Get Ready for Grilling Season
Warmer weather is finally on the horizon, and it’s bringing with it the best time of the year: grilling season. While at Louisiana Grills we believe every day is a great day to grill, there’s no denying that spring and summer offer the optimal conditions for outdoor cooking.
But before we jump into grilling season, there are a few things you should do first to get your grill – and you – ready.
Clean Your Grill
The first thing you want to do is get your grill nice and clean, especially if it hasn’t been used in a while.
Let’s start with the grates. Before removing your grates from the grill, give them a hard scrub with your grill brush. After brushing the grates, take them off the grill and lay them on a towel or cardboard box that’s placed on the ground. While wearing protective gloves, spray your grates with a cleaner/degreaser.
Let it soak for about a minute, and then wipe and rinse with water. Be sure to scrub your grates with a mild detergent and water to remove any residue left behind by the cleaner. Then rinse again and set aside to let your grates dry.
After you remove your grill grates and any heat deflector plates, it's important to first use a wet/dry shop vac to remove any loose debris or ash before using cleaner or spraying it down with a hose. This can help prevent the dry debris from caking after being exposed to moisture.
While the grates are drying and after you’ve vacuumed up any loose debris, you should wipe down both the interior and exterior of the grill.
Using a cleaner/degreaser, spray the entire interior surface and repeat the same steps used to clean your grates. Once again using a cleaner degreaser, spray the entire exterior surface of the grill including the hood and shelves, and let it soak in for about a minute. Then wipe it down, rinse with water, and dry with a towel.
Burn Off and Season
This step is important because it will help protect your grates and heat shields from rust as well as prevent your food from sticking. After cleaning, rinsing, and drying your grill put the heat shields and grates back on. Next you will want to perform a burn off. This is the same process as when you first received your grill. You will want to fire your grill up at 350°F and let it run for 15 to 20 minutes.
Then, with a tong or oven mitts, place one of your grates on top of the other and brush or spray the exposed heat shield with a high temperature oil, such as canola. As the surface cools, it will seal the oil. Then put the grate back on the grill and stack the other grate on top of it so you can spray the other heat shields or end of the heat shield. Finally, with all grates on the grill in their proper place, spray or brush the oil onto the grates. Your grill should be ready to use after it cools down completely.
Update Your Grilling Toolkit
Now that your grill is ready to use for the season, you should consider upgrading your grilling tools as well.
Every grill master needs the right set of tools. The Louisiana Grills 3-Piece Toolset has everything you need for a premium grilling experience, with a set of tongs, a silicone basting brush, and a 2-in-1 spatula that is a meat cleaver and serrated edge for multipurpose use. With laminate wood handles, premium gauge stainless construction, and convenient hanging loops, this set is the perfect addition to your outdoor kitchen.
A grill cover is a must have for storage between uses to protect your grill from the elements. Louisiana Grills covers are made specifically to fit each model and feature heavy-duty polyester construction with PVC backing for ultimate protection.
The same is true for pellet storage, since hardwood pellets can be ruined in some climates without proper storage. Keep your fuel safe with a Louisiana Grills pellet storage bucket, which keeps your pellets fresh and protected in a cool, dry area.
If you’re planning to tackle longer smokes this year, consider adding a hopper extension in the mix. Our 22-pound hopper extension allows for an extra 20 hours of smoking time, so you can handle any low-and-slow masterpiece without bothering to refill the hopper.