Helpful Tips for Easier Grill Cleanup

As the barbecue season draws to a close, novice and expert grillers young and old will all share a similar feeling of grief; although some moreso than others. I'm not talking about sparking up that outdoor cooker one last time before season's close, I'm talking about the one thing every griller dreads but knows is inevitable; cleaning the grill. After a summer full of good times and good food with friends and family, the end result on your grill is usually a black, crusty compound, made up of mostly carbon and some unburned grease. For those of us who may not have gone to great lengths to clean our BBQ grill this summer, here are some tips to help make that cleanup job a little easier this year.

• Always allow grill to cool down to just above room temperature before cleaning. There’s the obvious risk of a bad burn by touching the metal, but beyond that, a wire whisk will fling specks of hot carbon onto your arms and face. Bad news. Cleaning liquids that come into contact with hot metal will vaporize, often producing toxic gases. Another bad idea. Waiting may make clean up a little harder, but it’s much safer.
• Take apart any removable sections from the grill like grill bars, drip pans and lid.
• Clean in layers; grease first then carbon build-up. It will make the job much easier.
• Modern oven cleaning sprays are your best bet to remove grease build-up
• Allow cleaner to sit a minimum of two hours. If you haven't kept up on cleaning all summer, allowing it to sit overnight is warranted.
• When removing oven spray, be sure to use lots of water, rinsing a sponge or towel frequently. Left-over oven spray/grease that dries will impart a foul odor and taste the next time you cook.
• When removing the remaining carbon build-up, there is no safe alternative to elbow grease. A proper scraper will help, but even with it, you are going to have to exert some force.

Clean the barbeque regularly and each clean up will be easier than if the job is only done every third time or once a season. Your food will taste better and your guests will be grateful because of it.

The Newest "Green" Products to Have at Your Next BBQ

The next time you are purchasing disposable plates and cutlery for your barbecue, keep an eye out for "CornWare", the newest environment-friendly product to emerge from the "Green" revolution. CornWare is a range of disposable plates, cups, cutlery and chopsticks made from corn and yam, as opposed to styrofoam or plastic. CornWare comes in a variety of colors enabling you to coordinate with any party, and all the products can be popped into the microwave. The best part about the CornWare product line is that all products are designed to decompose naturally after 102 days! This innovative new product is made by the company OliveGreen, and is an easy and affordable way for anyone to contribute to the "Go Green" movement. Look for CornWare products to hit your local supermarket shelf as early as the end of this month, or purchase them online.

John Cena Throws BBQ Bash Full of Women and Beer

WWE Superstar John Cena attended a barbecue in New York recently, when a mob of more than 30 women attacked him for autographs and kisses. Cena ended up buying them all a round of beer, then continued to buy everyone else beer for the remainer of the BBQ. No word as to whether or not the BBQ was any good, but if John Cena is buying rounds of beer for everyone, I imagine it couldn't have been too bad.

Lowe’s Recall: The Perfect Flame Gas Grill

Before you fire up your grill for a late summer barbecue, please be advised of this warning; as of Friday, more than 20,000 “The Perfect Flame” gas grills were recalled from Lowe’s Home Improvement Stores across the country. The recall occurred after The Perfect Flame, a popular and high selling gas grill, was found to have a faulty cooking chamber, which occasionally melts and catches fire. This discovery was made after nearly 200 reports of the grill melting or catching fire. It goes without saying, if you own a Perfect Flame grill, we urge you to refrain from ever using it again. Instead, Lowe’s has offered The Perfect Flame grill owners the opportunity to return the grill to Lowe’s without the propane tank for a full refund. If you are in the market for a new quality grill, or looking to replace your old Perfect Flame grill, we recommend the high quality, always-reliable Weber Summit S-650 Stainless Steel Propane Grill.

