Ceramic Grill Safety
Just as with any other grill, ceramic grills should be handled with the utmost safety. After all, failing to do so could result in serious injury or even a massive fire. Ceramic grills do have a few differences regarding their correct, safe operation. It’s important to educate yourself on these differences in order to safely operate your ceramic grill.
First, whenever you’re transporting your grill, please don’t attempt to lift it by the hinge. We recommend you find a partner to help you lift and place the grill down into its operational position. Second, just like nearly all other grills, we strongly advise against operating the grill within an enclosed area. They are strictly for outdoor use and you should be mindful of any surrounding foliage which may be susceptible to incineration from the grill’s heat. After all, burning charcoal produces toxic carbon monoxide which is extremely lethal if inhaled in large quantities.
We highly recommend you never utilize lighter fluid within your ceramic grill. It’s best to utilize only lump charcoal which is free of tars and other components which may cause your food to taste strangely.
The hinges on your ceramic grill need attention. The constant opening and closing of the grill may cause slight tension in the hinge over time. In order to keep the hinge from locking up, it’s important to lubricate the hinge twice a year at least. Also, in order to ensure your lid is securely held by the hinge bands, we recommend tightening the band bolts with an open end wrench.
Now, in our opinion, this part is extremely important – use extreme caution when opening the grill once you have closed the top and bottom vents in order to suffocate the charcoals. The hot coals, starved of oxygen, are extremely combustible. If you open the lid and a quick rush of air hits the hot coals, you could end up with a flashback, which is essentially a near explosion of heat and steam all at once. So, slowly open the lid allowing the heat and steam to escape in an orderly manner.
While your ceramic grill will produce minimal ash, you still need to keep the bottom vent clean. Failure to do so could result in the grill not operating properly. The reason for this is the accumulation of ash coating or covering the bottom vent will undoubtedly slow down air flow or block it altogether. No air flow, no fire. You will need to ensure the charcoal ash is cool, then you may empty out the ash into a receptacle. Make certain the coals are completely out when disposing of them or you could cause a house fire!
Rarely will you need to clean your ceramic grill, as it is self-cleaning. All you need to do is to heat your ceramic grill to ~500°F to completely vanquish any leftover food particles or pieces or debris from the grill’s interior. If you do find it absolutely imperative to clean your ceramic grill, make certain not to utilize an overtly abrasive tool, by cleaning the grids with too harsh an instrument you may damage or remove the porcelain finish which keeps food from sticking (what makes a ceramic grill so great to begin with!)
If you have any other questions regarding your ceramic grill, or simply need spare parts or repair, Backyard is the place to turn to. Contact us today at +966.13.845.6798 and we will be more than happy to assist you. After all, we are the number one provider of ceramic grills in Saudi Arabia and the entire Middle East. We look forward to hearing from you, and happy, safe grilling!
How to Safely Handle Uncooked Food and Proper Grilling Form
One of the most overlooked, yet essential, aspects of grilling out is the safe handling of uncooked raw meats. Always make certain to wash your hands thoroughly using soap and hot water before handling meat, seafood and poultry, and especially after handling these items in order to prevent food poisoning. When defrosting meat or seafood, never allow it to thaw at room temperature, always use the refrigerator to thaw meat or seafood. Another way of limiting cross contamination is by using different tools or utensils for both raw and fully cooked foods. If you use the same tongs you placed raw poultry with to remove the cooked poultry, you risk severe food poisoning that can include a visit to the hospital. Cross contamination is one of the leading causes of food poisoning. Stay acutely aware of which plates were used for raw vs. cooked foods, as well as ensure that you’re not putting sauce or marinade onto cooked food that was in contact with raw foods. By eliminating cross contamination opportunities, you’re greatly reducing your likelihood of falling victim to food poisoning.
Now that we have covered safe food handling, let’s move on to proper grilling form. As you have probably experienced before, when there’s a lot of fat on a cut of meat, you get big flare ups from the melted fat. In order to keep this from happening, simply trim off excess fat on steaks. Weber® recommends trimming down and leaving a mere ¼ inch of fat. This will be adequate in flavoring the meat and will reduce the potential for unwanted flare ups. Another helpful tip is to apply a light coat of oil to food prior to cooking on the grill. The oil will heat up quickly and provide an even browning on your food, as well as keep your food from sticking to the grill. If you’re looking to keep a constant more consistent source of heat on your food while it’s cooking, leave the lid on the grill! Every single time you remove the grill lid, you’re simply adding more time to the cooking process. Not only are you adding more time to the process, you’re potentially creating an inconsistent cooking process, resulting in a less juicy, and flavorful outcome.
