Cleaning your BBQ - Tips

This is the bit we all like, isn't it! Cleaning your barbeque is not hard to do if it's done when the barbeque is still hot.

 For cast iron hotplates and grills use the following cleaning method:

 If it's just oil that's on the hotplates and grills, use a barbeque scraper to remove excess food and then use newspaper or paper towels to wipe off any excess fat or grease.

To finish, spray lightly with canola oil. If your hotplates and grills are badly soiled then follow the instruction above, but after scraping off the excess food, use a scrubber brush (available from most barbeque outlets) and a half bucket of water and with the barbeque burners turned on low, scrub the hotplates and grills continuously until most of the grime is removed. Don't press too hard on the hotplates and grills.

Next, turn the burners off and clean the hotplates and grills with paper, and finish up with a light spray of canola oil. For stainless steel hotplates and grills use the following cleaning method: Cleaning stainless steel hotplates (other than the non-stick type) is a little bit different.

You will need a scrubber brush and a cleaning mixture of 50% vinegar and 50% water.

With the burners turned on, pour a little of the mix onto the hotplates and scrub lightly. Continue until most of the fat and oil has gone, then dip the scrubber in the mix and do the same with the grills. Clean with paper and spray with canola oil.

To clean the warming rack, remove the rack and clean it with a scouring pad or scrubber. Cleaning the roasting hood is a little bit more difficult.

If it's only lightly soiled, a spray with a barbeque cleaner designed for hoods will suffice, but if it's wellsoiled, an oven spray needs to be used. Be careful to follow the manufacturer'sinstructions as some hoods have aluminium in them and as most oven cleanersare caustic this can discolour the metals.

When cooking on a barbeque, a special Teflon sheet that sits directly over the hotplate can be used. Using a Teflon sheet is worth considering if you really don't want to spend time cleaning your barbeque, or if you want to extend the life of your hotplates and grills.

These Teflon sheets are sold at most barbeque retailers, and if your local barbeque store doesn't have them in stock theyshould be able to order them in for you. To use this Teflon sheet, place it onto the hotplate, and cook on it as you would on a cast iron or stainless steel surface.

Remember though to use a plastic spatula or tongs, otherwise you will rip the sheet. After use it can be washed under a tap and wiped. These sheets are great for cooking fish and sticky food such as fruit.

 

extract taken from Drongo's Guide To BBQ Mastery - by - Ross Yarranton