Properly Cleaning Your Grill

When purchasing your barbeque grill, think of it as an investment rather then just another item for your outdoor entertainment. You should expect this item to become a large part of your outdoor activities for many years to come. But like any other investments, proper maintenance and care is needed to ensure that your barbeque grill will work for you for many years to come.

Leaving you grill messy after each use will not only make it harder on you when you finally do clean the grill, but it will also drastically decrease the lifespan of your grill. If you grill sits dirty, you increase the risk of rust.

While some maintenance and cleaning is specific to the type of barbeque grill your own (gas, electric, charcoal or smoke barbecue grill), the majority of maintenance that should be carried on does not change from grill to grill.

Step 1- Gathering The Necessary Items

You will need some common household items on hand when it comes time to clean your barbeque grill.

Brass wire grill brush

Steel wool pads, preferably that contains soap already.

Mild dish soap

Sponge or dishcloth

Spray cooking oil

Dry baking soda

Aluminum foil

Step 2- Brushing Your Grill Off

The first thing that should always be done to your grill is a routine brushing. Using your brass wire grill brush (or other brush suitable to your type of grill) you should brush off all the surfaces. By routinely brushing your barbeque grill, you will prevent any type of buildup. If buildup from food is left to long, it can become increasingly difficult to remove, and can end up causing problems such as rust.

Step 3- Spray Cooking Oil

Once you are sure that your grill is free of all buildup and debris, and that your grill is completely cooled off, you will want to spray it down with a light layer of cooking oil. Spraying it down with cooking oil will prevent your barbeque grill from rusting. It is especially important to make sure you barbeque grill is completely cold, as spraying cooking oil on a hot surface may cause the oil to heat up and ignite, which could be potentially dangerous to you and your barbeque grill.

Step 4- Use Baking Soda and Aluminum Foil on Your Grill

Baking soda is a very nice cleaning and polishing agent. Once you have removed any extra debris and buildup, lightly scrubbing your barbeque grill with baking soda will give it that extra shine, similar to the day that you brought it home from the store. This can also be used on handles and knobs to remove any extra buildup tat cannot be taken off with a wire brush.

Aluminum foil can also be used to keep your grill looking nice. Gently rub the aluminum foil on your grill, and you will notice that it removes grim and buildup. This is a cheap and inexpensive way to clean your grill.

Step 5- Clean Your Racks

The racks in your grill are especially important as this is where the food touches when it is cooking. You will have to use the wire brush to remove as much buildup as possible. Once you remove as much as possible, start washing the racks with dish soap. If the racks are really dirty, you may also want to use the steel wool pads. Be sure to completely rinse off all soap and residue before cooking on these racks again.

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Stainless Steel Gas Grills

Once you decide that you are more then just your average griller, you may want to consider investing in a gas grills. Gas grills give an array of features and options that other types of grills simply do not have. If you are looking for a grill that will be beautiful, reliable, and will last for many years to come, you may want to consider looking into stainless steel gas grills.

Gas grills, unlike some of the other grills types, have the ability to come with many different types of cooking surfaces. These different cooking surfaces include a BBQ surface, a flat grill, and a ribbed grill. Some grills even offer these types of surfaces as none stick, which allow you to cook a whole array of foods that you would not be able to cook on a grill otherwise. You will be able to cook your whole meal, including side dishes if you plan correctly. Some gas grills even contain a Wok type surface for cooking pasta and rise dishes, or a full rotisserie set that allows you to cook rotisserie chicken.

A feature that comes with different cooking surfaces is the ability to cook different foods, at different temperatures, at the same time. This feature is available if your gas grill have separate burners. This allows you to cook your meals much more quickly. Some gas grills even come with a warming feature, which will keep your food warm while the rest of it finishes cooking.

Gas grills usually contain a built in thermometer, which will aide you in cooking. You will know the exact temperature you are cooking at. Charcoal and Smoker grills do not typically contain this feature, which either leaves you guessing what temperatures you are cooking at, or requires you to buy extra equipment in order to find out what temperature your food is.

Gas grills have safely concerns all of its own, but they are unmatched by other types of grills. Propane gas is extremely flammable if not used correctly. Other grills however, present higher opportunities for fire as they cook with an open flame. Gas grills are typical built much sturdier then their more simpler counterparts.

