Explore Downhome

Before grilling, cut a lemon in half, spear it with a fork, dip it in olive oil and rub it on the grill. This will help prevent residue buildup as well as add some extra flavour to your food.

When you open the valve to your propane tank, make only one turn to help conserve propane. There is no benefit to opening the valve all the way.

If you lightly coat the outer body of your barbecue with some vegetable oil it will help prevent white spots and oxidation, which result from exposure to weather. If the barbecue is already faded, clean away dirt and oil and wash the cabinet with a 50-50 solution of water and white vinegar. Rinse the cabinet with water and coat it with stove polish.

After a cold winter, spark ignition failure is common. Your ignition may need to be replaced, but chances are cleaning the tip and area surrounding the igniter will work. Manually light the barbecue for the first time and let it burn for a while. Then turn it off and try the spark ignition again.

Flare-up can often cause problems while cooking on a barbecue. It will appear as a yellow-tipped creeping flame and is normally caused by low pressure or blocked burners. Brushing the holes in the burner to remove grease blockages will usually work. Removing visible fat from food also prevents flare up.

To clean the bowl of the barbecue, remove the grill rack and cooking/charcoal grates. Using oven cleaner, spray the inside of the bowl and scrub with steel wool. Wadded newspapers work well when wiping up the residue in the bowl. Rinse with a hose. Repeat the same steps for cleaning the grates and then lightly coat with cooking oil before replacing.

To clean the grill, cover it with aluminum foil and turn on the heat. After 10-15 minutes the baked-on food should turn to a white powder that is easy to brush off. If residue persists, close the lid and turn the barbecue on high for 10 minutes. Then scrape the grill with a brass brush and wipe.