WITH the advent of glorious spring weather, it is time to start using barbecues. The barbecue has come a long way since the days when all you needed was an open flame and a hot plate or grill.
Today’s outdoor cooking enthusiasts are using large stainless steel barbecues that require more maintenance than the old brick and metal plate jobs.
Here are some tips from the experts at Bunnings Warehouse on how to keep your barbecue clean, safe and well maintained.
If you have assembled a new barbecue or you’re just beginning to use an existing one, there are several checks you need to do in the name of safety:
- Read the instructions. Are you familiar with the capabilities and functions of your barbecue?
- Is the barbecue in a suitable cooking environment? Is it on a level surface, away from foliage, in a well-ventilated area?
- Check the gas bottle and lines. Are they connected firmly, without blockages or leaks? If they are worn or leaking, replace.
- Inspect the grill and hot-plate. If they are rusted they may need replacing, but otherwise they may just need a good scrub.
- Line the drip tray with fat absorbing materials, such as kitty litter or sand.
It’s important to clean your barbecue after each use.
Simply use a scraper or newspaper to remove all food and fatty residue, and a wire brush for stubborn stains.
If you’ve used sticky marinades or messy foods, you can also run a wet sponge over your grill or hot plate, mixed with a mild detergent and warm water.
All surfaces should be dried immediately with newspaper or paper towel. Leaving your barbecue to dry naturally will bring on premature rusting.
No matter how vigilant you are with ongoing maintenance, it’s important to give your barbecue a good going-over at least once a year. Here’s a simple guide to keep it looking good.
- Take off the hood and remove the hot plate, grill and the drip tray.
- Disconnect the gas hose, leaving it attached to the bottle.
- Remove the cast iron burners and scrape off loose rust with a wire brush.
- Dispose of the material on the drip tray, then clean the tray, hot plate and grill with a barbecue degreaser.
- Use your oil or barbecue degreaser to clean cast iron surfaces, including grills, plates, burners and cast iron rock trays.
- Remove the operating knobs.
- Clean the steel chasis of the barbecue with hot soapy water and a scourer pad. If it is stainless steel, give it a good polish.
- Replace all parts of the barbecue, attach the gas and close the hood.
If you’re lucky enough to be the proud owner of a brand new barbie, you’ll need to do a little bit of work before you cook up a storm.
New barbecues have protective anti-rusting coating on the burners, plates and grills which needs to be burnt off.
Run your barbecue for around half an hour with the burners on medium, softening the paint and allowing time for the volcanic rock to crack and pop.
After about half an hour, turn the barbecue off, get a wire brush or scraper and give the plates and grills a scrape.