Popular Stainless Steel Gas Grills

Broilmaster- One of the most popular brands of natural gas grills is the Broilmasters. This company has been around for a long time and prides itself by creating great grills, even in its companies early years. If you are looking for a reliable name, Broilmaster would be the way to go. One of the most popular Broilmaster grills is the Super Premium Series, which puts out 40,000 BTU’s of cooking power, and has a cooking surface area of over 695 square inches.

Brinkman- These simple natural gas grills put out a lot of power, and can be purchased for much less then it’s competition. The Brinkmans, like the Broilmasters, are built of solid construction and meant to last a long time. Typical power output is around 45,000 BTU’s. Smaller units can range from 12,000 to 15,00 BTU’s.

Lynx- Lynx natural gas grills were specially designed for cooking higher end meats such as steaks and ribs. This grill have a patent design that is suppose to lock in flavor and juices. The Lynx run on the higher end of the price range, anywhere from $500 to $3000. The typical cooking power is about 50,000 BTU and has a cooking surface area of 840 square inches.

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Summer Grilling

Summer time is the perfect time for barbequing. Not only is the temperatures perfect for outdoor activities, but often the children are out of school, and families are traveling for their summer vacations. Today in America, it is unheard of for a family to go a full summer without having or attending a barbeque cookout. Today, over 90% of families attend a barbeque at least once a year.

Summer is indeed the perfect time to plan a barbeque party. It is important to remember certain things when barbequing to ensure that your party goes flawless.


Grilling Do’s and Don’ts

1. Always start with a completely clean grill. The amazing fish that you cooked last week was indeed tasty, but unless you want a hint of fish with your hot dogs, you need to clean your grill before cooking. It is recommended that you clean you grill each and every time you use it. Wait until it cools down, and then clean the surfaces with baking soda and the racks with grease fighting dish soap and water.

2. Before you begin cooking, spray your cooking area with a nonstick cooking spray. This will prevent your meat from sticking when you are rotating or removing it. If your meat sticks and tears, you will lose a large amount of juice, and your meat may dry out.

3. Never place food on the grill until the temperature is correct. The fluctuation in temperatures will cause your food to dry out or burn. If you are using a charcoal grill, make sure that the coals are completely gray before putting the meat on the grill. This will allow the temperatures to level out, and the majority of the lighter fluid to burn off.

4. While marinating before you cook will add flavor, covering your meat in barbeque sauces before cooking will dry your meat out, and may even cause it to burn. This happens because most barbeques sauces contain high amounts of fat and sugar, which burn really easy. Alternatively, lightly seasoning your meat will work well, and will not have any adverse effects. If you must use barbeque sauce, only add it in the final minutes before taking your meat off the grill. Just remember that meat has a natural flavor that is only brought out by barbequing, so you do not want to ruin that.

5. Searing you meat will lock in the juices and taste, but you do not want to cook your meat at that temperature for the whole amount of time. Once you have seared both sides, reduce the heat to medium. This will ensure that your meat is full of flavor and tender.

6. Once meat is cooked, never put it back in on the same plate you had it on when it was raw. This could cause the spread of many unwanted illnesses. Do not handle cooked meat with the same utensils that you used when it was raw.


7. Never poke you meat while it is cooking. Poking holes in meat will cause the juice inside to leak out into the bottom of the grill. Not only will this make your food dry and unappealing in the end, but it also could potentially ruin your barbeque grill. At the very least, it will cause a buildup of unwanted grease and juices on your grill, which will make cleanup harder.

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The Benefits of Barbeque Gas Grills

Gas grills work by a spark igniting the gas within the grill. Gas grills typically have a knob or button in which you push, which in turn activates a small hammer. The hammer hit’s the top of an ignition crystal. Then the burner mixes the gas with oxygen and spreads it all over the cooking surface.

Barbequing is typically thought of as a summer event, but some diehard fans of barbeque will not think twice about breaking out their barbeque grills right in the middle of winter. Grillers in the southern states may not face the problem, but if you live past the lower states, then chances are your Winter includes a large amount of snow. Smokers and charcoal grills present a problem as you must set the grill up properly, and then wait for the grill to get ready. This can take hours, so the idea of standing outside waiting on the grill may not sound appealing in 3 foot of snow. Gas grills give you the opportunity of quickly cooking barbeque.

