It’s the end of April, the snow is melted, and winter coats have been replaced with lighter jackets… It can all only mean one thing: Barbecue season is here!

OK, to be perfectly honest, my barbecue has been out and ready for months now. (Yes, I’m that eager!) But if you’re like most people out there, you’re probably just beginning to prepare for summer grilling.

Today, I thought I’d give you a few tips on how to prepare your barbecue for the season:

- Start by cleaning your barbecue thoroughly. Remove the racks and give them a good scrubbing. Wipe down the rest of the grill to remove dust, spider webs, grease, bugs or even bird nests!
- One of the best tricks for washing the grill of your barbecue without scrubbing like crazy is to use aluminum foil. Just place it on the grill, shiny side down and turn your barbecue to the highest setting. Depending on the power of the barbecue and how dirty the grill is, keep the heat on for a good 10 to 25 minutes (but do be careful and keep a watchful eye on it at all times.) Basically, you’re creating a When the time is up, remove the aluminum foil and the grime should have turned to dust! Just quickly remove with a brush and you’re done!
- Make sure your gas tank and pipes are leak-free. A great trick to catch any leaks is to mix one part water with one part liquid soap. Using a brush, spread the soapy water on all pipes and tank (basically whatever the gas travels through). Open the valve… If you see any bubbles, that’s where your leak is! Make sure you replace or repair any broken pieces.
- Place your barbecue in a strategic, practical and safe place. Think of the children that might be playing nearby.
- Make sure you have a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit on hand.
- Turn on the burners and let your BBQ heat to 500 (or max heat), then use a strong wire brush to clean the racks. The heat will help burn off the excess grease, soap, or anything that might have been unsanitary.
- I always like to keep a spare tank available to make sure I don’t run out of gas halfway through the cooking process.

Also, always have the right ingredients on hand when cooking. There is nothing worse than looking for the tongs while your meat is burning, or scrambling for a plate while your steak continues to (over) cook. Here’s a foolproof list of accessories you should always keep on hand:

- Meat thermometer
- Oven mitts to protect your hands
- A bottle of water (with spraying spout)
- Tongs
- A good basting brush
- Bowls for your sauces and condiments
- A service platter to reserve the cooked cuts of meat
- A roll of aluminum foil (to prevent thinner cuts of meat from cooking too fast, or to cover bones that have a tendency to dry out and burn).
- A cutting board and good quality knives

Don’t use a fork. Piercing the meat can cause the juices to leak out and the meat to dry out.

Everything listed is important to ensure you are organized and sanitary. But to be honest, I love camping and the outdoors so if you only have hot dogs, a tree branch and a campfire, then that might be all you need!

I love grilling and I feel like I have so much more to tell you, but I have to go for now. I’ll have more on the subject in my next blog, promise!

Warren

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