A Clean Grill is a Happy Grill.

Gas grills are relatively easy to maintain, and cleaning is no exception. With regular cleaning, your grill should give you years of fanatical grilling pleasure and better tasting food. As with many things in life, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. In other words, if you clean your grill at least lightly every time you use it, you'll end up saving yourself a lot of trouble in the long run. When the time comes to give your grill a thorough cleaning, the task will be much easier.

Cleaning the Cooking Grate

Every time you grill, you should clean the cooking grate. Some people prefer to clean the grate before grilling, while others clean it after they're done. It's usually easier to clean the grate after grilling, once the grill has had some time to cool down, but before the food residue has hardened into a sticky, barnacle-like crust. Cleaning the grate after every use will also help prevent food from sticking to it the next time you grill.

Ceramic, cast iron, and stainless steel cooking grates all require slightly different cleaning methods, so see your grill's manual for specific instructions and precautions. Usually a stiff wire brush or scouring pad is used to scrape the food residue from the grate, and any remaining particles are burned off by the grill. Brass brushes are often recommended because they won't scratch harder materials. If you don't like the typical brass brushes that tend to get clogged with gunk, there are many specialized grate cleaning tools available. Two of these cleaning tools include the Grill Gadget and the Grill Wizard. The Grill Gadget features a solid brass "universal disc", while the Grill Wizard has a long handle that can accommodate various scouring pads.

To clean your gas grill grate, set the flame to high heat or "clean" for a few minutes to vaporize some of the residue. The "clean" setting doesn't actually clean the grill; it just reduces the amount of elbow grease needed for you to clean it. Wait for the grill to cool down until it's just warm, and use your implement of choice to scrape off the remaining food particles. It's easy and should only take a few minutes. Some people like to clean the cooking grate while it's hot with half of an orange or onion. Just don't do this while the flame is on, and be careful not to burn yourself. A grill fork can be used to push the orange or onion and keep your hands from the heat.

Cleaning the Grill Hood

It's a good idea to wipe out the inside of the grill hood regularly so that the smoke residue and accumulated grime doesn't bake while you're grilling and affect the flavor of your food. A visual check will tell you if this needs to be done.

Cleaning the Burner Barrier

It's also important to regularly clean the burner barrier and the catch pan, but you don't need to clean them as frequently as the cooking grate. Do this with a cool grill, before grilling. Your grill's burner barrier may hold lava rock, briquettes, flavor bars, or metal plates. Lift out the grate, remove any briquettes or lava rocks, and clean the cooked-on grease and food particles from these accessories as directed by the manufacturer, or replace them once they get too crusty to clean. Metal burner barrier parts can be cleaned with a solution of warm water and mild dish soap. Briquettes and lava rocks can be brushed off and flipped once, so that the greasy side is facing down. They should be replaced every year or two.

Cleaning the Catch Pan

To clean the catch pan, use a wet/dry vac to remove any loose debris, and then wipe it down with warm, soapy water. If your catch pan has a removable liner, replace it with a new one. Keeping the catch pan and burner barrier clean will help maintain even heat and avoid flare-ups.

Thorough Cleanings

At least once a year you should give your grill a thorough cleaning. It's a good idea to do this at the beginning and end of your grilling season, especially if you store your grill during the winter. A thorough cleaning means disconnecting the gas and taking out all the removable parts of your grill, cleaning them, cleaning the gas burners, and cleaning the grill body inside and out. It may sound like a lot of work, but if you've been giving your grill regular light cleanings, the thorough cleaning should be relatively quick and easy.

Cleaning the Burners

Grease drippings and insects can clog the gas burner ports and tubes. To clean the gas burners, first disconnect and remove the propane tank, and then remove the grate and burner barrier. Following the instructions in your manual, remove the burner units, and clean them with a soft cloth and warm, soapy water, then towel them dry. Check the burners for blockages that prevent the gas from burning evenly. Once the burners are dry, clean out the gas ports using toothpicks. Make sure that the gas tubes aren't obstructed, and then either re-attach the burners, or continue cleaning the inside of the grill. If any burners are damaged or too clogged to be cleaned effectively, you should replace them.

