From how long to preheat your barbie to what to ignore on social media when it comes to cleaning methods.
We love a barbecue in Australia, but there are many opinions about how best to do it. Let’s separate fact from fiction.
Preheating the grill
The biggest mistake people make when barbecuing is not letting the barbecue heat up for long enough.
When cooking with charcoal, allow the charcoal to burn for about 30 minutes to get the even heat you need.
If you’re using a gas barbecue, heat it for about 15 minutes before you start.
A barbecue hotplate is usually made from a thick sheet of iron or steel, so it needs time to heat effectively and evenly.
Cleaning the barbecue
To clean the barbecue, rule number one is to ignore most of what you see on social media from people recommending beer, ice or baking soda. For starters, the fact that they’re telling you to clean stainless-steel hotplates and cast-iron barbecues the same way should be a big red flag.
For stainless-steel hotplates, your best bet is detergent, an abrasive sponge and a bit of elbow grease, just as you would clean a stainless-steel frying pan.
Most Aussie barbecues will have a cast-iron plate or grill, which is simple to clean. I buy a cheap wire brush with a scraper (make sure it has a wooden handle, rather than plastic).
- Start by heating the barbecue for about 15 minutes.
- Brush it to remove residue, and then you can start cooking.
- When you’re finished cooking, brush it again while it’s still warm, scraping off any troublesome bits.
- Continue to heat for about 10 minutes before brushing it a final time.
The residual oil used in cooking burns off and seasons the hotplate, leaving it perfectly clean and well-seasoned every time. This is perfect for regular use.
About once or twice a year, I give my barbecue a thorough clean with oven cleaner and a bit of a pressure wash.
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Adam Liaw is a cookbook author and food writer, co-host of Good Food Kitchen and former MasterChef winner.
