A person using a grill brush to clean the grates of a stainless steel propane grill, preparing it for cooking.

Grill Spring-Cleaning

Grilling is fun when your grill is clean and working great. Here’s how to get it in tip-top shape.

Clean Your Grill:

All you need is bucket of soap and water, a sponge, paper towels, and a good scrub brush

First things first, make sure your grill is completely off as fars as dials go and disconnect it from the propane tank.

  1. Start by wiping down the exterior of the grill and then inside the hood to remove any grease splatters. If you have a stainless steel grill, finish off with a stainless steel cleaner for shine!
  2. Scrub the grates. This will require your scrub brush and some elbow grease. Start by removing the grates, spray them with equal parts vinegar and water and let sit for one hour to loosen up stuck on food. Next, scrub away burnt on food and rust, then go over with a sponge. It is always good to start with a clean brush each grilling season.

After a thorough cleaning, coat the grates with vegetable oil. If you put them in the oven at 450 degrees for a couple of hours you can “cure” them and ready them for reuse.

Maintenance:

  1. Check around air vents and remove any debris to limit fire hazards
  2. Take apart as much of your grill as possible and clean both the inside and outside with soap and warm water using a strong bristled brush. Areas with lots of grease deserve special attention.
  3. Check your burners for any holes. If you see any, replace those burners, Examine any tubes for spiders that like to find a home during cooler weather inside the tubes because the grill hasn’t been being used.

Safety - Perform a Leak Test:

Test your propane tank each time you have it refilled or exchanged, as well as if it has sat for a long period of time.

  1. Look for cracks and leaks in your hoses. Check the resilience of your control knobs. Does your temperature gauge work, are the grills handles loose? Tighten them. Regular maintenance will keep your grill in tip top shape.

     

  2. Check that your hoses and tubing are not damaged and that ignition parts of the grill aren’t covered in any grease.

     

  3. You can do leak test by putting soapy water on the hoses, regulator, and valves. Turn on the propane tank and look for any bubbles. If you see bubbles it means the gas is leaking and its time to replace the hoses or your tank.

Contact your local Altogas office if you need help with your propane tank, hoses, and regulators. 

Hand connecting a propane tank to a grill with an Altogas label.
A person using a Simple Green spray bottle to check the propane connection on a grill for leaks. The propane tank and hose are visible.

https://www.crownverity.com/4-must-do-things-get-your-grill-ready-spring/

GRILLED LEMONADE RECIPE

Ingredients

for 8 glasses

  • 5 medium lemons
  • 1 lemon, sliced into rings
  • 1 cup white sugar, plus additional for coating
  • 4 cups water
  • 4 cups ice
  1. On a cutting board, halve the lemons and coat the cut sides with a thin layer of sugar.

  2. Place the lemons on the grill cut side down and cook them over medium-high heat for 6-8 minutes, until caramelized.

  3. Remove lemons from grill and cool for 5-10 minutes.

  4. Juice lemons into a half gallon (2 liter) pitcher.

  5. Once all the lemons are juiced, add the white sugar, lemon rings, water, and ice (see note). Stir until the sugar is dissolved.

  6. NOTE: Do not add the ice if preparing ahead of time. Add the ice immediately before serving.

  7. Enjoy!

    https://tasty.co/recipe/grilled-lemonade