Who doesn’t love barbecue? They are one of the most favorite meals for people in the world. The only dilemma for most people is that the tools they need to cook a barbecue are sometimes difficult to clean and maintain.
However, thanks to pellet grills, our barbecue needs have become more convenient. Pellet grills are easy to use, so many people buy them. But before buying one for your home, we recommend reading reliable reviews, such as the ones from thewoodpelletgrill.com, as they are experts when it comes to pellet grills.
Despite being easy to use, it’s better to keep them in their best condition, prolonging their lifespans. If cleaned properly, we will also be able to save money from potentially expensive problems.
In this article, we’ll teach you how you can clean your pellet grill.
Table of Contents
The Things You Need
Pellet grills have a fan to provide better airflow. However, it produces debris around your grill. If there’s much ash and dust buildup, there will be less combustion.
The best thing about cleaning your pellet grill is that you don’t have to go to a specialized store for special equipment. However, what we recommend is to invest in cleaning tools as these are also great investments, especially if you love cooking barbecues.
The first item that we suggest is the grill brush. There are plenty of them in the market, and almost everything works the same. Keep in mind that if you have porcelain coating on your grill grates, use a grill brush with nylon bristle to clean them without any damage.
You should also prepare a sponge, gloves (preferably heat-resistant), warm water, soap or detergent, a scraper, and a dry cloth or rag. A shop vac can also help, but if you don’t have one, a brush and a dustpan will do.
Cleaning Your Pellet Grill
Here are the three easy steps for a cleaner pellet grill.
The Grill Grates and Heat Diffuser
The first thing you need to do is to open the grill lid, then lower the temperature to 300ºF or 150ºC. Next, grab the grill brush and scrub the grates. If you see any hard-to-remove food stains, use a cloth while using tongs to hold them. You can use this method to deglaze the stain, then scrub it again.
It’s similar to cleaning the heat diffuser. However, you may need to use a scraper to remove tough particles.
After cleaning, you can turn off the heat to cool it down.
Keep in mind that it is best to clean the grates every after usage. This will save you time from cleaning them for your next cooking.
The Pellet Grill Cooking Chamber
No matter how careful we are, ashes are going to the cooking chamber; over time, they’ll build up. Once there’s an ash buildup, your grill could face issues, such as ignition problems.
Cleaning the chamber is relatively easy. You need to remove the internal components and clean up all traces of ashes and grime. After that, you can wipe the inside.
Make sure that your grill isn’t hot to handle. Remove the grill grates and put them in one place, then the internal parts. From here, you’ll be able to see and access the cook chamber as they are exposed. You can use a shop vac or a small brush to remove the buildup.
When cleaning this area, make sure that the igniter rod is free of any debris or anything stuck in it.
Wipe it with a cloth, but if you still feel it’s grimy, clean it with mild detergent and a sponge. The main important thing is that you have to make sure that everything is dry before putting the parts back.
The Exterior Part
When cooking, our grill can get dirty because of ash and splatter. They can do damage to our grill, especially if left uncleaned. The best part is that it’s easier than cleaning the interior.
You just need to close the lid and wipe the outer part with a damp cloth. We recommend wiping along the grain to have better results, especially if you own a stainless steel model. Cleaning stainless steel kitchen appliances may require a more delicate method to maintain their beauty and shininess.
If there is hard-to-remove grease, you can use a mild liquid detergent. Just remember to quickly wipe it off with a dry cloth to avoid damage on the surface. You also need to take note that the detergent you should use is non-caustic to prevent any corrosion.
Sum Up
Cleaning your grill isn’t hard. It shouldn’t be a chore. You only need to dedicate 10-15 minutes of your time to complete the task. If you’re going to clean it fully, we recommend doing it at least every two months. But if you use your grill occasionally, once every season is enough.
To maintain your pellet grill, follow the steps above, and you’ll surely have a better, longer-lasting one.