When grilling, remove the guessing game from the process. Make sure you have a meat thermometer on hand in order to know exactly what the internal temperature of your meat is. This will allow you to know for certain, rather than removing the food from the grill only to find out the food is still a little undercooked. Removing the food from the grill and putting it back on can, again, result in a less consistent cooking process and a less flavorful and juicy outcome. Speaking of utensils and accessories, you truly can never have too many. By having a multitude of tools such as long handled tongs and forks, you can flip and remove food on the grill without coming into contact with the extreme heat being emitted from the grill itself. But don’t forget, it’s important not to pierce the food with the fork. By doing this you will lose a tremendous amount of moisture and end up with a drier less juicy and tender final product.
If you ever have any questions about handling raw meats and how to best eliminate your chances of cross contamination, Backyard is the place to turn to. Our knowledge and expertise can help you to avoid an unnecessary and potentially life threatening illness caused by food poisoning. Feel free to call us anytime at +966.13.845.6798 and we will be more than happy to answer any and all of your questions. We look forward to hearing from you soon, and happy grilling!
How to Safely Handle Uncooked Poultry
Foodborne illnesses are some of the most unpleasant and sometimes most dangerous types of illnesses there are. When handling raw, or uncooked poultry, it’s important to remember that foodborne illness can be extremely serious and even fatal. Below are a few simple steps to ensure you don’t end up getting you or your guests extremely sick via cross contamination.
First, always wash your hands prior to handling any food, whether cooked or uncooked. You should wash your hands for a minimum of 20 seconds using soap and warm water. Next, make certain all the equipment and utensils you will utilize when prepping your poultry are completely clean as well. In the preparation phase, you can never clean too much. It’s always better to be safe than sorry. Ensure that both your hands and the area where the poultry will be prepared are clean in order to reduce their chances of coming into contact with already existing bacteria.
Secondly, and this may seem counterintuitive, never, ever wash your poultry prior to prepping it. Not only will this not clean your poultry of any pathogens that are on its surface but you are actually more likely to spread these pathogens onto surrounding countertops from the backsplash that you may not even see. You’re much more likely to acquire a foodborne illness by washing off poultry prior to prepping it than if you did nothing at all prior to prepping it.
Thirdly, make sure you have cutting boards and dishes reserved for both uncooked poultry and cooked poultry. Essentially, by having two sets of utensils (one for handling uncooked poultry and one for handling the cooked poultry) you will exponentially reduce the probability of cross contamination of illnesses caused by salmonella, listeria and campylobacter. These harmful bacteria can, after all, only be destroyed by cooking the meat, never by washing it off.
Fourthly, once you have prepped your uncooked poultry and it’s on the grill, it’s once again time to wash your hands and countertops with warm water and soap. While this may seem like a hassle, it pales in comparison to potential illnesses you could contract by unknowingly ingesting any harmful bacteria due to being lackadaisical.
Fifthly, and this goes almost without saying, make certain that your poultry is cooked to a safe internal temperature. This is where a meat thermometer is so instrumental. You’ll need to check the internal temperature of the poultry in multiple locations to ensure you’re getting an accurate overall reading. Regarding poultry, a minimum internal temperature of 165°F is the safest bet. Anything under this temperature and you’re testing your luck.
If you ever have any questions on how to best handle uncooked meats of any type, call us today at +966.13.845.6798 and we will be more than happy to answer any and all your questions. When handling uncooked meats, safety and seemingly over cleaning of surfaces far outweighs the risks of contracting a potentially fatal foodborne illness. We look forward to hearing from you soon and happy grilling!
How to Detect Leaks on Your Gas Grill
Whether assembling your brand new grill, or simply replacing the gas hose or propane tank, checking to ensure there are no leaks is absolutely paramount. The good news is that it’s quite simple to check for a leak! All that you will need is some liquid soap, water, and a small spray bottle. By performing this quick check for gas leaks on your grill, you can reduce the chances that an unwanted accident occurs.
