilling is done with the lid up and directly over the source of heat.

Depending on the type of ingredient you are using, you may need to use one technique over the other. Direct heat source produces more of a Maillard Reaction, whereas indirect cooking will produce more of an even cooking reaction. Often times, foods that require more cooking time, will be done barbecue style.