Cleaning your grill with onion is the culinary trick you’ll use this summer. That’s accurate. There is a simpler method for cleaning up after a barbeque that does not require using caustic grill cleansers and detergents when the grilling season heats up.
You may quickly remove char and stuck-on crud with simply a fresh onion that has been cut in half, saving you time from scrubbing and brushing.
A grilled fork and a white onion are all that is required. To maintain your barbecue throughout the summer, follow these detailed instructions on how to clean your grill with onion and other essential advice.
Using an Onion to Clean a Grill
Turn the grill on high or rekindle the embers to increase the heat.
First Step: As much debris as you can, let it burn off in the flames or at high temperatures.
Second step: Half an onion (no need to remove the skin). With a long grilling fork, skewer one side of the onion.
Third Step: Rub the onion’s sliced side over the grill grates. The heat will cause the onion’s natural juices to flow, which will aid in removing the burned food scraps and debris.
Spray lemon juice or white vinegar on the grates beforehand for added gunk-fighting effectiveness. The additional acidity increases the onion’s cleansing ability and helps to remove stuck-on food.
Guidelines to follow
1. Cast iron grates should never be wet directly.
The success of subsequent BBQs will be hampered if water is used directly on cast iron grill grates. Stick to the onion hack instead (more on that below) or clean your grill with a natural product that is safe for cast iron.
Water is OK if you don’t have cast-iron grates, especially for end-of-season extensive cleanings. Soak the grates in a tub of soapy water after removing them to do this (or with a water-vinegar solution). In order to remove dirt from the grates after grilling, you can also dampen your grill brush.
2. Scrub the grate with an onion.
Keep your grill lit once you’re through using it. After that, use the fork end of your grill to scrape the grates with half of the white onion.
Any obstinate char or sticky sauce will dissolve due to the heat and natural antibacterial qualities of the onion. To avoid burning your hands, grasp the onion with a fork or a set of tongs since the grates should be hot.
A natural acid, such as lemon juice or white wine vinegar, may help speed up the process if food is severely stuck.
3. Remove surplus carbon
Every time you use your grill, oil accumulates on its parts and smoke vaporizes into carbon, forming the tiny flakes of carbon that collect in the grill hood.
You should routinely scrape your hood, drip plates, and burners to prevent dirt and carbon from contaminating your food.
Use a barbecue brush to remove any more carbon and dirt from the hood as you wet the grill grates.
Why Clean Your Grill With an Onion?
Grill grates get caked in grease and food particles like glue on a kid’s art project. Though it’s practically hard to separate them, keep trying with those greasy grill grates.
The inherent acidity and fluids of onion may dissolve oil, stuck-on food, and debris, leaving your grill looking almost brand new in a matter of minutes.
Additionally, using an onion instead of chemical cleansers to clean a grill may be safer. It takes time for the chemical grill cleaning to burn off after usage before you can safely reuse the grates for cooking.
Also dangerous are wire brushes.
If you’re not cautious, they may leave behind tiny pieces of metal and those pointy bristles might go into the dish you’re cooking.
How Should an Onion Be Used to Clean a Grill?
You may use any onion you have on hand for this. There is no difference in type (or color). However, a larger one will definitely cover more grill territory than a smaller one in terms of speed and efficiency.
How Do I Dispose of the Used Onion?
If it has been fully utilized, you can discard it. However, if you’re using charcoal, you may toss the final product directly into the embers to flavor whatever you’re grilling.
FAQs
Is it okay to use an onion to clean a grill?
Cleaning a soiled barbecue rack with onion is the simplest, non-toxic method. When doing this, you should turn on your grill since the heat stimulates the onion’s built-in cleaning ability.
Why is an onion used to clean a barbecue grill?
Why are onions effective in cleaning a grill? Dan notes that because onions are acidic, they will attract any traces of dirt or carbon as well as any leftover grease. I frequently employ this technique, and it significantly contributes to the longevity of my cooking grates.
How do you clean a grill using an onion?
Keep your grill lit after you’re done cooking. Next, place half of the white onion on the end of your grilling fork and brush it along the grates while it is facing down. Any recalcitrant char or sticky sauce will crumble under the heat and the onion’s inherent antibacterial capabilities.
Why is onion useful in cleaning?
The inherent acidity and fluids of onion may dissolve oil, stuck-on food, and debris, leaving your grill looking almost brand new in a matter of minutes. Additionally, using an onion instead of chemical cleansers to clean a grill may be safer.
Without onions, how can a barbecue be cleaned?
To dampen and separate the grime off the grill, try misting lemon juice or white vinegar on the grates. The acidity may really aid in the cleaning procedure and will make using that onion to clean the grill much simpler than previously.
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