Another issue found with out types of grills is the cleanup involved. Once you are done grilling with a smoker or charcoal grill, you are then required to clean out the burned remains. In 3 feet of snow, chances are that you do not have a place readily available for disposal. Fire hazards come with the burnt coals and wood chips. Gas grills will simply need a wipe down before it can be stored away for the next time.

Gas grills, unlike some of the other grills types, have the ability to come with many different types of cooking surfaces. These different cooking surfaces include a BBQ surface, a flat grill, and a ribbed grill. Some grills even offer these types of surfaces as none stick, which allow you to cook a whole array of foods that you would not be able to cook on a grill otherwise. You will be able to cook your whole meal, including side dishes if you plan correctly. Some gas grills even contain a Wok type surface for cooking pasta and rise dishes, or a full rotisserie set that allows you to cook rotisserie chicken.

A feature that comes with different cooking surfaces is the ability to cook different foods, at different temperatures, at the same time. This feature is available if your gas grill have separate burners. This allows you to cook your meals much more quickly. Some gas grills even come with a warming feature, which will keep your food warm while the rest of it finishes cooking.

Gas grills usually contain a built in thermometer, which will aide you in cooking. You will know the exact temperature you are cooking at. Charcoal and Smoker grills do not typically contain this feature, which either leaves you guessing what temperatures you are cooking at, or requires you to buy extra equipment in order to find out what temperature your food is.

Gas grills have safely concerns all of its own, but they are unmatched by other types of grills. Propane gas is extremely flammable if not used correctly. Other grills however, present higher opportunities for fire as they cook with an open flame. Gas grills are typical built much sturdier then their more simpler counterparts.

If you are considering traveling with your barbeque grill, a gas grill may be the best option. Gas grills come in small sizes which are perfect for traveling. Small size gas containers are available at your local grocery store or department store, which allows you to easily transport the fuel source as well.

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Tips for Better Barbequing

If you are new to barbequing, chances are you have run into some problems when it comes to barbequing. Barbequing, like anything else, takes practice. Learning from your mistakes, as well as the mistakes of other will help you learn quickly.

Before you begin cooking, spray your cooking area with a nonstick cooking spray. This will prevent your meat from sticking when you are rotating or removing it. If your meat sticks and tears, you will lose a large amount of juice, and your meat may dry out.

Never place food on the grill until the temperature is correct. The fluctuation in temperatures will cause your food to dry out or burn. If you are using a charcoal grill, make sure that the coals are completely gray before putting the meat on the grill. This will allow the temperatures to level out, and the majority of the lighter fluid to burn off.

Cooking with charcoal lighter fluid can be good or bad. The lighter fluid will cause the food you are cooking to taste different then with other types of grills. Alternatively, attempting to not use lighter fluid may cause a lot of frustration due to the fact that charcoal can be difficult if not impossible to light without lighter fluid.

You must properly prepare the meat you are cooking, before cooking it. You should never attempt to cook meat on a grill when it is still frozen, or even partially frozen. Thaw your meat by sitting it out about 12 to 24 hours before you plan on cooking it, or by thawing it in a microwave. If you meat is thawed, but in the refrigerator, set it out long enough for the meat to get to room temperature.

Once meat is cooked, never put it back in on the same plate you had it on when it was raw. This could cause the spread of many unwanted illnesses. Do not handle cooked meat with the same utensils that you used when it was raw.

Never poke you meat while it is cooking. Poking holes in meat will cause the juice inside to leak out into the bottom of the grill. Not only will this make your food dry and unappealing in the end, but it also could potentially ruin your barbeque grill. At the very least, it will cause a buildup of unwanted grease and juices on your girll, which will make cleanup harder.

Once the meat is on the grill, try not to open the lid to many times. Each time you open the lid, you change the temperature in the grill. The constant change in temperature and the air flow will cause your meat to dry up quickly.

Remember that the higher the heat is not always the better. While it is ok to quickly cook food, turning the heat up will just cause the meat to dry up and potentially burn.

