Grilling Tips and Techniques A step-by-step grilling guide that takes you from flame to flavor. How to Fire Up the Grill
Instant-light briquettes are not a good idea. Neither are briquettes doused with lighter fluid. Although it will be safe to eat, the food you cook over fuel-started briquettes can pick up a chemical taste. Instantlight briquettes are made from pulverized charcoal and mixed with additives to make them easy to light and to keep burning. Hardwood charcoal, or charwood, lights faster and burns hotter and cleaner than briquettes. That means whatever you cook over it tastes better, too. The easiest (and healthiest) way to ignite a fire is with a chimney starter―a large can open at both the top and the bottom. A wad of newspaper is packed into the bottom; a grill-load of charcoal goes on top. Put one match to the paper and in about 15 to 20 minutes you're ready to cook. The can, available at hardware stores, has a sturdy handle that makes it easy to pour the ash-covered coals into the grill.
Lighting a Gas Grill Safely • • •
Always open the lid of a gas grill before you turn it on or you risk starting a mini Bruckheimerstyle explosion, caused by gas accumulating under the lid. To get the gas grill nearly as hot as a charcoal grill, preheat it 10 minutes longer than the manufacturer's recommendation. Federal safety regulations now mandate that all propane tanks come with an OPD (overfill protection device). If the valve handle (the part you turn to start the flow of gas) is triangular, your tank is a newer model with an OPD. If the valve handle is round or star shaped, you have an older model and the gas service won't fill it; you'll need to trade it in for a new tank.
Easy Grilling Clean-Up Tips Americans say an easy clean up is one of the most pleasurable parts of grilling food outdoors. In fact, in a recent survey by the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA) a majority (70 percent) responded that the they find “a lot” of pleasure in having few or no pots and pans to clean up when grilling as opposed to indoor cooking. To ensure that outdoor grilling clean-up is even easier, HPBA offers the following tips: • •
BEFORE lighting the grill, apply non-stick spray on the grates. The protective spray cuts down the clean-up time afterwards. For charcoal grills, line the bowl with aluminum foil. After grilling, and once the grill and coals are cool, simply discard the foil with the coals and ash, then wash and reline with foil for next time.
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Use a wire brush or even crumbled aluminum foil to scrub away buildup on the grates once the grill has cooled.
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Squirt grease-cutting dishwashing detergent on grill and grates (once cool). Scrub with brush or abrasive pad, then rinse. A repeat may be necessary.
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Don't forget to place a grill pad or splatter mat beneath your grill before cooking. These naturally heat resistant pads will protect your deck or patio from any grease that misses the
drip pan and will make it a lot easier to keep your outdoor living area clean and looking like new.