Cleaning the Grill Body

To clean the grill body, take out all of the removable parts and wipe it down completely with soapy water. It's a good idea to cover the gas orifices behind the control panel with aluminum foil before starting in order to avoid corrosion, especially if you use your garden hose to rinse out the grill body. Don't forget to remove the foil when you're done, though. If necessary, use a non-toxic degreaser to remove grease build-up, but never use abrasive cleaners or oven cleaner. Use a fine metal scouring pad with soapy water and very light pressure to remove smoke residue on the body and lid. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations to avoid damaging the surfaces. Once the grill body is clean, re-assemble the grill and check all the connections before lighting the grill again to burn off any remaining soapy water residue. Allow the grill to air dry, and with the grill off and cool, coat the inside surfaces and grate with peanut oil to make the next cleaning easier. To keep your grill clean and protected from the elements, cover it with a grill cover when not in use. By cleaning your grill regularly, you can get full enjoyment from your grilling ritual and be a Gas Grill Fanatic for years to come.

Propane vs. Charcoal

Go into any home improvement store and compare the selection of gas grills to charcoal grills. Chances are you’ll find a much wider selection of gas grills, which indicates the relative popularity of cooking with propane over charcoal. The benefits of using propane grills are fairly obvious. Propane is a cleaner fuel than charcoal, and propane grilling requires less preparation and cleanup. Propane is a less expensive and more convenient fuel choice. With propane grills, you always taste the full flavor of the food, unlike charcoal grills where overuse of starter fluid can result in burgers that taste like butane. It’s no wonder that most people prefer gas grills to charcoal grills by a ratio of about 10 to 7, according to the Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association. Propane grills may even be better for the environment, although this point is debatable. It is true, though, that propane grilling emits less smoke into the air. For all of these reasons, propane is the obvious choice for Grilling Fanatics.

Convenience

Propane grills require minimal maintenance and are ready to go at a moment’s notice, saving you valuable time and effort. Charcoal grills, on the other hand, require tedious and messy preparation work every time you grill. Charcoal briquettes must be loaded and ignited, typically with liquid butane (lighter fluid). With charcoal sometimes you'll need more heat or cooking time, and will have to manually add more briquettes. Not so with propane – you just keep on grillin'. Once charcoal has finished burning, you also need to clean out and dispose of the messy ash that's left behind. Propane grills cool down faster, and the only cleaning that is required is the removal of any food residue and the occasional cleaning of the burner elements.

When grilling with charcoal, you need to make sure in advance that you have enough briquettes for your grilling session. This results in frequent trips to the store to replenish your fuel supply. A propane grill has a much higher fuel capacity; a 20-lb. tank can typically be used for weeks or months before it needs to be refilled. There are also several products on the market that tell you how much propane you have left. One of the best is called The Tank, which is a standard 20-lb. tank with a built-in level gauge. Also, if you keep a spare, full propane tank on hand, you’ll always be ready to grill, and you can refill or exchange the empty tank at your convenience. Instead of lugging around heavy bags of charcoal every time you grill, you only need to replenish your propane once or twice a season.

The convenience factor shouldn’t be underestimated. Since grilling with propane is so much more convenient, you’re much more likely to grill your meals and incorporate grilled ingredients into your recipes. It’s also easier to regulate the cooking temperature with propane. This means that you’re also more likely to get more use out of your initial grill investment and be happier with your purchase decision.

Cost

Propane grills are much less expensive to use than charcoal grills in the long run. It’s true that a bag of charcoal and a can of starter fluid will cost less than a full tank of propane. However, that one tank of propane will last for many barbecues, while the bag of charcoal is probably good for one or two cookouts at best. This makes propane grills a very inexpensive cooking option.

Taste

Some people do prefer the smoky taste of expensive hardwood charcoals. This comes down to a personal preference issue. Propane burns clean, offing pure heat that doesn't contaminate the natural taste of your food. I'm sure you've all experienced a barbecue where the overuse of starter fluid results in butane burgers and hazmat hotdogs. Charcoal grilling can produce some lovely flavors if done right, but gas can be equally effective, especially with new innovations like ceramic flavor bars. Again, the taste issue comes down to personal preference.

Safety

Both propane and charcoal grills have risks and need to be used with respect and safety in mind. Because liquid propane is a pressurized, flammable gas there is a risk of explosion if proper safety practices aren't followed. Both propane and charcoal grills present a fire hazard if not used properly. Charcoal, however, additionally poses a much greater risk of carbon monoxide poisoning from the incomplete combustion of smoldering coals. This is the one area where there is no clear winner. Each grilling method has inherent safety concerns, and care needs to be taken to avoid personal injury.

Now, we admit that charcoal has its place. Some people just prefer the smoky taste of grilling over hardwoods like mesquite. And you can't smoke meats without the smoke. But for clean and convenient everyday grilling, there is simply no comparison. Just ask any Gas Grill Fanatic.