If people thought of their grills like they do their stovetops, there would be a lot less problems with grills wearing out. Think of it this way, after you cook something on the stove you generally have to wipe up the spills. Of course, I could just be a messy cook, but I can't seem to cook without having to at least wipe down the surface. Every now and then, depending on how often it gets used, I'll do a more thorough cleaning. This includes moving everything out of the way and wiping around and under the burners. Well, your grill should be treated similarly. Every time you use it, clean it, at least lightly.
Cleaning Grates
Grates are the exception to this general rule. They need to be cleaned completely after every use. This prevents food from sticking on your grill making it much easier to cook on. There are a lot of products on the market for cleaning your grate, but really any good stiff wire brush will do. Now, few people seem to know the best way to perform this little task. First of all, it is better done after you grill and not before. Once your grill has cooled down a bit, but is still warm, take your brush and clean off any remaining food particles. It is much easier to clean off food particles while warmthe is still present and not after they have cooled and been allowed to harden on the grate. If you have a cast iron grate clean completely then, brush on some oil with a paper towel to keep your grate in proper shape. Bare cast iron needs to be inspected regularly because they are more likely to rust.
Gas Grills
The bad thing about many gas grills is that they have a setting on the knobs marked “clean”. Many people are mislead to think that this is how you clean your grill. Like a charcoal grill, you need to clean your gas grill every time you use it. Make sure that the grates are cleaned after you grill and brush off the sides and lid after every use. Use the clean setting to preheat your grill. Yes, it will burn up stuff that has fallen down into the grill, but it doesn't really clean it. Regularly you should lift out the cooking grate and clean off the barrier above the burners. This might be lava rock, briquettes, or some variation of metal plates. However, it should get cleaned of the cooked on grease and food particles periodically.
Once a year you need to do a good clean on your grill. This requires that you take portions of it apart. First, start by disconnecting the gas and then lift out the grill parts layer by layer. Once you get down to the burners, make sure you inspect them thoroughly. There shouldn't be anything blolcking the flow of gas. If the burner is clogged it will give you uneven heat and make for poor grilling. If you can clean it, do so, if not, then replace it. If your grill uses lava rocks or ceramic briquettes you need to make sure that these are not too heavily encrusted with cooked on foods. If they happen to be, replace them to avoid bad tasting smoke that dirty rocks can produce.
With everything out of the grill, clean it completely with soapy water. If the paint is coming off, or if your grill is showing signs of rust then you need to do some painting. Other than that, put everything back in, check to make sure that all connections are good, and then turn it on. Let the grill heat completely before you cook again to make sure that any left over soap residue gets burned off.
Stainless Steel presents some special challenges to cleaning. Stainless steel will show every finger print, and low quality stainless steel will rust and discolor over time.
source - about.com part of the New York Times Company
by Derrick Riches
www.eastbaygaslines.com
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