I like to grill year-round, but for those of you who only pull your BBQ out of the garage when the snow melts, here are a few things to keep in mind before you start grilling.
Position your grill where you want to cook – close enough to the kitchen so you don’t have to run back and forth, but far enough from the house so you don’t fill your family room with smoke and set the roof on fire. Bring everything you need out to the grill before you start to cook – you should never leave a hot BBQ unattended. Make sure you have plenty of ice–cold beer beside your grill.
If your grill has been sitting around in the garage for a few months, the first thing you must do is give it a thorough cleaning. More than likely your grill has grease and leftovers from last season. This attracts rodents, spiders, and all sorts of other things that shouldn’t be there. Spiders can get into the venturi tubes (the tubes that feed the propane from the tank to the grill). In order to clean the venturi tubes, you’ll need a special cleaning brush. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to get access to them.
You should also install new foil grease catchers underneath the cooking grill. Nearly every BBQ has a spot underneath for attaching a grease catcher. Using paper towels and an everyday household cleaner containing a grease cutter, go over the entire unit, polishing until it sparkles.
A clean grill is a healthy grill, and a clean grill is a safe grill. A clean grill also gets hotter and stays hotter, cooking you better foods. Grease build up on the grill can lead to flare-ups and grease fires.
Always clean your grill before and after every use with a stiff wire brush. If you BBQ on a regular basis, you should go through two or three grill brushes a year. Finally, a light coating of cooking oil, rubbed onto the cooking grids with a cloth, will prevent food from sticking and make the grill easier to clean. You can also apply an even coating of non-stick cooking spray to help season your grill.
Never apply this when the grill is on. Never! Before lighting the grill, check all your connections to and from the propane. Turn on the propane tank and light one burner at a time. Close the lid until the BBQ reaches the desired cooking temperature, then start cooking!
A lot of people ask, how hot should the grill be? Here’s a quick and handy reference:
High heat – about 550°F (280°C) and higher – is for searing steaks and chops.
Medium heat – about 350–450°F (230–280°C) – is the temperature you want for grilling perfect hamburgers, sausages, most meats, and grilled vegetables.
Low heat – anywhere below 350°F (230°C) – works best for rotisserie cooking, grilling fish, roasting, and for very lean food. Low and slow. At this temperature your grill works more like an oven.
TED READER is an award–winning chef and food entertainer, who’s parlayed his passion for food into a culinary tour de force that includes more than a dozen cookbooks, shelves of food products, live culinary performances, TV and radio cooking shows and appearances as well as culinary demonstrations, a catering company, and teaching. Known for his pyrotechnic charm and fearless culinary spirit, it’s no surprise that GQ magazine labeled him the “Crazy Canuck Barbecue Kingpin.” The dude just loves to cook!