While using tin foil or aluminum foil will make cleaning easier, it will cause your food to have more of a fried taste then a grilled taste.

If you are planning on using your favorite barbeque sauce, be sure to wait as long as possible to put it on the meat. Putting barbeque sauce on to early will not only potentially cause your meat to dry out, but it could also burn.

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Tips for First Time Grill Owners

Grilling, or Barbequing is a true American tradition. Many Americans are finding themselves with a grill for the first time. Good experiences with your grill will surely lead to using your grill more and more.

Planning Ahead

Barbequing has been around since early cavemen figured out that food tasted great after being cooked on an open fire. Perhaps one of the main memories attached to a family barbeque is what was on the menu that day. Barbequing opens a whole array of types of foods available. The type of foods you serve should largely depend on your crowd and the event in which you are celebrating. With the wide range of possibilities, you are sure to find at least a few items that will please your crowd.

Another potential issue when barbequing is the weather. While you will not be able to guarantee that the weather stays nice your barbeque event, a certain amount of planning will help you avoid the days in which barbequing is just simply out of the picture. Watch the weather channel or check online for your weekly forecast. If rain or cold weather is likely on the day you were thinking about having your barbeque, it may be a good idea to wait for a better forecast.

Make sure that you prepare ahead for your barbeque. 12 to 24 hours before you plan on beginning the party, make sure to thaw, prepare, and marinate the meat you will be cooking. Once you have the meat stored away, soaking up the marinate, then you must start thinking about what types of side dishes you will be having. If you want a completely tradition barbeque, you may want to stick with traditional sizes. Traditional barbeque sides include potatoes, potato salad, baked beans, and coleslaw.


Maintenance

You will need some common household items on hand when it comes time to
clean your barbeque grill.

Brass wire grill brush
Steel wool pads, preferably that contains soap already.
Mild dish soap
Sponge or dishcloth
Spray cooking oil
Dry baking soda
Aluminum foil

The first thing that should always be done to your grill is a routine brushing. Using your brass wire grill brush (or other brush suitable to your type of grill) you should brush off all the surfaces. By routinely brushing your barbeque grill, you will prevent any type of buildup. If buildup from food is left to long, it can become increasingly difficult to remove. Once you have cleaned the surfaces of your grill, then you must focus on its racks. The racks in your grill are especially important as this is where the food touches when it is cooking. You will have to use the wire brush to remove as much buildup as possible. Once you remove as much as possible, start washing the racks with dish soap. If the racks are really dirty, you may also want to use the steel wool pads. Be sure to completely rinse off all soap and residue before cooking on these racks again.

This process should be completed each and every time you cook on your barbeque grill. If these steps are not taken, you may find it increasingly difficult to clean your grill, and may find that damage will occur.

The majority of problems that arise from barbeque grills comes from lack of cleaning and maintenance. That means if you notice something does not seem quite right with your barbeque grill, chances are it can be fixed with just a simple cleaning. Even if you clean it, and still find that it is having problems, at least you saved yourself the potential embarrassment of taking it to a professional only to find out all it needed was to be cleaned.

Finally, one method of preventing problems with your barbeque grill is protecting it from the outdoors. Covers are available for grills in all shapes and sizes, so chances are, you will find one that fits your grill. If you have a cover for your barbeque grill, then all you will ever need to do is do the regular maintenance listed above.

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Using a Charcoal Grill

So you have decided that you want to start barbequing. What more, you have done your research and decided that a charcoal grill is the right type of grill for you. So now you have to pick out the charcoal grill that suits you best.

One of the first things to consider when purchasing your first charcoal grill is what you will be using it for. If you plan on traveling and using your charcoal grill, you will want something small enough to travel with you. Smaller charcoal grills are ideal for cookouts, camping, and tail gate parties, but would not be useful if you were cooking for a larger amount of people. Smaller grills that are easy to transport usually cost under 20 dollars, so you may want to consider purchasing a separate grill for smaller occasions.