Solar-Powered Landscape Lighting the Alternative Energy Option

When looking to add or upgrade your outdoor lighting system, you will want to look for a system that will provide enough light for you to relax on your patio comfortably or walk around your property safely. Ideally, the lighting should complement your property, enhance its looks and be energy efficient, while not cutting too deep into your budget. To provide you with these necessities and more, look no further than solar powered landscape lighting! Apart from meeting all the criteria listed, you have the additional advantage of not having to deal with wires, because the system is wireless and easy to install.

Specific benefits of solar lighting:

·We already know they are energy efficient. Added to this, the suns energy is free for you to harness.
·While saving on your energy bills, you are being environmentally friendly, conserving the earth resources.
·You will take something like an hour, at most, to set up your solar garden lights.
·You have decided to get some durable stainless steel garden solar lights. Because there is no wiring you can locate them just about anywhere. You just need to stake them into the ground and that is it.
·You can easily make additions. During the holidays, you can add to your landscape lighting by getting solar Christmas lights and you do not have to make any additional arrangements to install them, so long as your source of light is positioned right.
·With all their benefits, solar powered lights can also look great with the variety of designs available.

How the concept of solar lighting works:
The source of energy is the sun, which is freely available. For the illumination, you can use LED lamps, which are long lasting. The solar panels that convert the sun’s energy are composed of photocells, which charge the solar battery for landscape lights. So the most important part of setting up solar lighting is to place the solar panels in a position that receives the maximum sunlight. Generally, the rechargeable batteries can last approximately eight to ten hours of continuous use. The built in sensors in these solar lights can turn the lamps on and off automatically.


Using solar-powered landscape lighting:
You can start by marking the right places in your backyard or garden to see where you would like to position your lights. You might want to go in for different lights to light up your barbecue grill area, your outdoor cooking equipment, your pathways, your flowerbeds, and any other special feature that you have on your property. A friend of mine owns the Malibu Outdoor Metal Bollard lighting system, which he uses to illuminate the walkway from the gate on the side of the house leading into the backyard. I was there for a barbecue in the evening recently, and I must say, the lights really do look great. If you have a woodstove, gas fireplace or a woodburning fireplace, you might want to illuminate this area as well, regardless of whether you are using the heat source. You can also use floodlights focused on your cooking equipment or BBQ, perfect for those late night summer cookouts.

Fire Officials Urge People to Heed Message of BBQ Safety

After having come across a number of articles about a man severly burned attempting to use petrol to light his grill, there has been an increasing number of articles from fire officials urging people to heed safety warnings when throwing a barbecue. "By far the biggest danger is the use of flammable liquids to light the barbecue", says Paul Slaven, PR officer for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service. "We have had a couple of occasions where people have poured petrol onto the charcoal in an effort to get it going and the reaction has, not surprisingly, been violent and highly dangerous.” To ensure a safe and enjoyable end to summer and the barbecue season, the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service have provided a few safety tips to remember. Mr. Slaven adds, “This may seem like a long list but most of these things are common sense. Always prepare well in advance and light the charcoal early. Most of all enjoy yourself safely."

1. Never light a barbecue indoors.

2. Never leave a barbecue unattended.

3. Make sure your barbecue is well away from sheds, fences, trees, shrubs or garden waste.

4. Use enough charcoal to cover the base of the barbecue, but not more.

5. Keep children, pets and garden games away from the cooking area.

6. After cooking, make sure the barbecue is cool before moving it.

7. Empty ashes onto bare garden soil, not into dustbins or wheelie bins. If they are hot, they can melt the plastic and cause a fire.

8. Enjoy yourself, but do not drink too much alcohol if you are in charge of the barbecue.

9. Always keep a bucket of water, sand or a garden hose nearby for emergencies.

Couple Arrested for Using BBQ Grill As Weapon to Beat One Another

A man and woman found themselves in jail after beating one another with a barbecue grill. The attack on one another began after a heated argument, when the woman picked up the barbeque grill, and hit the man over the head with it. Stunned, the man picked up the same grill and retaliated by striking the woman over the head with the object. (At this point, there was concern about a disqualification, but the referee ok'd the object, and the fight continued.) The woman then picked up the barbecue pit and threw it though the back window of the man's car.
After medics treated the man and the woman (can someone say head wound?), both parties were arrested and charged with aggravated battery.

