Most people living in Surrey and the Lower Mainland are used to barbecuing year round. With only the rain to keep people away, barbecues are a common sight in January. This year, however, with the surprise snowfall, many people chose to put their barbecues away and are just now starting to get them out and get grilling.

But no matter whether you have a gas grill, a ceramic grill, or a charcoal grill, there are things you need to do before you throw a couple of beautiful steaks over the fire. Here are two tips that most barbecue owners will want to follow:

Clean first
Don’t put meat onto dirty grills. Get out a wire brush and start scrubbing. Use hot soapy water (dish soap works very well) and get all the leftover mess that’s stuck to the metal. You may want to run them through the dishwasher to get them even cleaner.

If you have a gas barbecue, clean the burners as well. Take everything apart, use a venturi brush to clean inside the burners, and then unplug any ports with a 1/16” drill bit. Use a spatula to push any leftover grease down into the drip pan and then remove the drip pan tin foil grease catcher and replace it.

Check the gas
As the BBQ sits for a while without being used, there is always a chance something could happen to the hoses and tubes. It’s a good idea to check them over, looking for crimps, scratches, and punctures. If anything looks damaged, replace them right away.

Do a leak test of the grill. First, make a 50/50 solution of soap and water and use a brush to apply it. Turn off all the burner controls and then turn on the gas. Brush the soap solution on any hoses or connections. If bubbles develop, you have a leak. If not, start grilling.

Barbecuing is a big part of outdoor living in Surrey, so come in to Art Knapp and we’ll show you some amazing barbecues to make your next meal even better.