How to Properly Clean Your Barbecue

How to Properly Clean Your Barbecue

Generally, people clean their barbecue every season. Cleaning your grill is critical because you cook your food on it and, more importantly, it can catch fire if it’s not properly cared for. A fire can start at the bottom of the unit, where the grease collects, and the resulting intense heat can be problematic. Additionally, marinades, spices, salt and/or grease can slowly start to eat away at the stainless steel or metal of the unit. Maintenance is therefore necessary, especially if you are unsure of the quality of the stainless steel.

The first thing you should do when you’re about to clean your barbecue is to move your appliance onto grass or rocks. You don’t want to damage your patio, your flagstone or your favorite slab of concrete, because grill cleaning products are quite powerful. Set yourself up somewhere with no direct sunlight, especially if your BBQ has a baked coating or stainless steel parts, because some products can stain; if it’s sunny where you set up, make sure to leave the product on for less time.

If your barbecue has a propane tank, remove it. Completely “close” the tank, pull it out and unscrew the regulator. Then, to make sure you are working safely, burn off the remaining gas in your barbecue. If you see a flame emerge, let it “burn” until it goes out completely. Watch the flame carefully because if it’s uneven or of a different color (blue on one side and yellow on the other, for example), you may need to unclog or replace the burners.

Next, remove the grates, heat deflectors and grease pan (after quickly cleaning them) from your barbecue to access the bottom of your unit. Fill half a large bucket with hot water and soak your grates, deflectors and pan. When the water starts to turn brown, empty out the bucket and fill it with clean hot water. Pour about half a bottle of grill degreaser into the water and let the product do its job for about 4 to 5 minutes. If necessary, scrub the parts in the water to help the product work even better. When the time is up, be sure to rinse everything thoroughly.

Grill degreasers are very effective. Grease stains on your barbecue’s surfaces will disappear and your unit will look brand new. Be careful not to inhale the product or get it on your skin; it’s important to use gloves when handling it.

While the grates, heat deflectors and grease pan are soaking, use a grate scraper to thoroughly scrape off all the chunks and grease stuck to your barbecue’s fire box and burners, scraping your grates and heat deflectors first. Dirt on the surface should dissolve in a matter of seconds. When it comes to cleaning the fire box, Max recommends working with plastic or composite tools.

To really get your burners clean, use an angled grid cleaning brush to remove any small bits (whether fat or carbon) which have built up and clogged the holes. This type of brush also does a great job of cleaning the sides of the burners and the channels, which carry gas from one burner to another. If you’d like to unclog each hole in your burners, use a port hole cleaner, which is designed for this purpose.

If your burners are still clogged at this point, remove them from your barbecue and clean them with a venturi brush, which reaches deep inside your tube burners (or venturi tubes), either if your burners are staggered or set in a straight line.

Once your barbecue is clean, spray it with a grill cleaner or degreaser. Brown/orange liquid may drip from the barbecue, which is normal as it is removing grease from the unit’s surface. If your barbecue changes color a little after applying degreaser, don’t worry. That’s normal too.

Max recommends using degreaser on all parts of the barbecue – the burners, heat deflectors, grates, shelves, tank, handles, knobs, the cart and on the inside of the lid – but feels you can spare your regulator. Allow the product to work slowly for 4 to 5 minutes, then rinse everything well afterwards – you can even use a pressure hose, or scrub with a brush while rinsing – until you no longer see any little bubbles in the water.

Once everything is well rinsed, put on your sunglasses and use a barbecue polish or shine restorer to wipe down all the parts/surfaces of your unit. Blemishes, fingerprints and anything unattractive will disappear, and your barbecue will look like it came straight from the store!

After cleaning your grill, if you suspect that one or more of its parts is defective or causing problems, do not hesitate to contact your local specialty retailer.

Find a specialty retailer near you at www.hpbacanada.org/retail-service-providers.

Happy cleaning and happy grilling!

Max Lavoie
House of BBQ Experts

What’s the Best Grill for You?

What’s the Best Grill for You?

May is National Barbecue month in Canada, the perfect time for grillers to visit their local specialty retailer to stock up on accessories and patio supplies, and to check out the latest in new grills.

While many of us grill all year long, it can become our primary way of cooking during the warmer months. Whether you’re replacing an old grill or looking to try something new, making the right choice will give you years of enjoyment in your backyard and at the table.

With many types of grills in all forms, sizes, and prices adorning a retailer’s showroom floor, which is the right one for you? Here’s a quick guide.

