It’s time again to dust off the old BBQ and fire it up! But before you do, you will probably need to give your grill a good clean.
While the heat from your BBQ will likely do a decent job of killing off bacteria, making sure your grill is clean before you cook is more hygenic and will help you avoid any cases of food poisoning. We asked the Food Standards Agency for their top tips for cleaning your BBQ — here’s what you should do.
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Wash by hand
The Food Standards Authority (FSA) recommends washing barbecue grills by hand as best practice – good news if you’re a traditionalist when it comes to barbecue cleaning!
To do this, carefully scrape off the worst of the food residue when the grill is still hot without touching the metal, as this is when burnt-on food is easiest to loosen. You can get special BBQ brushes that will help with this.
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Then, once the grill has cooled enough to be handled safely, use a solution of washing-up liquid in hot water to clean it. If the remaining food and soot doesn’t budge, you may need a dedicated barbecue cleaner. For this, we recommend HG Oven, Grill and Barbecue Cleaner.
Rinse, then dry immediately to prevent the grill from rusting. Once dry, you can use a piece of kitchen towel to rub vegetable oil on the grill to further guard against rust.
Burn it off
For those who fall into the burn-it-clean camp, don’t despair. The FSA acknowledges that it’s not practical to remove larger barbecue grills for washing, and burning off food residue over a high heat until charred will kill any bacteria that may be present.
If you have a gas barbecue, simply turn up the burners to the highest setting after you finish cooking and heat the grill for a minimum of 15 minutes.
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If you have a charcoal barbecue, the best time to do this will be the next time you light the barbecue. Scrape any remaining residue (remember that it should be completely charred) from the grill, taking care not to burn yourself. Rubbing the cooking surface with half an onion can also help dislodge any stubborn bits of burnt-on food.
Side tables
For the most hygienic approach, tackling the grill is only half the story.
“Studies have shown that the built-in side tables on barbecues are hot spots for bacteria,” says food safety expert Dr Lisa Ackerley. “Even if your barbecue looks clean, make sure you get these surfaces hygienically clean with an antibacterial cleaner before cooking and also always after there has been raw meat on the surface.”
Cleaning kit
However you choose to clean your barbecue, make sure you have the right tools for the job. Wire cleaning brushes have suffered bad press in recent years, as there’s a risk the wires can break off and stick to the next batch of food cooked on the grill. If they’re accidentally eaten, they can cause real problems in your digestive system.
If you’re concerned, try a scraper such as the Griddle Scraper or a crumpled piece of aluminium foil held with long tongs if the grill is still hot.
Source: https://gardencourte.com
Categories: Outdoor
