Delaware Eats Magazine_First Issue

q
Check the fuel lines
for invisible openings.
Last year’s grease on the grill, last
year’s ashes on the bottom. That’s
what makes a Bundy Burger special.
Al Bundy, Married With Children, 1989
Create a sudsy mixture of soap and
water. Using a paintbrush, apply the
soapy mixture to the fuel lines. Turn
on the gas, and brush more soapy water
onto the gas lines. If any bubbles
form, that indicates a gas leak. Immediately
replace any fuel lines that exhibit
signs of a gas leak.
Check the ignition system.
Spring Grill Cleaning
[ by Mike Stavalone ]
That may be true for the
sitcom “Married With Children”,
however for real-life
back yard pit-masters, year
old food is not the starting
place for the perfect burger. The reasons
are obvious but for the sake of
clarity, let’s review them
Pretty simple equation: Grease
and oil go rancid and spoil causing
bacteria to form inside your grill.
Rancid food on the grates flavors
you food but not the same way
that salt and pepper do!!
The grease that drips
to the bottom of
your grill vaporizes
and also
ruins your
food. Grease
sitting too
long forms
a black crust
which is
mostly carbon.
The carbon
tastes like
burnt toast,
Besides adding
the wrong flavor
to your food, the grease
and oil contains water which
in turns to rust. Unless your hubby
wants a new grill every spring (hint …
Father’s Day!!), a rusted grill is not a
man’s best friend!
So what does this all mean? A
spring and fall cleaning of your favorite
grill not only extends the life or
your grill but also keeps the unwanted
flavors off of your food. These 2
cleaning along with regular maintenance
– pre and post cook will keep
your grill and more important, your
pit-master happy for many seasons.
So let’s talk about the BBQ spring
cleaning and discuss the basics steps.
Check the fuel lines
for visible defects.
If any fuel lines have
damage, replace
the parts prior to
your next cook.
Also be sure
that the fuel
lines have
no kinks
or bends.
Bent lines
can prevent
gas from
flowing correctly.
Check
the exterior
of the gas tank
for any damage as
well; things like dents,
erosion, punctures, or any
evident signs of damage. If you find
areas that have obvious damage, you
could potentially have a gas leak. If
you are unsure about the condition
of your gas tank, have it inspected by
a professional gas supplier.
Turn the gas off, and test your ignition
button to see if it creates a spark.
If both the pressure regulator on the
gas tank and the ignition system are
running normally (meaning the pressure
regulator is tracking and maintaining
correct gas tank pressure, and
the ignition system is sparking and
lighting correctly), you can finish testing
the grill by turning the gas back
on and lighting the grill up as you normally
would.
If there is no spark, check the
pressure regulator, and be sure it is
secured tightly on the tank. Just like
your stove at home, you can try to
manually light the grill using a grill
lighter. Just be sure to keep your arms
and face away from the grilling area
so you don’t burn yourself when the
burners ignite.
Once you know your grill is operating
properly, it is time for the actual
deep cleaning process.
Turn the grill on high for 15 minutes
allowing the grates to get hot.
Allow enough time to burn off any
leftover food and debris and wait until
the smoke diminishes. Wire brush
the grates removing any leftover food
or debri. Turn over grates and repeat
the process, being careful not to burn
yourself. DO NOT clean your grates
in the dishwasher. The grease from
the grates will coat the entire inside
of the dishwasher.
If your grill grates are overly dirty,
simply fill a bucket with hot water and
dish detergent. With a brush, scrub
both sides and rinse thoroughly. Be
warned, if you do this on cast iron it
will likely lose some of its non-stick
14 Delaware Eats Magazine #1 issue
#1 issue Delaware Eats Magazine 15