Outdoor grilling is one of the most satisfying ways to cook meats and vegetables, but grill surfaces are not maintenance-free, and must be cleaned periodically, especially if used often. With a few ideas and tips from an expert, you can keep your grill clean, beautiful, and ready to cook on.
Darnell Pope grew up in Mississippi, where he developed an appreciation for good barbecue. After moving to California in his teens, Pope became a salesman at Barbecues Galore in Los Angeles, where he uses his passion for grilling to help his customers make the most of their barbecues. Here he offers his advice for cleaning and maintaining your barbecue grill surface:
Brush, don't scrape. Pope recommends using a brass bristle brush to clean your grill. But keep in mind that the object here is to clean, not to scrape. You don't "scrape" the dirt off your car, right? Scraping is particularly damaging to porcelain coated grill surfaces, as it can actually lead to chipping.
Porcelain. For porcelain, Pope suggests using soap and water, just like you would use with porcelain coated or enamel cookware.
Stainless steel. If you've invested money in stainless steel grill, you want to keep it looking good. Try using a cleaner with a mineral oil base. This will clean the grill, leave a professional looking finish, and lift off any surface rust that can accumulate if you don't cover your grill.
Covers. It's important to keep your grill covered when not in use. That means keeping the lid closed as well as putting a separate cover over the entire grill body. Think of it as a way of protecting the investment you made in your grill and of guaranteeing plenty of great barbecues in the future.