Safety should also be a major concern when you are picking out your first charcoal grill. Since you grill will contain hot coals, the number one concern should be whether or not your grill is sturdy. Look for a charcoal grill with a sturdy structure and sturdy legs. If you grill does now have sturdy legs, it’s chances of falling over is much greater. When a charcoal grill falls over, it send hot coals flying. Many charcoal grills also have built in safety features such as a water reservoir and smothering valves. Undoubtedly, when you are cooking with fire, accidents can happen. In the case that your grill gets out of control or becomes to hot, these safety features will prevent potentially dangerous fires.

One of the most noticeable features when using charcoal is the flavor of the food you cook. To cook with a charcoal grill, you must buy charcoal briquettes and lighter fluid. Charcoal is a one use item, and will need to be discarded after each use. Charcoal can be picked up at your local superstore, gas station, or grocery store, and is typically pretty inexpensive. Charcoal must be light and allowed to burn until the charcoal is no longer on fire, but is red embers. The best way to get the pile to burn is by stacking it in a pyramid.

While no one likes to clean their grill, it is necessary to maintain your grill if you want it to last it’s intended lifetime. One problem you will face is the fact that Charcoal grills stay hot for a long period of time. You can remedy this situation 2 ways. First you can leave your grill open, allowing it to burn out. This method typically burns a lot of the grease off, but can potentially cause problems if you are not near your barbeque grill. You do not want to start a fire. Another way is to completely close off your grill and deny the fire oxygen. As soon as the grill is cold, or cold enough not to burn you, you will want to clean the grill. Leaving the grill dirty for any amount of time will cause the buildup to become hard, and may make it harder to remove. Use a wire brush to clean off the surface areas of your grill, and then spray cooking oil on the surface. Take the racks off and clean them with dishwashing soap. Dawn or other brands that have degreasers work best. Rinse the racks off, and replace them in the grill.

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Using Gas Grills

The act of Barbequing or Grilling has been around as long as humans. Cavemen quickly realized that food tasted good after it was cooked over an open fire. Barbequing has become a standard American tradition for families. The reasons as clear as to why, not only does the food that comes from barbequing have a taste that is unmatched by other cooking methods, but barbequing presents a reason for families to gather together.

Gas grills work by a spark igniting the gas within the grill. Gas grills typically have a knob or button in which you push, which in turn activates a small hammer. The hammer hit’s the top of an ignition crystal. Then the burner mixes the gas with oxygen and spreads it all over the cooking surface.

Gas grills come in all shapes and sizes, which makes then ideal for just about any type of barbequing party. Smaller gas grills give you the portability needed to plan barbeque parties away from home. Larger gas grills are handy and efficient for cooking larger amounts of food quickly, and without the mess of other types of grills.

So after deciding that you indeed are in the market for a barbeque grill, there are several factors that you must consider when you purchase your first gas grill.

Weight

Gas grills literally come in all shapes and sizes. The type of grill you get should really depend on what you plan on using the grill for. If you foresee camping trips, barbeques at the beach or tailgate parties, you may want to consider getting a smaller gas grill. Smaller gas grills can range from anywhere from 10 to 40 pounds. Portable gas containers are also available for these types of grills.

If your plans are move focused on home cooking, then larger grills should suit you fine.

Cooking Surfaces

Gas grills, unlike some of the other grills types, have the ability to come with many different types of cooking surfaces. These different cooking surfaces include a BBQ surface, a flat grill, and a ribbed grill. Some grills even offer these types of surfaces as none stick, which allow you to cook a whole array of foods that you would not be able to cook on a grill otherwise. You will be able to cook your whole meal, including side dishes if you plan correctly.

Some gas grills even contain a Wok type surface for cooking pasta and rise dishes, or a full rotisserie set that allows you to cook rotisserie chicken.


Surface Area

Similar to weight, you should consider the amount of cooking surface area you will need, depending on the situations you will be in. If you will only be cooking for yourself or you and one other, you will want a gas grill with a smaller surface area, as it will be easier to clean. If you plan on holding parties or cooking for a larger family, then you will want to consider a gas grill with a larger surface area.

This surface area may also include different types of cooking surfaces. Look for the type that suits you best, or is interchangeable.

Cost

Gas grills are typically on the higher end of the cost scale, as they require more mechanical parts then other grills. You can expect to spend anywhere from $50 for a smaller grill up to $400+ for a large stationary grill.

