Getting Ready for Grilling Season

One of the best parts of spring and summer is smelling that first burger, veggie kebab or steak sizzling on the grill. Getting ready for grilling season ensures you are ready to serve a savory meal on the first day that perfect weather hits. You can prepare for cookouts, gatherings and special family meals by gathering the best grilling tools, collecting new recipes, cleaning and inspecting your grill, upgrading your grill and stocking up on fuel. 

A new grilling season is the best time to try some new cooking pellet flavors. It’s also an excellent time to upgrade to a pellet grill if you currently use propane or charcoal. Having the right tools, recipes and pellets available helps you kick off the warm season with savory meats, tasty vegetables and unique desserts.

Gather or Upgrade Your Grilling Tools

Your first day of grilling is much smoother when you have the tools you need in one place. Gather the following cooking utensils and grilling accessories:

• Spatulas: Stainless steel spatulas are the best choice for grilling because they can handle high temperatures. Collect a few to keep near your grill so you’re ready to flip some juicy burgers when the warm weather hits.
• Tongs: Extra-long grill tongs with rubber handles and scalloped edges help protect your hands and grip food without dropping it. Purchase tongs that are at least 18 inches long so you can grab food without getting too close to the heat.
• Basting brush: Silicone basting brushes are perfect for marinating meat on the grill because they are heat-resistant, easy to clean and don’t shed.
• Sheet pans: You can use sheet pans to expand your grilling menu and creativity by cooking pizzas and desserts.
• Cast iron pan: A cast iron pan can also increase your menu’s versatility. You can use a cast iron pan on your grill to cook various desserts, pancakes, biscuits and any dish that includes sauce.
• Vegetable basket: While corn cobs and sliced vegetables cook well on grill grates, a vegetable basket can hold smaller pieces of vegetables or let you cook different vegetables together for delicious flavor combinations. Vegetable baskets are also helpful if you need to save space on your grill grates for more meat.
• Skewers: Skewers are excellent tools if you enjoy grilling kebabs. Flat metal skewers are reusable and let you turn the meat and vegetables easier than disposable wooden skewers.
• Probe thermometer: A probe thermometer can indicate when your meat reaches its optimal internal temperature to help you prevent overcooking or undercooking while grilling. Some probe thermometers include alarms for easier cooking.
• Grilling gloves: Grilling gloves keep your hands safe from potential burns while handling food over the heat. Leather grilling gloves are the most durable and comfortable option, but silicone gloves are ideal for handling food and smoking meats. Silicone synthetic or neoprene gloves are the most affordable option but may not last as long as leather or silicone gloves.
• Cutting boards: Plastic cutting boards are best for cutting meat because they are nonporous and easy to sanitize, but you can cut vegetables on plastic or wooden cutting boards. Make sure you have separate cutting boards for cutting meats and vegetables to prevent cross-contamination.
• Serving trays: Confirm you have enough serving trays to pass your incredible appetizers, burgers and desserts around.

Collect New Grilling Recipes

While many love the classic burger, hot dog or steak, grilling is the perfect way to impress your friends and family with new and unique recipes. Consider trying the following dishes this summer:

Appetizers

Learn how to grill some mouth-watering appetizers such as maple-bourbon glazed smoked bacon or prosciutto jalapeño bombs. With these unique options, you can prepare to host some fun gatherings full of flavor.

Main Dishes

You can also gather some savory main dish recipes for special occasions and celebrations. Delicious smoked beef ribs are always a classic favorite, but you should also treat your loved ones to some Ol’ Hick Lamb T-Bones for a delectable dinner. A Jim Beam® tortilla wrap pizza is a fun recipe to keep on hand for fun family nights or outdoor movie parties, and a smoked Brazilian picanha recipe helps you bring the flavors of a traditional Brazilian steakhouse to your home.

Side Dishes

Complement your smoky main dishes with irresistible sides. Prepare your recipe collection with grilled side dish recipes so you’re ready to host the best summer dinner party. A brisket mac and cheese recipe combines two cookout favorites, while recipes like cajun bacon-wrapped corn and pineapple coleslaw add delicious twists to classic sides.

