Cleaning Grill Grates for More Flavorful and Safer Food

This post is sponsored by Grill Daddy. Save 10% with code: JF10

If it can be eaten, I’ve likely tossed it on the hot grates of my grill.  Grilling lean proteins like beef, chicken and fish along with a rainbow of fruits and veggies is the fuel for my active lifestyle. Plus, it gets me out of the hot kitchen and into the fresh air, sparking my creative side and serving up tasty benefits!   Talk about a win-win-win!

Grill Master, Jennifer Fisher of thefitfork.com

Despite all this happiness making and eating my grilled recipes, I’ve never felt like a winner when cleaning a grill afterward.  It’s nasty, messy, stinky and requires more elbow grease than I care to give when the backyard “party” is over. And, honestly, I never felt my grill-cleaning skills were up to par.  I’m embarrassed to say, I often just ignored cleaning my grill in the past.   

However, as they say, “when you know better, you do better.” Check out these reasons why you should make a quick clean of your grill grates after EVERY use and discover a tool from Grill Daddy that makes it safe, speedy and super effective! (Use discount code JF10 to save 10-percent)

Grill Daddy Pro Grill Brush - made in USA, #1 rated grill brush, safe, effective and eco-friendly.  Save 10% code JF10 at buygrilldaddy.com

Why Should I Clean My Grill Grates? 

Flavor Saver: Burned food crusted to the grates courtesy of the previous grilling sessions could end up on your current meal, lending an unwanted flavor profile. Nobody wants old fish flavor on their grilled corn cobs.  

Bacteria & Fungus Buster: Cleaning your grill also helps reduce the chance bacteria will colonize on the grates. Fungi like mold also grow on organic matter, and that’s pretty gross to be around food. Leftover meat of food bits stuck the grill and abandoned to fester are just open invitations to getting sick.

Pest Protection: Ensuring a clean grill, free of food and grease, will also keep unwanted pests from calling your grill their new home and dining establishment – the Roach & Rodent Motel. Trust me, word gets out in the pest population when you have accommodations “ripe” for the picking. Heck, I think a racoon could even lift up the handle and climb in to scavenge.   

Long-term Health: Not trying to use scare tactics here. But studies have indicated that cooking meats at a high temperature creates polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) which are carcinogenic. PAHs are created when meat juice drips onto coals, grates and other hot surfaces causing flames and smoke – then they stick you’re your food and are left behind as burned bits on the grates. You can minimize your risks by cleaning your grill, avoiding flare-ups, not burning food, and using a gas grill rather than charcoal.  Also, marinade meats for 30 minutes prior to grilling helps create a barrier.  

Easier Deep Clean Later: When you clean your grill grates on a regular basis, it makes your end-of-season grill clean-up overhaul much easier. In terms of the grill grates, they can be removed and soaked in a vinegar-baking soda-water solution and then scrubbed down again — if you’ve been taking care of the grates from the start, the process will be so much easier because not much will be left to scrub down.

Grill Daddy grill brushes are safe, eco-friendly, and effective!

What is the Best Grill Brush?

I’ve used quite a few grill brushes and even the “onion’ method where a halved onion is rubbed across the hot grates to clean. I’ve never used a sponge, that’s just a nasty way to move bacteria around.  Most of my previous grill cleaning tactics yielded lackluster results. Stubborn areas on the grates still remained gross, bristles fell off with the potential of ending up in my food (so unsafe), or I just gave up early because my hands were to close to the heat and arms getting fatigued.

But, the Grill Daddy brushes are my new favorite grill tool.  This innovative grill brush cleans the grill with the power steam. It’s really a simple concept, but one that is so clever and unique it’s been patented. There are no chemicals or batteries needed for the grill brushes and the two brush heads feature “bristle lock” technology, stainless-steel bristles that are highly secured in place, to help ensure food safety for your family.  When the brushes show signs of wear, you can order new brush replacement parts.

Grill Daddy Pro Grill Brush - made in USA, #1 rated grill brush, safe, effective and eco-friendly.  Save 10% code JF10 at buygrilldaddy.com
Save 10% at BuyGrillDaddy.com with code JF10

How Do Grill Daddy Grill Brushes Work?

Simply pour water into the reservoir of your steam grill brush, heat up the grill and then use the ON/OFF lever to release the water a bit at a time. When that water hits the hot grates, it creates steam which helps loosen the food particles, grease and burned on gunk. While the steam is doing its job, use the wider side in a crosswise direction to eliminate grill residue or, for mor stubborn areas, flip the brush around and unleash to power of the three-row, crud-buster scraper.  Other nice features I appreciated in the Grill Daddy Pro model I have is the large size – 22-inches keeps my hands from getting too close to the searing heat. Also, the larger reservoir holds up to 16-ounces of water, making it last long enough without refilling to clean a large, nasty grill.

Grill Daddy brushes are also made in the USA and offer a satisfaction guarantee.  If you are fired up to try one (pun intended), then use my Grill Daddy discount code to save 10% — Go to BuyGrillDaddy.com Grill Daddy coupon code JF10 at checkout. — So perfect for upcoming backyard barbeques, Father’s Day gifts, gifts for women and men who grill, and gifts for grillers.

Grilled Steak Kebabs with Blue Cheese & Date Drizzle

Grilling season is heating up and since I’ve already served up most of my tried-and-true beef grilling recipes by July, I decided to play around with some beef flavor pairings.