You also have to remember that you must also purchase the gas for your grill.

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Wading Through Various Grill Features

When looking into different grills features, you may be faced with what seems like a foreign language. How are you suppose to pick the grill that is best for you if you do not understand what you are reading? While the language used when describing grills will not get any easier to read, understanding what the majority if what it means will help you make an informed decision.

Perhaps one of the most important things you should consider is the fuel type. Charcoal grills are one of the most used types of grills. Charcoal grills utilize charcoal and lighter fluid to heat up and cook your food. Charcoal grills come in all shapes and sizes, and vary in cost. Charcoal requires you to buy charcoal and lighter fluid each time you cook with it. It must also be cleaned out each time. Charcoal grills come in small sizes, which are ideal for apartment dwellers or people with small homes. Once you have used your charcoal grill, you can clean it, and store it away. Propane grills are also useful for someone in small areas, since they can come in smaller sizes. Propane grills use propane gas to cook your food. If you want to quickly cook foods while still maintaining a grilled flavor, you may want to consider Propane grills. Natural gas grills are a little more complicated then smaller grills, so they require more room. Natural gas grills are meant to hook up directly to your home’s natural gas line, and can cook meat in record time. Smoker Grills are used when flavor is the number one priority. Smoker grills use wood to slow cook your meat. Flavor can be controlled by using different types of woods.

BTU is the measure of the amount of cooking power the barbeque grill as. Simple math will be needed in determining the amount of heat that your grill produces. Take the amount of space available for cooking (typically measured by square inch) and divide it by the total amount of BTU’s. Ideally you will want at least 95 to 100 BTU’s per square inch of cooking space. So for example, if you have a grill with 50,000 BTU’s and 450 square inches of cooking space, then you will be receiving about 111 BTU’s of cooking power per square inch. Anything less, and you may want to consider a different grill.

The next thing you will want to consider is the cooking surfaces. How much space does it have? Will you be able to cook for just yourself, or you entire family? Depending on your situation, you may want to consider a larger or smaller grill.

What about cleaning? Does your grill have anything type of features that allow you to clean it easier? Some grills offer such things as a cleaning door, which allows you to easier remove the used fuels. This is handy if you decide on a charcoal and smoker grill. Some grills have a none stick surface, which allows you to cook without food sticking, and allows for very easy cleanup.

Another feature some grills offer the ability to control different areas of your grill with different temperatures. This is typically controlled by knobs on the front, similar to an oven. This allows you to cook different types of foods at the same time. If you want to cook a whole meal on the grill, this can be possible.

Starting your grill changed drastically with each type of grill. Smokers and Charcoal burners require you to light the media, the wait for it to burn out and turn to embers before cooking. This can take anywhere from 20 to 45 minutes. Natural gas and propane gar grills can be started instantly, wither by lighting the burners with a lighter, or by a knob on the front, which is attached to a small hammer that slams into a crystal, causing enough spark to ignite the fuel.

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Why is Barbequing So Popular?

Barbequing is an American tradition. Each year, statistics show that at least 90% of families attend at least one barbeque party or celebration. About 40% of families delight in throwing parties that center around the idea of barbequing. With statistics like that, one must wonder why barbequing is such a popular event and tradition.

First, barbequing or grilling allows you to create a meal that is unmatched by any other type of cooking. The grilled smell and taste will perk up even the pickiest meat eater.

A variety of meats and side dishes are used when barbequing. Traditionally, families cook pork, beef, and fish on their grills. When visiting your local grocery store, look for meats that are specifically cut and packaged for barbequing. If you do not find pre packaged meats, then chances are spices, marinates, and kits for grilling are somewhere near by.

Traditional side dishes include potato salad, beans, and coleslaw. These sides work well with the variety of meats available and are easy to prepare and store until it is time to eat.

Your traditional condiment bar should include pickles, relish, and onions.

Different types of grills will present different types of flavors. Charcoal and smoker grills present a natural “smoked” flavor which is one of the most known tastes of barbequing. Smokers even allow you to control slight changes in the favor of the meat by using different types of woods. Alternatively, propane grills allow grillers to cook their meals faster, but still have a grilled flavor.