Desserts

Your grill can please the sweet tooth after some savory appetizers, main dishes and sides. Add some tasty desserts to your recipes to get ready for the grilling season. 

Whether you plan to make smoked chocolate chip cookies or smoked pineapple cobbler, you can use your grill to create some sweet dishes bursting with flavor. You can also keep Jim Beam® smoked bourbon pecan pie and smoked maple bourbon dark chocolate bread pudding recipes nearby to serve some unique alcohol-infused desserts.

Clean and Inspect Your Grill

After you gather all of the essential grilling tools and collect the best recipes, getting your grill ready for summer is the next step to preparing for this fun-filled season. Carefully check your grill for any rust or insects that may have crawled in over the winter. Next, inspect and clean your grill according to the type of grill you use:

Pellet Grill

To ensure your pellet grill is ready for summer, inspect and clean each of its components. Remove pellets from your pellet grill’s hopper before cleaning so the pellets remain dry. You can catch the pellets in a bucket and set the bucket to the side until the grill is clean and dry. Scrub the grill’s grates with one of the following tools or materials:

• Brush: While wire brushes with steel wire bristles are common for grill cleaning, non-metallic bristle brushes are safer and less abrasive to the grill surface.
• Bristle-less brush: Bristle-less brushes work similarly to wire brushes, but they are made of tightly-coiled steel instead of wire bristles, letting you scrub your grill without the risk of leaving bristles behind.
• Wooden scraper: Wooden scrapers help you scrape residue from your grill easily. You can also use a plastic putty knife as an alternative to a wooden scraper.
• Cleaning block: Grill cleaning blocks consist of recycled glass and can effectively remove residue from your grill’s grates.

After cleaning your pellet grill’s grates, clean its exterior with water, dish soap and a sponge, and dry it with a microfiber cloth. You can also clean the exterior with a stainless steel cleaner for an extra shine or use a degreaser if any grease residue remains. Degreasing your grill helps reduce the risk of fire and keeps your home and your loved ones safer.

Turn your grill on at a high temperature for about 45 minutes after using a degreaser to burn off any remaining chemicals. Check your grill’s manual for the exact temperature and procedure to use.

Ash particles can accumulate in a pellet grill’s burn pot, so removing the ash before the start of each grilling season is essential. You can remove ash with any of the following tools:

• Shop vacuum: A shop vacuum removes ash from your grill effectively, allowing for easy cleaning.
• Ash vacuum: Companies manufacture ash vacuums specifically for ash particles, and their heat resistance enables them to handle any hot embers they pick up.
• Handheld vacuum: A handheld vacuum is sufficient for ash collecting if you don’t have a shop or ash vacuum.

It’s also important to clean your grill’s smokestack and chimney cap. While your grill is cold, remove any residue from the smokestack using a scraper or brush. You can also use a paper towel or cloth to remove ash and soot. Use a disposable soft cloth and a cleaner or degreaser to clean the chimney cap, dry it and return it to the smokestack.

Next, clean the grease bucket, drain and grease drip tray. Remove grease residue from the grease drip tray’s drain opening and the drain tube’s interior using a scraper and a paper towel. Move the grease to a container or trash can for safe disposal. Scrub your grease bucket with soap and water. You can repeat this process with the grease drip tray and remove it from the grill if you want to scrub it with soap and water.

Propane or Charcoal Grill 

Propane and charcoal grills also require cleaning before the grilling season starts. Scrub and wipe your charcoal or propane grill’s interior and exterior using the same tools and solutions listed above. Remember also to clean the ash catcher if you use a charcoal grill.

If you have a propane grill, you should also inspect the fuel line for any leaks or cracks. Cover your propane grill’s hoses, valves and regulator with soapy water. Turn the tank on and inspect each component for bubbles. Bubbles indicate gas leaks, so you may need to tighten the grill’s connections, replace a hose or replace the entire propane tank. It’s also crucial to remove residue from the grill’s hoses to prevent them from catching fire. 

