Getting the Grill Out & Prepping for Grilling Season

AS the buds turn into leaves on the trees, so the grills emerge from the garage or shed and we get outside to grill again.

But should we just dive straight in with some burgers and hot dogs? Probably not – your grill has not been used for six months and could do with a quick once-over to make sure it is in tip-top condition for your summer of barbecues ahead.

Even those of us that do not let snow, wind, and rain stop us grilling over the winter months should seize the opportunity to give our grill a good clean and be ready for full-scale summer cookouts.

The first thing to inspect carefully is the hose to your propane cylinder – as grills are so commonplace we can develop a rather casual approach to their maintenance, and given they are built around a small but highly explosive cylinder, it pays to check all is well.

Since the gas hosing is probably the single most perishable part of your whole grill set up, check it carefully for holes, cracks, or any other damage. Hose material does deteriorate over time and becomes brittle, so if it is a few years old, it is probably best to replace it – the new hose is cheap and you do not need much.

Next, give the whole grill a good cleaning. You probably meant to do it at the end of the season and put it away clean, ready to go again – but never quite got round to it when the weather turned. Take the grates out and give everything a solid cleaning, you do not want your first cookout of the year to taste like last year’s stale grease. A grease build-up is also a fire hazard of course. Wire brushes and elbow grease work well, and oven cleaner can help dislodge stubborn grease.

And talking of that grease – make sure you check the grease trap as well, as it is often out of sight and therefore out of mind too. Get it cleaned outrun it through your dishwasher if you need to – then line it with some foil to make the next cleanout that much easier and less messy.

Finally, fire that grill up – take it for a test burn before committing any food to it. Make sure the gas is flowing safely and properly, and the burners are clean and not clogged. A good sign is a clear blue flame, meaning the gas and air is mixing well to create a clean and hot burn – large yellow flames mean something is clogging up, the air is not mixing correctly and you have a flame that is not that hot and very sooty to boot.

If all is well, get out the steaks, kebabs, sausages, chops, and some Julia Belle’s Seasonings…and get grilling again.