Learning how to clean barbecue grill racks will help new and veteran chefs keep their grills in great working order. Making sure your grill is clean before every barbeque is one way to create a delicious meal, but the cleanup should take place soon after the previous grilling session.
The Importance of Clean Grill Racks
In case you need a reason for keeping those grill racks clean, your health may depend on it. Cooking food over caked-on residue and gunk has the potential to make anyone who eats it sick, which is a sure way to ruin a backyard barbeque. By taking a few moments after grilling each and every time, your grill remains clean and germ-free. Plus, it's all set to go the next time you fire it up.
Learn How to Clean Barbecue Grill Racks
There are several ways to clean a barbeque grill rack and none of them require fancy equipment or expensive cleaning products. You can even clean a barbeque grill with vinegar, which you may have sitting in your kitchen pantry right now.
Cleaning Gas Grill Racks
Even though your gas grill may come with a "clean" setting, you'll still need to use a few simple steps to truly clean those racks.
- After every use, turn the flame to low.
- Brush the grill racks with a grill brush to remove food and solid particles.
- After brushing, turn the burners off.
- Once the grill is cool, spray with vegetable oil to loosen any particles, which will fall and burn up the next time the flame is turned on.
Cleaning Charcoal Grill Racks
There are a couple of different methods you can try to clean a regular charcoal grill.
Soaking
- Once the fire is out, brush slightly warm grates with a grill brush to remove food and solids.
- Soak grill racks in hot, soapy water. If you don't have a sink that's large enough to hold the entire rack, you may have to turn it periodically so that the entire surface gets soaked.
- Let them sit for at least an hour.
- Scrub grill racks with a scouring pad and allow to air dry.
Burning
Alternately, you can use the cleansing properties of fire to clean your barbeque grill grates.
- Lay aluminum foil, shiny side down, on top of the rack.
- Turn the flames up to high and shut the lid.
- Let sit for 15-20 minutes. Do not leave it unattended.
- Turn the flame off and brush the ash away.
Special Care for Stainless Steel Grill Racks
Cleaning stainless steel grill racks takes more care as stainless steel will scratch easily. You'll need a cleanser specifically designed for stainless steel and a soft cloth. You can also place these racks in a self-cleaning oven, but they will lose their luster from this method.
Preparation
To make cleanup easier for next time, you may find it helpful to spray or brush your racks after each cleaning with a small amount of vegetable oil. This helps prevent food from sticking as much, leaving you with less work to do after cooking.
A Healthy Barbeque
Once you know how to clean barbecue grill racks, whether charcoal or gas, you're well on your way to great grilled fare. It's relatively easy, and although it may not be the most fun chore in the world, it's worth doing the right way - your food will taste better and you'll probably net many more compliments on your cooking.
