Billy Steele for Engadget<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nA good rule of thumb when it comes to cleaning anything you haven\u2019t used in a while is to take it apart as much as you feel comfortable and give it a thorough wipe down. For grills, this means removing the grates and any bars or burner covers \u2013 basically, anything you can take out that\u2019s not the heating element. This gives you a chance to inspect the burners of your gas grill or the fire pot of a pellet model for any unsightly wear and tear. If those components are worn out or overly rusted, most companies offer replacements that you can easily swap out with a few basic tools.<\/p>\n
Once all the pieces are out, start by scraping excess debris off all sides of the interior \u2013 with the help of some cleaner if needed. For a gas grill, this likely means pushing everything out through the grease trap. On a pellet grill, you\u2019ll want to scrape the grease chute clear and out into the catch can, but you\u2019ll also need to vacuum the interior with a shop vac \u2013 just like you would after every few hours of use. And while you\u2019re at it, go ahead and empty the hopper of any old pellets that have been sitting since Labor Day. Fuel that\u2019s been sitting in the grill for months won\u2019t give you the best results when it comes time to cook so you might as well start fresh.<\/p>\n
Thankfully, pellet grill companies have made easy cleaning a key part of their designs. Weber\u2019s Searwood, for example, has minimal internal parts that need to be removed to open up the bottom of the chamber. This is also a design feature of the company\u2019s gas grills. Simply vacuum or push the debris out the grease chute. The catch pan where all of the garbage ends up is also easy to access from the front of the grill, and you can remove the aluminum liner and replace it with a new one in seconds.<\/p>\n
Traeger\u2019s most recent pellet grills were also redesigned to improve cleaning. Most notably, grease and ash end up in the same \u201ckeg\u201d that\u2019s easy to detach from the front of the grill. The company also allows you to quickly remove all of the interior components, though they\u2019re larger than what you find on the SmokeFire. Lastly, Traeger moved the pellet chute to the front of the Timberline and Ironwood, making it a lot more convenient to swap out wood varieties or empty an old supply.<\/p>\n
You\u2019ll want to get as much of the food leftovers out of your grill as possible for a few reasons. First, that stuff is old and lots of build-up over time can hinder cooking performance and might impact flavor. The last thing you want is old food or grease burning off right under an expensive ribeye. Second, in the case of pellet grills, not properly clearing out grease and dust can be dangerous. It\u2019s easy for grease fires to start at searing temperatures and if there\u2019s enough pellet dust in the bottom of your grill, it can actually ignite or explode. That\u2019s why companies tell you to vacuum it out after every few hours of use.<\/p>\n\n\nAll of that dust, grease and debris should be removed before you fire the grill back up.<\/span> (Billy Steele\/Engadget)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nTo actually clean the surfaces, you\u2019ll want to get an all-natural grill cleaner. There are tons of options here, and it may take some time to find one you like. I typically use Traeger\u2019s formula since it\u2019s readily available at the places I buy pellets and I\u2019ve found it works well cutting through stuck-on muck. You want an all-natural grill cleaner over a regular household product as it\u2019s safe to use on surfaces that will touch your food. They\u2019re also safe to use on the exterior of your grill without doing any damage to chrome, stainless steel or any other materials.<\/p>\n
Spray down the inside and give things a few minutes to work. Wipe it all clean and go back over any super dirty spots as needed. Ditto for the grates, bars and any other pieces you removed. I like to lay these out on a yard waste trash bag (they\u2019re bigger than kitchen bags) so all the stuff I scrape or clean off doesn\u2019t get all over my deck. You can use shop towels if you want to recycle or paper towels if not, but just know whatever you choose will be covered in nasty black grime so you won\u2019t want to just toss them in the clothes washer when you\u2019re done. A pre-wash in a bucket or sink is needed to make sure you don\u2019t transfer gunk from your grill to your business casuals.<\/p>\n
In terms of tools, you don\u2019t need much. I\u2019ve tried that grill robot that claims to do the job for you, but I\u2019ve found sticking to the basics is more efficient. And honestly, when you get the hang of it, it doesn\u2019t take all that long. It\u2019s a good idea to have a wire brush specifically for the grates that you don\u2019t use to clean anything else. After all, this will be touching the same surfaces you put food on. I recommend another, smaller wire brush \u2013 the ones that look like big toothbrushes \u2013 for cleaning the burners on a gas grill. If you notice the flame isn\u2019t firing through one of the holes, you can use this to clean the pathway. Lastly, plastic is the way to go for a scraper, anything else and you risk scratching the surfaces of your grill. Sure, any damage done would be on the inside, but it\u2019s still not a great feeling to knick up your previous investment.<\/p>\n
Check for updates before your first cook<\/h2>\n\n\nTraeger<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nIf you have a smart grill from the likes of Traeger, Weber or another company, you\u2019ll want to plug it in and check for software updates well in advance of your first grilling session. Chances are you haven\u2019t cooked much since last fall, which means companies have had months to push updates to their devices. Trust me, there\u2019s nothing worse than spending an hour trimming and seasoning a brisket only to walk outside to start the grill and it immediately launches into the update process. This could extend the whole cooking time significantly depending on the extent of the firmware additions and strength of your WiFi.<\/p>\n
Thankfully, checking for updates is quick and easy. All you need to do is turn on your grill and open up the company\u2019s app on your phone. If there\u2019s a download ready for your model, the mobile software will let you know and it\u2019s usually quite prominent. If there\u2019s not a pop-up alert that displays immediately, you can check the settings menu just to make sure. Sometimes for smaller updates, a company might not beat you over the head to refresh. However, starting a fresh slate of firmware is always a safe bet and will ensure your grill is running at its best when it comes time to cook.<\/p>\n