If you love outdoor cooking using a grill, then you know that routine cleaning of your grill grates after each use and proper maintenance is required to ensure the longevity of your grill grates not to mention ensure your food turns out to be delicious. Aged grease and accumulated food on the surface of your grates only serves to spoil the flavor and quality of your food. Routine cleaning will also prevent the build up of bacteria and fungi that can be caused by accumulated food. First of all before you can begin to clean your grill grates, read the manufacturers manual for instructions and recommendations on cleaning as different manufacturers may recommend different cleaning methods, using their own specific products. If the manual doesn’t have anything on cleaning then most likely you will find the information on their website.
Cleaning grill grates will however involve the following;
Scrubbing/brushing
1. Preheat your grill
Scrubbing is usually a quick cleaning fix that you should carry out after you use your grill every time to prevent food and grease build up. Before you can start scrubbing however, first turn all the burners on high for 10 to 15 minutes and then turn them off. What preheating does is that any food or grease left on your grate is softened which will make the work of scraping off easier.
2. Scrub the grill grates.
While the grates are still hot, using a steel brush or brass brush for cast iron or stainless steel grill grates in a back and forth motion brush the the grates. For porcelain grill grates gently use nylon brush and make sure you don’t end up scraping and ruining the coating. Be careful not to touch the hot grill grates with your bare hands. Ensure the brush you use can easily fit between the grill grates to get rid of all the food and grease particles there. Do this until all the grease and food is off all your grill grates.
Soaking method
This is now what you do when you want your grill grates to look as good as new.
1. Preheat and brush of the food and grease particles
You start by carrying out the scrubbing method above of preheating your grill grates then brushing off the food and grease particles when the grates are still hot using the ideal brushes .
2. Soak the grates in solutions
Mix vinegar, baking soda and some hot water in a container large enough to accommodate the grates perfectly. You can also mix some hot water with liquid dish soap and baking soda instead. Then, place the grates in either of the solutions ensuring the grates are completely submerged in the solutions and let them soak for at least an hour.
3. Scrub off any remaining food particles.
The soaking and the solution will have made the work easier for you so any remaining grease or food should come off.
4. Rinse the grates.
Rinse the grates to get the solution off the grates, let them dry in the sun or dry them yourself with a suitable towel.
Useful tip for maintaining your grill grates;
A little oil could help reduce the amount of time and work you need to clean your grill grates. Before cooking, just apply a little vegetable oil to the food or grill grate. This will prevent food from sticking on your grates .Take care not to apply to much though, you don’t want any flare-ups that could interfere with your cooking and ruin the taste of your food. Applying oil vegetable on the grates after cleaning or before cooking will also help to prevent them from rusting.
