How to clean a grill after a grease fire

Meat – check! Drinks – check! Invitations – check!

If you love grilling, then you certainly enjoy calling your friends or family for a barbeque.

But, what happens when your grill disappoints you and instead of the tasty meat and fun celebration, you end up with grease fires?

Wondering how to put out a grease fire on a grill quickly? Here’s what to do when this unpredicted event happens.

4 Ways On How to Safely Extinguish a Grease Fire on a Grill

The appearance of flames on the grill is common due to the melting of fat and liquids on hot surfaces. According to research, there are more than 10.000 home fires caused by grills every year. July is the pick month, followed by June, May, and August. [1]

If there is a fire on your grill, don’t panic! Several tricks can help you in preventing grease fires at home so that this event won’t ruin your day.

1. Do Not Use Water

Water and fat oil are not the best of friends. You will frequently hear that you should not mix them.

The same case appears on the grill. It is full of fat because of the meat oil, so when there are grease fires, you should not throw water on the flame as it may worsen the fire.

2. Move the Meat to the Edge

If the meat fat burns, move the food to the edge of the grill, where there are no flames (indirect zone). Wait for the fat to burn and then return it.

3. Turn Off the Grill Vents and Use Baking Soda or Salt

If the flame is big and you can’t reach the meat, turn off the burners to decrease the flame. Put baking soda or salt on the flame, and it will quench it quickly and efficiently.

4. Call the Local Fire Department

Always have an extinguisher near you. If the flame increases in intensity you should use a fire extinguisher first.

If the fire is so strong and none of the tricks we have mentioned above worked, you should leave the area and get help from the local fire department.

“Grilling takes the formality out of entertaining. Everyone wants to get involved.”

– Bobby Flay, Chef

Tips for Avoiding Grease Fires on a Grill

Use Clean Grill Grates

The grill grates must be clean. On dirty grills, the remnants of the previous roast are glued to the fresh meat and altogether to the grills.

To prevent fire, first, rub them in the kitchen with a new brush and water to remove all the remnants of the previous cooking.

We have an easy-to-follow guide on how to clean cast iron grill grates, so be sure to check it out.

Related Articles:

• 7 Steps to Effortlessly Clean a Gas Grill
• Best Ways to Clean a Grill Brush
• How to Easily Clean a Flat Top Grill?

Heat the Grill Grates

To avoid grease fires, you should always heat the gas grill to the maximum temperature, even if the recipe requires a medium or low temperature. On hot grills, the food immediately starts cooking and prevents the meat from sticking.

Prepare Everything Before You Start Grilling

When the outdoor fire pit is on, and the food is on the pan, cooking must be our only concern. Once you put the food on the pan, you have no more time to go to the kitchen or look for new plates, cut vegetables, or shape burgers.

It can easily happen that the roast burns because of the meat oil falling on the grease tray. Make sure to have an extinguisher somewhere near, in case of an accident.

Control the Grill’s Temperature

You have to constantly watch the temperature that the gas grill reaches. At the beginning of cooking, the temperature should be maximum, and it gradually drops during grilling.

Be near your grill, and monitor carefully when it starts to lose temperature, to keep adding fuel on time. The extinguisher should always be near you in case something goes wrong.

Read More: How to put Out a Charcoal Grill

Conclusion

Yes, grease fires can happen even if you are a master at grilling. What we are doing to prevent these is a 5-minute check before every cooking.

First, make sure you don’t see any changes on the surface of your grill, like leaks or breaks.

Check if it has some visible damages and if it is appropriately connected to a source of the fire. Then look at the grill grates. They need to be perfectly clean and hot before placing the meat, vegetables, or bread on the pan.

Prepare everything you need, and do not leave the grill without supervision. Always have baking soda, salt, and your phone in your pocket, so that you can react fast.

To avoid injuries keep the fire extinguisher close or call someone to help during fire flare-ups.

References:

1. https://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research/Data-research-and-tools/US-Fire-Problem/Home-Grill-Fires

Top 21 how to clean a grill after a grease fire edited by Family Cuisine