This Hack Will Stop Meat From Sticking to Your Grill
Plus, tips for naturally cleaning grill grates and checking propane tank levels!
The sun is shining, the birds are chirping and flowers are blooming—barbecue season is here! But do you know how to properly prepare that grill before your guests arrive?
In her recent TikTok, everyone’s favorite grandmother Babs (@brunchwithbabs) showed outdoor cooks everywhere how to clean their grill and make it nonstick. Her hack requires no extra tools or equipment, just two basic vegetables: onions and potatoes. Here’s how you can use these veggies to prep your grill, as well as one more bonus grilling tip for the summertime.
An All-Natural Grill Cleaner
In Babs’ video on the dos and don’ts of grilling, she asserts that one should never start grilling season with a dirty grill. Additionally, “don’t use a wire brush,” she says.
Fortunately, there are numerous alternative methods to clean a grill, including Babs’ favourite. “Do use an onion,” she explains. “Just heat your grill, then take your onion and scrub away. Instead of eating loose metal bristles, an onion will add a little flavour to your food.” To use the onion hack, start by peeling an onion and cutting off one end to create a flat surface. Then, stick a fork into the onion so that you can hold it and rub the flat-surfaced side onto the grill.
@brunchwithbabs Grilling Do’s and Don’ts 🍔Don’t use an old wire grill brush to clean your grill. 🍔Do use an onion. Heat your grill to a high temperature. Pierce the onion half with a fork and rub the cut-side down along the grill grates. The onion’s juices will release and produce steam to remove the charred bit of debris on the grill grates. 🍔Don’t allow your food to stick to the grill and ruin your dinner. 🍔Do use a half of a potato to create a non-stick surface. Just cut a potato in half and rub the flesh of the potato on the hot grill grates. The starch from the potato creates a non-stick surface so your precious dinner won’t stick! 🍔Don’t let your barbeque be ruined by running out of propane. 🍔Do use my simple propane level check hack to make sure you have enough propane. To check the level of gas in your propane tank, pour a cup of hot water down the side of the propane tank. Now run your hand down the side of the tank. Where the tank goes from feeling hot to cool indicates your propane level. Hot equals empty and cool means it is filled with propane. 🍔 Happy Grilling! XO Babs #grillingseason #grillingtips #grillingtips ♬ original sound – everyone’s grandmother
A Genius Hack For a Non-Stick Grill
Likewise, the only thing you need for a non-stick grill is a potato. The secret is in the starch.
Once Babs cleans the grill, she explains her second grilling don’t: “Don’t let food stick to your grill. It could really ruin your meal.” As an alternative, she suggests: “Do use a potato. Right before grilling, just rub those hot grates with the cut end of a potato. The starch in the potato creates a non-stick surface. Who would’ve thought? The potato saves the meal!”
To try this hack for yourself, simply cut off one side of the potato to create a flat surface, then stick a fork into it, as with the onion.
Check Your Propane Level, DIY-Style
Finally, if you have a gas grill, Babs recommends checking your propane levels before you start cooking. To do this, she pours a few cups of hot water onto the side of the metal propane tank. The metal heats up with the water, except for when it is in contact with the propane. Therefore, Babs presses her hand against the side of the tank, moving it downward until she no longer feels the warmth. This reveals the level of propane left.
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