A grill is cooking equipment where food is usually cooked where heat is usually direct to the food. It can either be from below, above, or even sideways. This is usually a dry heat, and it can be used to cook meat or even vegetables very quickly. In this article, we will look at a gas grill and know how to clean a gas grill and know how regularly to clean it and how to maintain it.
The importance of using a grill is that a grill can be used to cook various foods though it depends on the size of the grill. A bigger size grill can be used to cook more variety of food at a go and ease the cooking process. A gas grill is one in which the source of heat from a cylinder full of gas is connected to the grill.
Various types of grills can be used, and they include; flat top grill, charcoal grill, and gas grill.
A grill should be cleaned periodically, mostly depending on how often you use your grill. The gas grill should also be well maintained as this will help reduce the amount of time used to clean it when your grill is clean, of usual functions, and performs perfectly well.
Food cooked on a clean grill will not have bad taste, mostly from smoke, which forms after food sticks on your grill. The following are the various steps to take when cleaning your gas grill;
Materials needed when learning how to clean a gas grill include; a cleaning brush to scrub your grill, a piece of cloth or towel to wipe your grill, a bristle brush or sharp and hard thing like a metal scrapper to scrub away any stacked material on your grill, a scouring pad or sponge, you may also require gloves for protection and also water and soap.
Steps to cleaning a gas grill
The very first step is to ensure that your gas cylinder is disconnected from your grill. It is essential to turn off your gas as some soaps usually have chemicals which can be explosive when they come into contact with your gas. Ensure that you properly clean your grill on all the sides, both inside and outside the grill. Mix your soap and water in a bucket.
Remove the grill grates to clean them first. The grates are usually the top part of your grill where food is usually arranged when cooking. It usually gets foul as sometimes food may fall in it and stick. Use your grill brush for cleaning the grates. If the grates have any food materials which have stacked and hard to remove, you can use a metal scraper to remove them. Ensure that both sides of the grate are properly cleaned.
Cleaning the inside of the grill. After ensuring that the grates covering your grill are clean, remove the metal plate that covers the burner and clean them using a scouring pad. The metal plates also help spread heat to your grill and thus allow even cooking of the food. Use the mixture of soap and water to clean them.
Ensure that the ports of the burner are also clean and are open. Use a sharp object, even a toothpick, to remove any materials that can block gas flow. The burners of some grills can be removed, but if your grill model the burner is not removable clean it while it's still intact. If the holes of the burner are not cleaned, they can end up blocking; thus, the cooking process will not take place as there will be no flow of gas.
Cleaning the bottom of your grill. A grill usually has a pan on the bottom where some food particles may drip into. In some cases, the pan may be removable, but in others, it's not removable. Take and clean it, and if there is some stacked food or grease which are hard to remove, you can use a spatula or a metal scrapper to remove them off. Even if the pan is not removable, clean it while it's still there and use the necessary method to remove any grease from it by scrubbing it off.
The pan is also used to collect any grease and oils from food. Clean it with soap and water. First, you need to properly dispose of the grease to a place where it can't. Do not pour it on the sink as it will lead to the blocking of the sink's pipes. If you must pour in the sink, ensure that you accompany hot water to ensure that the grease is burnt down and drained.
You can also pour the grease into a can, wait for it to harden then throw it away. Some trays can also be replaced, so ensure you return them appropriately.
Clean the underside of the lid of your grill. It may have hardened food materials thus, you can use a metal scrape to clean it. The lid is usually painted; hence great care should be taken not to remove the paint. The paint typically helps to prevent the surface from rusting. When rust forms, it will be tough to clean and may damage your grill. After it is cleaned, use a sponge to wipe it.
Clean the outside of the grill. Use soap and water to clean the outside of the grill. Ensure that you clean all the surfaces of the outside of your grill. The knobs of the grill may be the hiding place of food remains. Thus, they should be checked during the cleaning process. The food particles can also lead to corrosion of the grill. After cleaning all the surfaces of your grill, rinse it off with plenty of water. Use a hosepipe to pour water on it. Use plenty of water so that soap bubbles do not form on your grill. Use a clean towel or piece of cloth to wipe your grill. The stainless parts of your grill can be cleaned using a glass cleaner and wipe it with a clean towel to look shiny.
