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Tips For Starting Grilling Season Off Right

'Grillologists': Start Off By Making Sure Your Grill Is Clean, Oiled And Ready To Fire Up

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charcoal grill
John Tornow (CC BY 2.0)

Whether a traditional charcoal grill cook, a fan of charred steaks and burgers, or a follower of the pellet grill fad, there’s a grill for everyone.

There are electric grills for people who can’t have an open flame outdoors, smokeless electric indoor grills that create that same grill flavor and a whole range of more traditional options.

“Learn to fire up the grill and teach others the tasteful art,” said Mark “Mad Dog” Mathewson.

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Mathewson and Gary Merrill host “Mad Dog & Merrill Midwest Grill’n” and have written several cookbooks and developed their own brand of spices.

Self-proclaimed “grillologists,” Mathewson and Merrill offer some advice on how to get ready for the grilling season.

Clean Your Grill

No matter what kind of grill you have, it’s going to get greasy.

If you have a charcoal grill, Mathewson said the main thing is making sure the vent holes are open and clear. Check to make sure the vent plates can open and close easily.

Then, scrape off grease or ashes that have collected on the bottom of the grill. Clean the grates with a nylon pad or brush. Metal brushes wear on the grates. Finally, pour vegetable oil (or another kind of inexpensive oil) on a paper towel and wipe the grates.

“You want to start the season off with a good, clean grill,” Merrill said.

With gas grills, remove everything from inside, including the grates and bars, rocks or porcelain briquettes. Fire up the grill and check to make sure all the burners are lit. If any aren’t lighting, the burners or igniters might need to be replaced.

Let the grill run for 10 minutes or so to loosen the grease. Turn it off, let it cool a bit, and then use rags or paper towels to clean off the excess grease that collects at the bottom.

Similar to charcoal grills, use a nylon brush or pad to scrape the grates and then apply oil to the top grates.

“Throughout the year, it is a good idea to leave the grill on high with the hood down after each use,” Mathewson said. “This will help grease from building up and cuts down on flare-ups.”

Get Good Utensils

Mathewson said one of the most important tools to have in your arsenal is an instant-read meat thermometer.

“Just so you take that meat off at the right temperature, you don’t undercook it, you don’t overcook it,” he said. “It becomes less of a hassle when you’re grilling.”

Merrill said it’s a good idea to get utensils specifically for use outside. Necessities are heatproof gloves, tongs and a spatula.

“The spatula that you got in the kitchen, it just doesn’t work,” he said.

Mathewson said a large, solid, stainless steel scooping spatula is a good bet, so are long tongs that can grab two or three brats at a time in case there’s a flare up and the brats need to be removed quickly.

Try A New Grill

Mathewson said there are lots of grills on the market that can make the decision to buy a new grill intimidating: pellet grills; ceramic kamado grills; side box wood smokers; upright electric smokers; electric grills; the list goes on.

So, what’s best? Well, that depends, Mathewson said.

Start off by thinking about how many people you’ll feed most often with the grill to get a sense of what size you’ll need.

If you opt for a charcoal grill, you can use briquette coals, but just be aware that they might be more cost-prohibitive and less environmentally friendly, Mathewson said. A more popular option of late are natural lump coals, which are easier on the environment, he said.

For the gas grill enthusiast, you’ll find prices vary from around $200 to more than $5,000, though the meats and vegetables cooked on cheaper and more expensive grills will turn out the same with a little creativity, Mathewson said.

“But if you want all the bells and whistles to impress the neighbors, go for it!” Mathewson said.

Pellet grills are a great newer option for beginners and expert grill cooks alike. To cook with these requires adding pellets, plugging the grill in, setting the digital temperature and prepping and smoking the meat.

“With a little trial and error, you will be an advanced smoker,” Mathewson said.

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