Maintaining Your Backyard Barbeque or Outdoor Kitchen

The backyard barbeque season is in full swing with gas and propane bbq’s being fired up at the end of the hot sunny days. Here are some important tips to ensure your barbeque stays in fine working order and make your back yard gatherings more enjoyable with less effort:

BEFORE YOU LIGHT

It’s always a good idea to read the safety and operating instructions before you begin to use your grill. Important items to keep in mind include: Clearance of your bbq from adjacent buildings and any other combustibles, leak testing, positioning of your wave sear plates, cleaning your grease tray to avoid dangerous grease fires and positioning of gas supply lines to avoid melted hoses and hazardous gas leaks.

Always remove your warming rack before operating your rear burner. The intense heat of a rotisserie burner will surely destroy the warming rack.

For propane model barbeques, ensure that all valves are in the OFF position before you turn on your propane tank. In addition, turn your propane valve open SLOWLY. Failure to follow either of the above will result in the regulator locking out at low BTU and therefore low heat. If your bbq is not getting hot enough to cook on properly, this may be your problem. To reset the regulator disconnect it from the tank for approx. 5 minutes, reconnect, and follow the correct procedure.

PREHEAT YOUR BBQ AND CLEAN YOUR GRILL IN ONE EASY STEP!

Always preheat your bbq with all bottom burners turned on high for 8-12 minutes prior to cooking. This process will:

Cook off all the grease left behind from the last time you grilled, draining it towards the drip tray and preventing flare-ups, prepare your cooking grills to sear and seal in the juices of the meal you are about to cook and finally cook off the oils that bind the crud to your grill so all you have to do is remove the excess build-up off your grills with a brass brush or rod grill brush.

Allow stainless grills to season to a black finish to prevent sticking. Scrubbing them back to silver is a waste of effort and conditioning. Once you have preheated your grill you may select your cooking zone and temperature to grill your meal to perfection!

GENERAL CLEAN UP

2-3 times a year it is recommended that you give your bbq a thorough cleaning and service your burners. Follow the procedure stated in the preheat your bbq and clean your grills in one easy step section. Next, allow the housing to cool to the point that it is safe to touch, yet still warm enough that the grease and build-up looks wet or melted. Then simply remove your cooking grills, sear plates, and disposable grease tin.

Place a catch bucket under the area that your grease tin was and scrub your housing down with warm/hot soapy water and a nylon scrub brush. Use a good dish detergent with degreasing qualities such as Sunlight. Wipe off any excess water and you are ready to go.

BURNER MAINTENANCE

When performing a thorough clean-up on your grill 2-3 times a year it is recommended that you service your burner. Scrub over the ports and burner surface with steel wool or a small steel brush.

Then clean the build-up from your burner holes by poking them clear with an unfolded paperclip or welding tip cleaner. Unlike low quality burners that develop larger holes and “Great Balls of Fire” as the burner erodes, heavy quality burners maintain their integrity. However, oxidation still builds up on the surface of the burner affecting performance. No burner can survive the harsh environment of heat, grease, sauces, and moisture without requiring regular maintenance.

IGNITOR & ELECTRODES

Because of the harsh environment it is expected on all barbeques that the electrode and collector box of your ignition system may have to be replaced in 2-5 years if they erode or fail to perform. They are inexpensive and easy to replace.

RESTORE THE EXTERIOR FINISH

Contact a BBQ dealer for a product to maintain and restore stainless steel or high heat BBQ paint depending on the type of BBQ you have.

FROM THE BARBEQUE TO THE OUTDOOR KITCHEN

If you’ve been thinking about upgrading from a portable barbeque unit to something a little more deluxe, the outdoor kitchen is a great way to entertain, while cooking outside in style.

Springline Designs, a Certified HouseSmart member in the Lower Mainland, can design and install an exterior concrete cooking station for any size home, and for a great deal less than you may think. Springline Designs specialize in building outdoor kitchens, concrete barbeques and outdoor natural gas fireplaces.

Visit them online or call Shell Busey’s Home Services today at 604 542 2236 for a referral to a reputable company.

It’s Just That Easy!