Steak Kebabs with Blue Cheese & Date Drizzle

And, voila, an easy, but deliciously bold, recipe for Steak Kebabs with Blue Cheese & Date Drizzle was born! Read on for all the sizzling details. Continue reading

How To Grill Avocados (That Don’t Turn Brown for Meal Prepping)!

I have a “how to” today that might make even the most super freak avocado aficionado faint – GRILLED AVOCADOS! Grilled Avocado

AvocadOoooohemmmmgeee, you heard me right! It’s amazing simple and insanely appetizing to throw avocados on the grates of a backyard grill, range top grill, or even portable grill. Grilling this creamy, savory fruit gives it delicious bits of flame-kissed char and smoky swag that you just won’t find eating it in the typical fashion. Read on to get all the directions to this game-changing  avocado hack and find out why they take days (instead of minutes) to turn brown using this method.  Continue reading

Grilled Avocado Tacos with Creamy Jalapeno Greek Yogurt Dressing

I am about to change your life with two simple words that I frequently say separately, but never before together– Grilled Avocados. That’s right, I discovered avocados can and should be grilled! Tossing this creamy green fruit on the grates for a few minutes creates a smoky, simply marvelous flavor profile that plain ole avocados just can’t deliver. Grilled Avocado Tacos

With grilling season firing up and Cinco de May moments away, you’re definitely going to want to toss on a few avocados to go along with your barbecue. Or, if you’re vegetarian, vegan or just taking a plant-based day for variety, you’ll love my recipe for Grilled Avocado Tacos with Creamy Jalapeno Greek Yogurt Dressing

Continue reading

Beaches, Bikinis & Coconut Bacon Burgers w/ Grilled Pineapple

In my perfect world, I’m living on a remote tropical island with every creature comfort including Wi-Fi, a fully-loaded gym and well-stocked market to easily procure ingredients for all my recipe creations — like this wave-making Coconut Bacon Burger with Grilled Pineapple.

Coconut Bacon Burger with Grilled Pineapple Let me just hit the highlights here so I can get back to my dream — gorgeous prime ground chuck, the signature flavor and scent of coconut, pineapple carmalized  to maximize deliciousness, soft sweet onion buns  — oh and bacon,  from a slab of thick hardwood smoked pig.  Coconut Bacon Burgers with Grilled Pineapple

 

jennifer fisher yoga beachSo, do I have your attention?! I know what you’re thinking, I can’t inhale a burger and then hit the beach in bathing suit. Oh, yes you can! First of all, let me tell you one thing, eating burgers in bikini — it’s so freeing, soon you’ll loose all your inhibitions. Second, it can get hot grilling on the beach, so you’d be wearing a bathing suit anyway! And third, really-actually-trust-me, a burger is NOT a bad food choice — indeed, it’s quite balanced. Here’s why:

 

hamburger patty hack

Quick Tip: Use a peanut butter jar lid to shape your patties!

If you start with a quarter-pound of ground beef, you’ll end up with a 3-ounce cooked patty which offers about 25g protein for just 213 calories for an 80/20 grind (of course your bun and topping selections add more). But this 25g is the optimal amount of protein to eat at one meal to keep you satisfied and binge snacking on carby snacks later. ** Note, I realize my recipe is for a larger burger than just described, but hey, i’m still on this mental vacation where anything goes. Feel free to scale your patty down.

protein challenge badgeInterested in learning more about what protein can do to help you on your health and fitness journey? Why not join me on a free 30 Day Protein Challenge with lots of tips, motivation and recipes.

So on to the Coconut Bacon Burger with Grilled Pineapple I originally created for BeefLovingTexans.com! Mahalo, my friends!

 

coconut burger feet

Coconut Bacon Burger with Grilled Pineapple Recipe

  • ½ pound thick-sliced hardwood smoked bacon
  • 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef (preferably 80/20 grind)
  • 2/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (divided)
  • Salt and pepper
  • 4 slices cored pineapple, preferably fresh
  • 4 sweet Hawaiian or onion rolls, split
  • ¼ cup store-bought Coconut Butter (sometimes called “Coconut Manna”)
  • 1 teaspoon minced basil
  • ½ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
  • Lettuce
  1. Cook bacon to desired level of crispness in large skillet over medium-high heat. Transfer to paper towels to drain excess grease.

  2. Form beef into 4 equal-sized 6-oz. patties. Use finger to make slight indention in the center of each patty to prevent puffing up on the grill. Season with salt and pepper.

  3. Spread all but 1 tablespoon of the unsweetened coconut in shallow dish. Roll sides of burger patty through coconut, patting on if necessary.

  4. Head grill to 400F degrees and grill burgers and pineapple rings for approximately 4 minutes before flipping and cooking an additional 4 to 6 minutes. Burgers will be ready to take off grill when internal temperature measures 155 F degrees. Transfer burgers and pineapple to platter to rest for 5 minutes.

  5. Meanwhile use a spatula to mix together coconut butter, remaining 1 tablespoon shredded coconut, red pepper flakes and basil together in small bowl. Set aside.

  6. Toast split buns, cut side down, on grill for 2 to 3 minutes.

  7. To serve, spread toasted bun with coconut spread and add lettuce, patty, pineapple and bacon.

What is your favorite tropical flavor? Going to the beach this summer? What is your favorite island? Have you ever run a marathon on a tropical island — which one, I’m thinking of signing up for one. Please share in the comments below – XOXO, Jennifer