First, take an empty spray bottle and fill it with simply a few drops of liquid soap. Next, fill the spray bottle up with water. Shake the bottle to mix the soap and water up until you notice a foam has risen to the top of the spray bottle. Now you’re ready to check your gas grill for leaks, that simple!
The area that you need to be absolutely certain is not leaking is where the hose is connected to the grill itself. This is the area that could cause a catastrophe if you ignite the grill and there’s a leak there. Therefore, once you’ve connected the propane/gas tank, turn it on. Then take your spray bottle and apply the soap and water combination to both locations where the gas hose is connected to the propane/gas tank and where it is connected to the grill itself. If you see any bubbles forming, continuously, then you have a leak and either have the grill hose connected incorrectly or have a leak in your hose.
At Backyard, when we perform a gas grill installation we always perform a full inspection to ensure there is no gas leak. We also check your gas grill thoroughly for leaks during our cleaning services. Even though we utilize the highest quality gas hoses that are highly unlikely to tear while customizing the location, safety is our number one concern. The same should apply when you’re connecting your gas hose to your tank, or replacing the hose entirely and connecting it to both the grill and tank. We cannot stress enough how dangerous a seemingly minor gas leak is.
To find out more about checking your gas grill for potential leaks in your gas hose or its connecting points, call us today at +966.13.845.6798 and we will be more than happy to help. Don’t let a gas leak wreak havoc on your brand new or beloved gas grill, call the professionals at Backyard Middle East. We look forward to hearing from you soon, and happy and safe grilling!
General Safety
Grilling seems like a simple enough task. But there are numerous safety measures to take into account when proceeding to take upon one of your favorite things, cooking out. Whether utilizing a gas or charcoal grill, there come certain safety measures you should always follow. Let’s explore some of these safety measures together.
First, when operating a new grill, always make certain to read the owner’s manual! This, a lot like “Yes, I agree to the terms and conditions”, often goes unread. Also, never forget that grills radiate heat when in use. Keep in mind items near and around the grill that could ignite if left near the heat source for long enough. Keeping in mind the heat being emitted from a grill, ensure that you’re using proper tools that allow for a long enough handle to avoid burning your hands or arms. This also includes making certain you’re not wearing clothing that could combust, things such as loose long sleeves.
When it comes to gas grill safety, there are numerous things to take into account. Remember, grease is extremely flammable. They are in fact one of the most difficult types of fires to put out. To avoid having to deal with this problem, make sure you’re utilizing a grease catch pan on your grill. If you do find yourself with a huge grease fire flare up, never, ever use water to try and put it out. Simply turn off the grill and step away until the flames dissipate. If you throw water on the grill, you’re going to only spread the fire around. Most importantly, when not utilizing a propane tank on your grill, never store them indoors. Should a fire break out, you have a highly incendiary device which will only add exponentially to the already burning flames.
Charcoal grills are an entirely different thing in terms of safety. First, the burning of charcoal puts out deadly, toxic fumes. Most notably, carbon monoxide. Utilizing a charcoal grill indoors or in a closed in area can result in carbon monoxide poisoning or death. When it comes to starting charcoal, never use anything other than starter fluid (if you must at all). By putting gasoline on the charcoal, you won’t be able to see the invisible cloud of volatile fumes from the petrol and may be on the receiving end of a vicious burn or even an explosion. For this very same reason, always open the lid prior to lighting the charcoal. Any noxious fumes that are built up inside the grill with a closed lid could result in an explosion or giant fireball.
As we are probably all aware, charcoal creates ash once it’s completely burned through. These ashes are still extremely hot and are capable of igniting any combustible material. For this reason, never operate a charcoal grill unless it has a fully functioning ash catcher properly attached. Charcoal’s burning speed is directly correlated with the amount of oxygen it is allowed. In the case of flare ups, or to simply extinguish the coals, completely close the vents on the grill. Without being fed oxygen, the coals will be smothered out.
For all safety and proper food handling and grilling methods, Backyard is the place to turn to. We are experts in nearly all aspects of grilling. From the butcher to the grill and then to the plate, we are fully versed in the safest ways of grilling, whether you’re utilizing a gas grill, charcoal grill, or smoker. If you ever have any questions about general safety with your grill or want to know how you can equip yourself with top-notch grilling utensils call us anytime at +966.13.845.6798 and we will be more than happy to answer any and all of your questions. We look forward to hearing from you soon, and happy grilling!