Drunk Uncle Attacks Nephew with Bottle and Knives at BBQ

A family barbecue turned ugly when an intoxicated 35-year-old man attacked his nephew with kitchen knives. According to the reports filed with the Salt Lake County Jail, the suspect had been drinking and began arguing with his nephew. He then began throwing beer bottles at the young man, a probable cause statement claims. The man then ran inside the home, grabbed two knives from the kitchen, and allegedly came after his nephew. Following the attack, the man fled the scene, only to be picked up a mile away by police. The man was booked on suspicion of aggravated assault and public intoxication.

Protect Yourself from Cancer Causing Chemicals in BBQ Smoke and Meats

Everyone loves a summertime barbecue, but experts at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute say your grill could be cooking up cancer-causing chemicals if you're not careful. According to the experts, grilling with high heat can change proteins in meat and fish into chemicals knowns as HCAs, which have been linked to breast, stomach and colon cancers. Other carcinogens called PHAs are found in smoke, which can stick to the surface of meat during grilling. To protect yourself from HCA chemicals, nutritionists suggest using leaner, thinner cuts of meat that will drip less. Furthermore, nutritionists suggest protecting whatever you're grilling from smoke carrying PHA with marinades containing vinegar or lemon.

Homeowners Mistake Smell of House Fire for BBQ

A young couple lay sunbathing in their back yard, enjoying the beautiful summer day. The birds chirping, the sun shining, the neighbors barbecuing; all the ingredients for a most enjoyable and relaxing afternoon. Until the couple realizes the smell of the neighbor's BBQ is actually their house on fire.

The couple attempted to attack the fire with a garden hose, while neighbors phoned police. Firefighters arrived shortly after, and extinguished the blaze. The fire, believed to have started from a fault in the boiler, destroyed the kitchen, and caused severe smoke damage to the rest of the house. Luckily, no one was injured. Officials say, "They stayed outside the house and did a good of attempting to extinguish the flames. Without their quick actions, the fire could have been worse."

B-B-Q Can Spell "Danger" For Your Pets

If you are like me, you spoil your pets, and allow them to sample the food you prepare for lunch and dinner each day. However, PDSA Senior Veterinary Surgeon, Sean Wensley is urging pet owners to ‘paws for thought’ in order to prevent summer mealtimes from becoming BBQ nightmares. Wensley goes on to say, “Every year PDSA vets see many barbecue-related injuries including burns, intestinal foreign bodies, food poisoning and heat stroke. Pet owners can help prevent such incidents by being extra vigilant and identifying and disposing of potential hazards before they cause any harm.”

Here are a few tips to ensure our pets enjoy eating outdoors as much as we do:

• Eating barbeque scraps can cause stomach upsets such as vomiting and diarrhea as the food may be unfamiliar or high in fat.

• Lighter fluid for the barbeque can pose a huge threat in the wrong hands or paws! The main harmful ingredients are hydrocarbons, which can prove fatal if digested. Equally, eating hot ash and charcoal can cause burns and stomach irritation.

• Make sure that any left over food, containers and barbecue debris is disposed of carefully. About 4% of all of the foreign bodies that PDSA vets remove from pets’ intestines are the central core of a corn-on-the-cob.

• Chemicals such as pesticides and weed-killers can be harmful if swallowed by pets or if they are in contact with them. It is very important to keep pets away from treated areas. When possible, use products that are safer for pets.

BBQ Meat Smoking 101

Every grilling guru or barbecue lover knows there are few foods that cannot be improved by the smoky goodness of the outdoor grill. Thanks to our good friends at the National Barbecue Association, here are some tips on the popular grilling technique, smoking:

Smoking – addition of smoke to meat that will be finished by some other cooking method.