Replacing all the parts of your grill. After ensuring that all the details of your grill are clean, it's time to replace the different parts. Put the burner plates back in place and also the grill grate. Here you can use a pair of gloves when arranging these items back in place.
Connect back your gas to the grill and turn it on for some time. This will help to burn any remains of soap, if any. The inside of the grill is not usually cleaned with a lot of water; thus, some soap may remain inside the grill. When heating the grill, ensure that that the grill lid is closed. Heating will also help to know if your grill was properly cleaned. If you see any oily traces on your grill, it is an indication that your grill was not properly cleaned. The grill may also produce some smoke, which is an indication that the grill is not well cleaned.
After ensuring that all the parts of your gas grill are correctly cleaned, turn off the gas. If you realize that some features were not properly cleaned, you can clean them again. Season your grill grates with oil to prevent food from sticking. Use a clean piece of towel to oil your grates. Spread the oil properly all over the grates while it is still hot, and ensure that the whole surface is covered with oil.
Note that when cleaning, ensure that you do not scrape the paint from your grill lid. Removing the paint will expose parts of your grill to rusting, leading to corrosion. It also weakens the lid, thus ensure that no paint is removed from your grill. You can also replace removed paint from the lit to ensure that it lasts longer.
Ensuring that your gas grill lasts longer is always good to ensure that it is properly maintained. Maintaining the grill will also reduce the amount of time that is used when cleaning the grill. It is essential to regularly clean your grill according to how often you use your grill. The process of maintaining your grill is usually known as the seasoning of the grill. A well-maintained grill produces clean food and does not have bad tastes that are usually formed due to burning food remains that fall on top of your grill.
The following are the various ways to maintain your grill once you have cleaned it
Always ensure that the grill grates are applied with some oil before using it. By oiling the grates, you will be sure that food is cooked, especially meat or even vegetables, does not stick on your grill.
Apply oil all over the grill as a way of seasoning. Applying oil will also reduce the chances of rusting if the grill is left outside due to hydrogen and oxygen reaction. The oil layer will prevent reactions.
After every use of your grill, ensure that you use a brush to clean any left food debris. Do this when the grates are still hot as it will be easier to clean them when they are hot. Removing the remains will reduce the buildup of materials the next time you use your grill.
Always inspect your gas to ensure that there are no leakages. It can be very dangerous to work with a leaking gas as it can cause fire and lead to a lot of damages, even to oneself. Check to gas pipes connected to the grill and ensure that they are correctly fixed and are not cracked to form leakages.
To check if the pipes are leaking, apply some water with soap on it and check for bubble formation, which is an indication that your gas is leaking.
You can also maintain your gas grill by heating it at times without even cooking any food. This will help to burn any oil build up on the grill grates. You can heat you for 3 to 4 times after every use and ensure there is no much build-up.
It is also essential to cover your grill when it is not in use. A grill may be big not to fit inside the house, thus forced to keep it outside. Cover it to prevent it from being rained on and cause rusting to the grill parts and reduce the lifespan of your grill. Covering will also prevent unwanted debris on your grill.
Conclusion
A gas grill is the right way of cooking as it may not produce smoke except in cases where food has stacks on the grill. When the grill is big enough, it is even better as it can accommodate more variety of food on it and save the amount of gas being used. Thus, it is essential to use a big grill, especially in a busy place where food is grilled, thus enhancing the gas being used.
A gas grill can also be termed as a better way of grilling as after finishing your cooking, and you will turn off the grill as compared to, let's say, a charcoal grill where the charcoal will be left to continue burning even after you are through with the cooking. Another importance of a gas grill over a charcoal grill is that you don't need to replace it, as in a charcoal grill, where you have to keep on replacing the charcoal. When you return your gas, it gives you some time before you replace it again.
Always check the grease collection tray to ensure that it is not full. The grease can be easily flammable as it is oil. Also, ensure that after you have finished cooking, ensure that you turn off the gas. This will prevent wastage of gas and also protect your food from burning.