After what’s felt like an eternity of winter, the sun is climbing higher in the sky again, days are growing longer, and temperatures are rising. When you open your back door and feel the warm air breeze by, you know it’s true, BBQ season is back!
We’re more excited than ever to move our kitchen and dining room outside for some serious, summer-long grilling, eating, and merry-making.
You too? We thought so! So without further ado, let’s get thee to the grill with these essential tips to help you be your best grillmaster self:
Ready the Grill! If you’re one of the disciplined few, who gave your grill a thorough cleaning at the end of last season, good on you! For the rest of us, your grill likely needs a thorough scrub before cooking commences. Use a bristled brush and warm soapy water (or grill-specific cleaning products) to clean outside and a stiff brush to clean all around the inside of your grill, taking care to remove any gunk from the grates. For gas grills, make sure you unclog burner holes and empty grease pans.
Stay safe! Check for leaks or cracks by putting soapy water on hoses, regulators, and valves, then turn on the propane tank and look for any bubbles. Replace tubes as needed, tighten up loose connections, and check to ensure your temperature gauge works properly. If using charcoal or briquets, toss any leftovers from last season that aren’t clean and dry.
Retool to Rule! Evaluate your grilling tools to decide which could use an upgrade. Replace tongs and other stainless tools that picked up rust over the winter and basting brushes that have seen better days. Consider investing in a few new essentials that make mastering the grill a cinch, like a wireless meat thermometer, a charcoal chimney fire starter, and a grill basket for veggies on the side.
Organize to optimize! Use trays, buckets, and baskets, and caddies to make everything you need organized and easily transportable to save extra trips back and forth from the house. Group condiments together, utensils and tableware, drinks, and so on so you have what you need while cooking and when it’s time to chow down!
Stock the Fridge! Hop online and head to steakchop.com to order extra steaks, hamburger patties, ribs, fish, shrimp, anything and everything that can hit the grill. Grilling is fun, fuss-free, fast, and delicious. And you can grill your whole meal at once, including grilled veggies on the side and grilled fruit for dessert!