Since propane grills cook less evenly than pellet grills, you should identify hot spots. Place slices of bread on your grill’s burners and cook them over high heat for a few minutes. Notice which slices are the most toasted — these are your hot spots. 

Consider Upgrading Your Grill

Spring or summer is the perfect time to upgrade your grill, especially if your current one is old or damaged. Upgrading is also a great idea if you want more grilling capabilities than a charcoal or propane grill can offer. You can enhance your grilling experience and serve delicious food with a pellet grill. If you currently use a charcoal or propane grill, consider upgrading to a pellet smoker to enjoy the following benefits:

Greater Capabilities

A pellet grill has more capabilities than a charcoal or propane grill. You can use it as a grill or turn the heat down to use it as a smoker, creating the perfect fall-off-the-bone brisket and ribs. 

Hardwood pellets are excellent for smoking meats because they burn slower, letting you cook food low and slow for indulgent results. Pellet grills also cook food evenly so you can serve perfectly grilled or smoked meats at every gathering. 

Enhanced Flavor

BBQ grill pellets enhance food’s flavor, and pellets come in various flavors you can choose from. Enhance your steaks, burgers and kabobs with a classic smoky or smooth Jim Beam® flavor when you use Ol’ Hick Cooking Pellets. Chicken breasts, vegetables and pork tenderloins taste delicious when you cook them over Ol’ Hick Apple BBQ pellets. Upgrading your pellet stove helps you infuse each meal with an authentic sweet or smoky flavor perfect for summertime.

Easier Grilling

Grilling with pellets will let you control the heat more easily because a pellet grill gradually lights pellets and adds more as needed. Cooking with a pellet grill also lets you replenish the fuel less often than you would with an alternative grill.

Restock Your Fuel

Restocking your fuel ensures you have plenty of cooking fuel and flavor for the grilling season. Make sure you have enough propane, charcoal or pellets to operate your grill when the summer sunshine arrives. This is the perfect time to try some new pellet flavors if you’re cooking with a pellet smoker.

Browse through your grilling and smoking recipes to determine which pellet flavors you will need, and try different pellets to discover how they impact your food’s flavor. Stock up on the following Ol’ Hick Cooking Pellet flavors to prepare for a mouth-watering summer:

• Apple: Ol’ Hick 100% Apple BBQ Pellets are perfect for grilling or smoking pork, seafood, chicken and vegetables. They create a subtle fruity smoke that’s 100% authentic and free of artificial flavoring.
• Hickory: Choose Ol’ Hick 100% Hickory BBQ Pellets for a classic and authentic hickory-smoked flavor.
• Jim Beam®: Ol’ Hick Jim Beam® Bourbon BBQ Barrel Pellets add a smooth bourbon flavor to your food. If you love bourbon, you will have a fantastic time cooking beef, poultry, pork and desserts with the smooth flavor of Jim Beam®.

Get Ready for Grilling Season With Flavorful Pellets From Energex

Cleaning your grill, gathering the best quality grilling tools and collecting delicious recipes helps you prepare for the summer season. With the right planning, you can be ready to fire up the grill and serve some savory dishes as soon as the warm weather arrives. One of the most important ways you can prepare is to restock your fuel source. 

Energex offers top-quality cooking pellets with incredible flavors. Ol’ Hick Cooking Pellets are made of 100% hickory wood and no artificial flavors, so your food tastes incredible every time. We make our pellets only with materials that meet our standards, and we conduct quality testing throughout the production, packaging and shipping processes.  

Leave neighborhood mouths watering when they smell your delicious meals cooking over smoky hardwood pellets. Grilling with Ol’ Hick Cooking Pellets enhances your burgers, chicken, steaks, ribs, seafood, pork, vegetables, desserts and side dishes so they burst with flavor. 

You can grill or smoke food with our BBQ pellets, and you can expect delicious results whether you make savory grilled burgers or fall-off-the-bone smoked ribs. Locate a dealer near you or contact Energex to learn more about our quality BBQ pellets and stock your supply for the summer season.

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