Some grills have the ability to come with many different types of cooking surfaces. These different cooking surfaces include a BBQ surface, a flat grill, and a ribbed grill. Some grills even offer these types of surfaces as none stick, which allow you to cook a whole array of foods that you would not be able to cook on a grill otherwise. You will be able to cook your whole meal, including side dishes if you plan correctly. Some gas grills even contain a Wok type surface for cooking pasta and rise dishes, or a full rotisserie set that allows you to cook rotisserie chicken.

Another reason barbequing is so popular is the fact that it gives you a reason to hold a party or celebration.

Outdoor parties not only allow your guests to be present during the cooking of the meal, but also give them the opportunity to be with friends.

Themed parties are always fun for your family and guests. Festive decorations can be found at any local party or general store. You may also consider purchasing decorations that can be stored and reused at a different time, such as reusable tablecloths and Tiki torches. Give your clambake a beach theme by adding tropical music and you may even consider adding some sand.

Finally, barbequing is popular because it can be considered a hobby as well. Barbequing, like anything else in life, takes time and practice. It can be fun to play and experiment with different techniques and recipes. Once you have developed a like for barbequing, then you can focus on creating your own variations on traditional recipes and ideas.

Barbequing is typically thought of as a summer event, but some diehard fans of barbeque will not think twice about breaking out their barbeque grills right in the middle of winter.

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Your First Charcoal Grill

Perhaps you have just moved into your first place, or you decided that you wanted to broaden your horizons and try new things. Maybe you went to a Fourth of July barbeque party and tasted the beautiful smoked flavor, and decided you wanted to try to replicate it. After doing your research, you decided that a charcoal grill is right for you. Now what?

Now that you have decided you want a charcoal grill, you have to decide what type of charcoal grill will suit your needs. Are you planning on traveling and using your charcoal grill? If so, you will need a charcoal grill that is small enough to travel with you. Smaller charcoal grills are ideal for cookouts, camping, and tail gate parties, but would not be useful if you were cooking for a larger amount of people. If you plan on feeding a larger amount of people, a larger charcoal grill will better suit your needs. If you are having issues deciding on which type you should get, you may consider getting both. Smaller charcoals grills can cost as little as $10 to $15 dollars, and will give you the ability to travel.

Charcoal grills contain hot embers and fire when it is in use. Safety should also be a major concern when you are picking out your first Charcoal grill. Look for a charcoal grill with a sturdy structure and sturdy legs. If you grill does now have sturdy legs, it’s chances of falling over is much greater. When a charcoal grill falls over, it will send the hot coals flying. Many charcoal grills also have built in safety features such as a water reservoir and smothering valves. Undoubtedly, when you are cooking with fire, accidents can happen. In the case that your grill gets out of control or become to hot, these safety features will prevent potentially dangerous fires. The fire department has much better things to do then help you cook.

One of the most noticeable features when using charcoal is the flavor of the food you cook. To cook with a charcoal grill, you must buy charcoal briquettes and lighter fluid. Charcoal is a one use item, and will need to be discarded after each use. Charcoal can be picked up at your local superstore, gas station, or grocery store, and is typically pretty inexpensive. Charcoal must be light and allowed to burn until the charcoal is no longer on fire, but is red embers. The best way to get the pile to burn is by stacking it in a pyramid.

While no one likes to clean their grill, it is necessary to maintain your grill if you want it to last it’s intended lifetime. One problem you will face is the fact that Charcoal grills stay hot for a long period of time. You can remedy this situation 2 ways. First you can leave your grill open, allowing it to burn out. This method typically burns a lot of the grease off, but can potentially cause problems if you are not near your barbeque grill. You do not want to start a fire. Another way is to completely close off your grill and deny the fire oxygen. As soon as the grill is cold, or cold enough not to burn you, you will want to clean the grill. Leaving the grill dirty for any amount of time will cause the buildup to become hard, and may make it harder to remove. Use a wire brush to clean off the surface areas of your grill, and then spray cooking oil on the surface. Take the racks off and clean them with dishwashing soap. Dawn or other brands that have degreasers work best. Rinse the racks off, and replace them in the grill.

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