How to Prepare an Outdoor Grill for Cooking

Properly prepare your outdoor grill before using it, and your next barbecue will be a great success. Here’s how.

Step One – Break it out

Whether the outdoor grill is new or you are just breaking it out after storing it for a while, you will want to clean it out and inspect it before using it. First, make sure the fuel valve is turned off. Then, take the cover off, open it up, and chase away any spiders. Assemble your new outdoor grill according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Step Two – Clean

Use a powerful degreaser to remove old food debris and grease. Wire brush, scrape and scrub your outdoor grill as much as possible. Wear rubber gloves and goggles to protect your hands and eyes from the degreaser.  New grill grates or old ones that have been wire brushed first can be run through the dishwasher.

Step Three – Inspect your Outdoor Grill

Look for loose, rusty, or missing screws and nuts. Retighten or replace missing or loose parts. Next, check your propane tank and refill if necessary. Then, turn on the fuel valve and inspect all the fuel fittings and hoses for leaks. Tighten any loose connections. Never check for fuel leaks using a cigarette lighter. Propane and natural gas is intentionally odorized to help you smell fuel leaks. Use your nose. If you suspect a fuel leak but cannot smell anything, try mixing a soapy solution using dish detergent and applying around the suspicious gas fitting. A leak will expand and move the soap bubbles around.

Finally, ignite the burners to test them. Resolve any burner issues before proceeding to the next step.

Step Four – Season the Grill Grates

Grill grates should be seasoned when they are new and also after heavy cleaning and degreasing. New grill grates should be washed with dish detergent to remove any residual manufacturing chemicals or oils, or they can be run through the dish washer. Old grill grates will need to be re seasoned after heavy degreasing and wire brushing.

Once the grill grates are clean they can be seasoned. To do this wipe down the grill grates with bacon fat and bake them in the oven at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for a couple hours.

Step Five – Preheat your Outdoor Grill

Preheating your outdoor grill before each use is an essential preparation that will help prevent your meat from sticking to the grill grates. Here’s how. First, preheat your barbecue for at least ten minutes to medium heat. Wear oven mitts or barbecue gloves to protect your hands and arms. When the grill grates are hot, wipe them down with a clean rag saturated in bacon fat or olive oil. Use your barbecue tongs to hold the rag without burning your fingers.