The food is, without a doubt, the finest part of a cookout. When the plates are empty and the crowd has gone home satisfied, you’re left with the dreaded clean-up, including cleaning your grill. Don’t worry, we have gathered some tips and tricks to assist you in your charcoal grill cleaning. It is really an essential part of the grilling process to clean and maintain your grill. Grill cleaning and maintenance will prolong the grilling life of your charcoal grill. A clean grill will reduce the potential for having the last grilled protein seep into the taste of your current grilled meal. It truly is just a plain good habit to clean your charcoal grill to optimize your grilling experience. Think of grilling today that Chicken you have been marinading and preparing for the last couple of days, and because you did not clean the grill, the taste of last week’s Salmon on Cedar Planks finds its way into your Chicken meal.
Charcoal grills aren’t designed to be pristine. Still, like gas grills, they require some maintenance to keep them running effectively all season—a quick clean after use is sometimes sufficient. Still, a deep clean at least once a year is also advised.
Why Should You Clean Your Charcoal Grill?
Cleaning a charcoal grill after each use and deep cleaning it at least once a year keeps it in good working order all year. Cleaning after use and performing an annual deep clean will assist you in the following:
Prevent bacteria from forming in carbon deposits and altering the flavor of your favorite meals.
Stop the accumulation of grease and food particles.
Prevent the rusting and deterioration of your barbecue.
Prevent early part failure, and your grill will last longer.
Heat your grill more quickly and evenly.
When Is It Time to Clean Your Charcoal Grill?
How frequently you use your charcoal barbecue determines the frequency with which you clean it.
How should a charcoal barbecue be cleaned after use? After each barbecue, quickly clean your charcoal grill with a wire brush to eliminate food particles.
Deep cleaning of your charcoal barbecue should be done at the beginning and end of each season, or at least once a year if you grill all year. If your grill is straining to reach its maximum temperature—around 500 degrees Fahrenheit—it’s time for a deep cleaning.
Follow these charcoal barbecue cleaning tips to avoid premature part failure or deadly flare-ups:
To reduce rust formation, grill grates should be cleaned after each use. After using a charcoal barbecue, clean it with hot, soapy water and a scrub brush (or a ball of aluminum foil).
Clean the grease trap or collection pan at least once a month—or more frequently if you grill several times weekly. Also, clear the grease tray after cooking fattier types of meat, such as rib steaks, burgers, lamb, and bone-in, skin-on poultry.
Because you need to know when it was last used or what was cooked, clean public grills before each use.
Deep Cleaning a Charcoal Grill
If it’s time for your charcoal grill’s annual bath or your barbecue requires thorough cleaning after a big cookout, we recommend following the cleaning recommendations provided by the manufacturer. If you need help finding your instruction booklet, follow our step-by-step tutorial to learn how to clean a charcoal grill.
Begin by gathering your materials.
Grill cleaning with rubber gloves can be a dirty business!
At least one clean bucket of water
At least one bucket of anti-grease soap and water
Grill brush or other coarse nonmetal cleaning brush. You can also use tongs and balled-up tin foil.
Putty blade
scouring sponges, rags, and paper towels
distilled white vinegar
Baking powder
If you have a stainless steel BBQ, use this cleanser.
Then take the following steps:
Allow the coals to burn for another 15-20 minutes after cooking to char off any stuck-on food from the grill grates.
Clean the grates on the grill. While the grill is still hot, wet the wire brush and scrape the grates with warm, soapy water. You’ll need grease-fighting dish soap, a heavy-duty wire brush, a putty knife, and many clean buckets of water to clean a particularly filthy grill grate. To release stubborn oil and filth, soak your grates for at least 30 minutes or overnight in a mixture of baking soda and white vinegar.
Clean the bowl’s interior. You can sweep leftover ash and debris into the ash collector with a charcoal bowl cleaning kit, or you can do it by hand with a bristle brush or putty knife to scrape off all the residual carbon flakes, food particles, and oil. Use mild dish soap and steel wool to remove any remaining residue.
Remove the ashes (or ash collector) and debris from the grill’s bottom.
Rinse and wipe the inside and outside of the grill’s lid and base. Scrub the grill with a scouring sponge, a fresh pail of water, and dish soap. To remove rust-causing moisture, dry everything with a microfiber towel.
Apply a light application of vegetable oil to the clean grill grates, then add some fresh charcoal and fire up the grill with the hood closed to burn off any cleaning residue.
How to Clean Your Charcoal Grill
You can keep your grill clean between uses and make your next deep cleaning even more accessible by doing the following:
Preheat your grill and use a BBQ brush, balled-up tin foil, or onion to remove any charred parts of food.
Before cooking, oil your grill grates to prevent food from sticking.
After each use, brush any excess food particles from the grill grates.
Make sure the ash catcher is manageable.
How to Clean a Charcoal Grill
In addition to routine cleaning, deep cleaning your charcoal grill once or twice a year will not only improve the quality of your meal. Still, it will also extend the life of your barbecue.
Deep cleaning your grill also allows you to inspect its internal components for rust and degradation.