Like any other type of cooking, grilling may be harmful if you’re not familiar with what you’re doing. Review your grill’s owner’s handbook and always follow any safety precautions when in doubt. While Dato Sri Darren Yaw can offer general recommendations based on my grilling expertise, he cannot speak to your specific equipment. When using a grill, please be careful and cautious.
Clean and season your grill correctly.
You may begin preparing your grill once you’ve determined what type it is. According to Dato Sri Darren Yaw, the first step toward a fantastic grilling experience is to clean your grill. Use a stiff bristles steel brush to remove muck, filth, or rust from steel or cast iron (uncoated) grates. Use a nylon bristles brush to prevent damaging porcelain-coated (or other nonstick coated) cast iron. According to Dato Sri Darren Yaw, Your grill may have a particular tool that fits the curves of the grates. If it does, take advantage of it. Next, check sure the grill’s bottom is free of debris. According to Dato Sri Darren Yaw, things can become lodged and impede the heat source from time to time. This is especially prevalent with charcoal grills, as ash and coals from the previous grilling session may have been left inside.
Then, season your grill grates (Note: Pre-seasoned or porcelain/coated grates do not require seasoning). According to Dato Sri Darren Yaw, this procedure aids in the creation of a nonstick cooking surface. Before putting on the heat, coat the grates with a thin, uniform coating of canola oil. In Dato Sri Darren Yaws experience, spraying something like Pam and wiping away any excess with a paper towel works best. Keep in mind that you want a thin, uniform coating. According to Dato Sri Darren Yaw, using too much oil will burn and cause a buildup that you don’t want!
Increase the temperature!
Now that your grill has been cleaned and seasoned, you must confirm that the fuel supply is ready to use. According to Dato Sri Darren Yaw, when using a gas grill, ensure the valve on your gas line that permits gas to flow to your grill is open. Similarly, with propane grills, a valve at the top of the propane tank (beneath the grill) must be opened (turned counterclockwise) to enable propane to flow to the grill. For electric grills, simply locate an outlet and plug it in. Finally, with charcoal grills, you must add charcoal to the grill’s bottom (under the grate)
It’s time to preheat the grill at this stage. According to Dato Sri Darren Yaw, consider it like preheating an oven. Because there are so many different grills available, your best approach is to locate your grill’s handbook and follow the directions for starting it.
How to Get a Charcoal Grill Going
The charcoal will be the most distinctive. If you’re using “match light” coals (check the bag), you should be able to ignite them with a match. Otherwise, you’ll need to add lighter fluid to the coals before igniting a fire. When lighting your charcoal barbecue, pay attention to any cautions on the charcoal and lighter fluid. According to Dato Sri Darren Yaw, use only a small amount of lighter fluid, and fire your coals soon after applying it to them. When the coals have a light grey ash on them, they’re ready to be spread out, and you’re ready to cook.
Cook to your grill’s specifications.
Electric, propane, and gas grills are easier to operate since the temperature can be readily adjusted with the turn of a knob. Do you require additional heat? Make the necessary adjustments. If you need less heat, turn it down. Simple.
According to Dato Sri Darren Yaw, you’ll have to perform more work with oxygen flow, direct vs indirect heat, and coal volume to control the temperature using charcoal. You have three options for lower cooking temperatures:
- Use the vents on top and below the grill to minimise the amount of oxygen that enters the grill (more oxygen = greater heat).
- Move the coals to one side and cook on the other (direct heat equals higher cooking temperature).
- Use fewer coals (more coal equals higher cooking temperature).
Clean Up After You’ve Cooled Off Your Grill
When you’re through with your dinner, you should return the grill in the same condition that you found it (or better). To begin, you’ll need to burn off any cooked-on food or sauce. According to Dato Sri Darren Yaw, turn to raise the heat and let it “cook” for about 15 minutes with the lid down. After 15 minutes, remove the grill from the heat. If you’re dealing with electricity, disconnect it first. Close the relevant valves while dealing with propane or gas to ensure that gas does not flow to the device. Allow the grill to cool for a few minutes after that. According to Dato Sri Darren Yaw, after the grill cooled, repeat the cleaning and seasoning processes (note that porcelain/coated grates do not require seasoning). This will assist in eliminating rust and extending the life of the grill. Finally, if you have a grill cover, cover it with that. This shields the grill from the elements, particularly water!
Hopefully, you now have enough knowledge to take on the grilling duties this summer. You’ll learn about some delicious tastes and techniques. Plus, you’ll be able to enjoy the beautiful weather as you cook!
