No activity provides us with a greater opportunity to bond with friends and family during those summer afternoon get-togethers than backyard barbeques. You not only get to feel the warmth and joy of your loved ones around you but also a chance to enjoy some nice, delicious, grilled meat.
And while using those grills to cook ourselves some sumptuous meat is important, it is equally important to remember to clean them. This is because the whole cooking process results in the accumulation of food debris and grease in the grills. When left unattended, this buildup can support bacteria and affect the functionality of the grills.
As such, it is absolutely essential to know how to clean the inside of the gas grill and any other type of grill you may have be it a charcoal or pellet grill. The following are some useful tips on how to clean your barbeque grill.
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How to Clean a Gas Grill
Gas grills are the most widely used grills for outdoor barbeques. The two main types of gas grills are propane tank gas grills and natural gas grills. Many people use gas grills because they heat up quickly, produce heat evenly, and are easily portable.
While it is very important to have your gas grill cleaned often, there is no fixed number of times that you have to strictly stick by when it comes to cleaning your gas grill. Rather, how often you clean your gas grill is entirely dependent upon how often you use it. However, it is very important to clean all the parts of your gas grill from the lid, grates, and grease pan to the burner hoods and firebox.
To clean the grates of your gas grill, use a stainless steel bristle brush. Scrub the grates while they are still warm so that the grease and other food debris come off easily. In the event they have accumulated so much, you can soak the grates in hot, soapy water and then scrub them with your scouring pad.
Repeat the same procedure for the greased pan as well. When it comes to the burner hoods, it is important to check for any clogs caused by grease buildups. This is because if left unremoved they will undermine the grill’s heating capacity by impeding the flow of gas to the burners. Have a metal wire poker around just in case you have to manually unclog some of the burner’s ports that are filled with grease buildup.
Once you are done cleaning the grates, grease pan, and burner hoods, ensure that you scrub the lid and the firebox thoroughly using hot soapy water and some degreaser. Rinse all the components and put them out to dry well before assembling them all back up again.
How to Clean a Charcoal Grill
Charcoal grills are a fairly great alternative to gas grills and pellet grills. As the name suggests, these grills use charcoal as the primary source of heat for cooking. The charcoal used is usually in form of lump charcoal or charcoal bristles.
The market is replete with different types of charcoal grills. However, grills like The Weber Original Kettle Premium Charcoal Grill, the Nexgrill Cart-Style Premium Charcoal Grill, and the Char-Griller Super Pro Black Barrel Charcoal Grill are some of the best charcoal grills in the market.
The process of how to clean a charcoal grill is very similar to that of how to clean a gas grill. You need to have a stainless steel bristle brush. Preheat the grill for about 10 to 15 minutes so that the grease buildup on the grates softens up. Once the 15 minutes elapse use the steel bristle brush to clean off the gunk from the grates.
Alternatively, you can use a scouring pad or aluminum foil to clean up the grates. In the event, you go without cleaning your charcoal grill for long and the debris buildup becomes too much, you can use hot, soapy water and some degreaser to thoroughly clean the grates. First, get rid of all dry ash then wash off any residue using a garden hose pipe before washing the grates.
How to Clean a Pellet Grill
In the recent past, the popularity of pellet grills among barbeque lovers has kept on growing exponentially. This is largely because pellet grills are easy to operate, heat up quickly, are portable, and consume less energy.
This efficiency is also reflected in the cleaning and maintenance of pellet grills. Some of the best pellet grills in the market include the Z Grills 700E Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker.
While pellet grills have an intricate internal structure due to their many electrical and mechanical components, they are simple and straightforward to clean. Unlike other grills, pellet grills do not accumulate a lot of food debris. However, to avoid fat and grease buildup, it is best to clean them frequently, preferably after every cooking session. All components should be cleaned individually for the best results.
Therefore, always remove the greased pan and the grates from the grill before cleaning them. Grease buildup can be tough to remove so soak the grates in hot, soapy water so that the buildup softens up. After a few minutes, take the grates out and scrape the residue off with a scouring pad.
While it is still relatively warm, scrap off the gunk from the greased pan using a grill scraper. This together with thoroughly cleaning the chute will help prevent grease fires. Also, remember to wipe off black soot from areas such as the chimney to ensure the grill operates efficiently.
Once you are done cleaning the grates and grease pan, remember to take out the ash. Do not take the ash out immediately after cooking. Rather, wait till the grill cools off completely. Cleaning out the ash is critical because accumulated ash prevents the pellets from lighting up. If you want to make sure your grill is clean, learn more tips to make sure your grill is clean.
Further reading: How to Clean your Z Grills Pellet Grill
Pick What Works Best for You
All grills have individual qualities that give them a distinctive advantage over others. However, a keen evaluation of all these grills reveals that pellet grills are the best option for barbecue lovers. They accumulate less debris and dirt and hence are very easy to clean and maintain.
Therefore, it is important that when you go out to shop for grills you pick only the best there. Of all the pellet grills on the market, Z Grills is without a doubt a grill brand that you should consider.