  1. Gas: For people who want convenience. Just like your kitchen stove, it can be ready to cook in 10 minutes, and it’s easy to regulate cooking temps.
  2. Charcoal: For those who love being hands-on with the nuances of outdoor grilling. Some say charcoal provides the best flavour experience. Good for low and slow cooking AND high heat searing.
  3. Pellet: For people who want the most flavour. Wood pellet grills are among the most energy efficient and burn clean. With pellets coming in hickory, mesquite, and oak varieties, you, your friends, and your family can enjoy a truly flavourful cooking experience.
  4. Electric: For people who love simplicity. Electric grills are designed to produce constant heat and operate without an open flame. Ideal for apartment or condo dwellers since they don’t require charcoal or propane.
  5. Kamado: For people who love cooking of all styles and seasons. Kamado Grills’ excellent insulation is ideal for both grilling and smoking. They can use wood and charcoal and are ideal for roasting and baking.

Happy grilling!

 

Click here to find a specialty retailer near you.

How To Plan and Host a Fantastic Barbecue Party

How To Plan and Host a Fantastic Barbecue Party

After a long winter, during which many of us have been isolated, grilling season is off to a great start. With summer just around the corner it’s time to start thinking about hosting parties (within restriction limits!) and creating new memories with friends and family. What better way to embrace the season than to celebrate outside with a fantastic barbecue party that, with these simple steps, your guests will be talking about for weeks to come.

Plan The Basics

You’ll want to remember the four basics of any good party: food, drinks, comfort and seating. For food and drink, make a guest list to give yourself an idea of how much you might need and consider planning for one extra person so there is more than enough to go around. Keep your guests happy and comfortable can make for some of the best evenings together, so make sure to provide comfort and amenities wherever possible. A warm throw blanket over the back of the outdoor sofa and comfortable cushions can make everyone feel a little more at home.

Prep The Grill

As the grill and the food will most likely be the star of the evening, it’s essential to prepare your primary cooking source and ensure it’s ready to work all evening. Check your fuel supply, clean the grills and ensure all burners are working well before you are ready to cook for the evening. Performing this simple maintenance will ensure you’ll be able to cook all night, with no interruptions. It is a good idea to have your food prepped and ready for grilling before your guests arrive so you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time socializing.

  

Set The Mood

Ambience can be a factor in how your party feels and flows. Help your guests feel as relaxed and comfortable as possible by setting the mood in your outdoor space. An outdoor fireplace is the ultimate source of added warmth, comfort and atmosphere for your outdoor space. For a similar effect to those flickering flames, groups of candles and outdoor lighting can bring a similar effect.

Don’t Forget The Details

The little details can make a big difference to your guests, whether it’s a few decorations to help your space feel festive or a homemade treat your guests can take away at the end of the night. No matter what you choose, keep in mind tiny details that seem insignificant will ultimately make your guests feel special while hosting your fantastic barbecue party.

Visit your local specialty hearth and barbecue dealer to see the exciting range of grill accessories and outdoor items available.

Happy National BBQ Month!

Happy National BBQ Month!

May is National BBQ Month, and there is no better time to visit your local retailer to check out the latest grills and accessories. For many of us, our outdoor living space becomes a second kitchen and dining area during the summer, and a grill is often our primary way of cooking all season long. Making the right choice when purchasing a new barbecue or accessory will give you years of enjoyment whether it’s outside in your backyard or patio, or at your dining room table.

 

5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Buying

Buying a new barbecue of any type is an investment. To ensure you are getting the right grill or accessory for you, it’s important to ask yourself some questions before purchasing.

  1. How much time will I have to cook? Each type of barbecue typically requires varying levels of time commitment. If you’re often on the go and hard pressed for free cooking time, consider the convenience of gas or electric grills. Love to spend time cooking? A charcoal grill, smoker or kamado may suit you best. See below for more details on grill types.
  2. What’s my budget? Grills come in a wide range of prices, meaning you should be able to find one within your budget. If finances allow, purchasing a more premium grill will provide more features, a potentially longer life span of the unit, and a stronger return on your initial investment.
  3. How much space do I have? If you have a big backyard, consider a larger grill, perhaps with a kitchen island to create a focal point for relaxation and entertaining. Premium portable or more compact grills are ideal for condos and apartments. Do you frequently host large gatherings? Go big on your barbecue size to make the most of these special occasions.
  4. What do I love to cook? We often default to the foods we love the most. Many grills come with extra features ideal for certain foods. Think rotisseries if you love a roasted chicken, or side burners if you love soups and stews. Ample space for a pizza stone might be crucial if you love a good pie.
  5. What accessories do I want and need? This is also a great time to evaluate ideal accessories. Ensure you have a good protective cover, proper cleaning tools and a working meat thermometer. It also might be fun to splurge on new accessories that meet your cooking style, such Bluetooth temperature gauges, griddles for breakfast cooking, veggie baskets and more. Read more about the 5 must-have accessories every griller should have here.

 

What’s the Best Grill for You?

With so many types of grills in all forms, sizes and prices adorning a retailer’s showroom floor, what’s the right one for you? Here’s a quick guide.