Cold Smoke
Smoking occurs at 70°F to 100°F, imparting flavor without firming proteins. Items may be cold smoked, then finished in the oven. 80 degrees is average in a smoke house. There will be slight dehydration but very little actual cooking.

Hot Smoke
Smoking occurs at 160°F to 225°F, imparting flavor and cooking the product. Temperature of smokehouse 160°F for all sausage (casings) 185°F for all solid meats.


Types of Smoking Methods

1. Conventional - More smoke flavor, due to less circulation of air. Product must be dry.
2. Convection - Less smoke flavor because the air is being circulated. Product does not have to be dry because of the air circulation.
3. Pan - Pan smoking gives a lot of flavor in short period of time. Can be done with no special equipment.


Key Cooking and Smoking temperatures
· 103°F Proteins begin to set or denature

· 137.5°F Trichinosis bacteria is killed

· 155°F Federal requirement for cooking pork

· 155°F All meats

· 160°F All proteins are coagulated

· 165°F Federal requirement for cooking all poultry

Ex-convict Barbecue Turns Into Brawl

A barbecue thrown by the Hells Angels to celebrate the release of a friend from prison was interrupted when three members of the rival gang, Devil’s Disciples, rode past the barbecue tauntingly. Shortly after, police in an unmarked cruiser followed several of the Angels to a gas station, where a member allegedly assaulted a Disciple with his helmet, and stomped him with his boots. Police arrested the man and charged him with two counts of assault and battery with a deadly weapon and one count of assault and battery after police detained him.

Southern-style Barbecue Song

Recently, we stumbled upon the hilarious website rhettandlink.com. In addition to their songs about facebook, sunburns, Velcro and Sodoku they also have their own official barbecue song, full of fake beards and mullets. With a state-by-state description of the differences in southern bbq, we learned that Louisiana’s bbq is very spicy, and Alabama uses white barbecue sauce made of mayonnaise. It’s an all around hum-dinger of a song.

Steak Knife Becomes Murder Weapon at BBQ

A domestic dispute at a BBQ turned fatal Saturday, when 48 year-old Keith Thomas allegedly attacked his girlfriend Diane Barrow with a barbecue steak knife and fled the scene. Shortly after, a member of the slain victim's family received a phone call, which caused approximately 10 of Barrow's family members to pile into cars and speed away. "They wanted to hurt somebody last night. They wanted to find that guy, and do something to him," said neighbor Herman Duncan, "There was street justice to be completed." A quick-thinking officer followed them to a nearby gas station where he found the family members were taking "street justice" into their own hands, letting the punches fly on the cornered Thomas. "The family and friends would have killed this guy. There's no doubt in my mind," said Duncan. Two officers stepped in, protected Thomas and arrested him. The officers suffered minor injuries during the melee, but because they weren't seriously hurt, Upper Darby Police made the decision not to charge any of Barrow's family members. Now, instead of street justice, Thomas will face legal justice. Though for Diane Barrow's family, that won't be good enough. Thomas, who later confessed to the killing, has been charged with murder, and is currently being held without bail.

The Finger Test for Grilling Perfection

Cooking meat, especially steak, to a guests desired wellness is often challenging; especially without cutting into the center. To solve this problem, most grilling aficionados turn to their trusty meat thermometer. Meat thermometers, such as the stainless steel meat probe thermometer, are great for getting just the right temperature on a big roast.

However, to impress your friends and avoid cutting into the meat, do what most experienced chefs do and use the "finger test" method. While difficult at first it gets easier with practice. The next time you cook a steak follow the instructions below. With practice, you can be cooking steaks to perfection every time, and consider yourself among the ranks of the greatest chefs.

Open the palm of your hand. Relax the hand. Take the index finger of your other hand and push on the fleshy area between the thumb and the base of the palm. Make sure your hand is relaxed. This is what raw meat feels like. (Check this out the next time you have a raw steak to cook.)



Press the tip of your index finger to the tip of your thumb. The fleshy area below the thumb should give quite a bit. This is what meat cooked to rare feels like. Open up your palm again and compare raw to rare.