  1. Gas: For people who want convenience. Just like your kitchen stove, it can be ready to cook in 10 minutes, and it’s easy to regulate cooking temps.
  2. Charcoal: For those who love being hands-on with the nuances of outdoor grilling. Some say charcoal provides the best flavour experience. Good for low and slow cooking AND high heat searing.
  3. Pellet: For people who want the most flavor. Wood pellet grills are among the most energy efficient and burn clean. With pellets coming in varieties such as hickory, mesquite and oak, you (and your friends and family) can enjoy a truly flavourful cooking experience.
  4. Electric: For people who love simplicity. Electric grills are designed to produce constant heat and operate without an open flame. Ideal for apartment or condo dwellers since they don’t require charcoal or propane.
  5. Kamado: For people who love cooking all styles and seasons. Kamado grills’ excellent insulation is ideal for both grilling and smoking. They can use wood and charcoal and are ideal for roasting and baking.

 

Once you’ve determined what is essential to you to make this grilling season a success, it’s time to get cooking! Try out Maxim Lavoie’s Sweet and Spicy, Tangy and Tasty Ribs – the perfect recipe to take your new grill for a spin!

Sweet and Spicy, Tangy and Tasty Ribs

Sweet and Spicy, Tangy and Tasty Ribs

Ribs.

The word alone is enough to get everyone’s attention.

Pork ribs should be at the top of the very short list of go-to’s that come to mind whenever you have a little time on your hands and want a nice home-cooked dinner. They are truly the middle ground between home-style cuisine and BBQ science, because they are super versatile and easy to work with. You can grill them, roast them, cook them low and slow, or hot and fast, or even sous vide – there’s always a way to make them work.

Pork isn’t known for having a bold flavour profile, but it mixes very well with marinades and – the fat within its muscle fibre acts as a conduit for rubs and evens out the flavours. Whether you choose baby back or spare ribs, your focus needs to be on the flavour profile, so don’t be afraid to experiment with different combinations of rubs and sauces.

Ribs are part of the BBQ holy trinity, but a lot of people are still intimidated by them because they can take hours to cook. Let me reassure you and tell you that ribs can be done quickly and easily, and still taste great!

Many people swear by the ever-so-popular 3-2-1 method – smoking the ribs for 3 hours at 225°F, then leaving them wrapped in foil with a liquid for 2 hours to add back moisture and flavour, and to accelerate the cooking process, and lastly, unwrapping them for 1 hour to dry out the bark and letting them glaze up at the very end. Occasionally, however, time just isn’t on your side and you need to make things work as fast as possible. The good news is that there are other ways to cook easy homemade ribs in half the time.

Here is how I cook my Sweet and Spicy, Tangy and Tasty ribs:

It is important to note that whichever method you choose to cook your ribs, the first step will always be to remove the silver skin. From there, you will be building up and crafting your flavour profile to give your ribs some personality.

While I like my spit-roasted ribs on the savoury side, I enjoy my traditional ribs best when they are sweet and very tender. When choosing a dry rub for this method of grilling ribs, look for the perfect balance of sweetness and heat; it should also help the bark achieve a nice mahogany colour.

Pro tip: The sweeter the rub, the heavier you need to go. Don’t hold back and go light on the sweetness. It’s easy to go overboard with heat and salt, but it’s very hard to oversweeten ribs. Furthermore, if your rub is composed of high-quality sugar, it will help build a deeper and richer crust as the sugar won’t burn through the first hour of cooking.

It is best to use a smoker for this recipe, and in order to cook something that won’t take all day and still be delicious, I prefer to use the hot-and-fast method – this consists of smoking the ribs in half the time, all while making sure to consistently add moisture as they cook.

Once the ribs are trimmed and seasoned, the next step is to cook them at 275°F for 90 minutes and to sprinkle them with Cherry Cola or Dark Ginger Ale every 30 minutes. Trust me, the addition of an extra sweet layer will help turn these ribs into rich and flavourful bites in the long run. Everyone will ask for more!

Once the ribs are done smoking, take them out and wrap them in foil with butter, some extra dry rub and a quick dab of rib glaze. After that, you can put the ribs back on the barbecue for 60 to 90 minutes at 325°F. You’ll know when they are ready – they will be soft enough to bend backward as you move the foil.

Now, after all of that, your bark will have most likely softened up in the foil, so you’ll want to remove them, slather them with some extra rub and/or glaze, and for the finishing touch, throw them back over direct heat to help rebuild texture on the bark.

And there you have it! A simple and efficient way to cook very tasty ribs that are packed with flavours, thanks to the extra love provided by the dry rubs.

Some days, you just have to remind yourself that you don’t need to get fancy to get some finger-licking good food on the table. All you need is to mix the right rub with the right protein and you’ll be able to create some magic.

Now that you know that amazing ribs recipes can be done in under 3 hours, enjoy some more ribs, have fun playing around with your favourite rubs and sauces, and spend more time with your loved ones!

 

Max Lavoie
BBQ Guru, House of BBQ Experts