Killer Barbecue

The [tag-tec]barbeque[/tag-tec] season is here and, as always, there are a few potential mishaps that go along with those yummy cookings.

While it should go without saying that [tag-tec]barbecuing[/tag-tec] can be dangerous there always seem to be someone who hasn’t grasped the fact that grills are hot and tools are sharp.

Most of the safety tips are just common sense and a good cook will generally follow them without much thought. For the newer cook there are a few habits to learn.
If young children are around, those habits are even more important. They haven’t yet learned that a barbeque is anything more than a big black box.

The first key to any safe practice is awareness. Because it’s static and relatively quiet, it’s easy to forget that barbeques are hot, full of smoke, can spit up flames at unexpected moments and can splatter hot grease.

When you’re about to lift the lid on your grill, remember that it’s full of hot air (like a politician) and possibly a fair amount of smoke. When you open the lid all that heat and smoke will escape. Just make sure that your face isn’t over the grill and it won’t be a problem. Also make sure that your kids are aware of that heat and smoke.

If you’ve been cooking for more than a few minutes you’ll have plenty of heat and smoke built up. Getting a grill or smoker that has handles on the side, rather than solely in front, can be a big help here. Lifting as you stand to the side will avoid most of the smoke, which tends to shoot out the (larger) open area in the front.

If you use a charcoal grill, and even with some gas or electrics, it’s helpful to have a spray bottle of water within easy reach. It’s very useful for spraying your hands, arms, or even face if you touch something hot or get grease spattered.

While water is pretty useless for dousing a grease fire it does help reduce the temperature if that grease hits the skin. That’s true of any kind of burn, too. If there is a grease fire just close the lid and turn the heating element off. The fire will suffocate and you’ll be ok.

Having the right tools and taking your time is always a good idea. If you’re new to certain activities, like unthreading kabob over the grill or turning a fish basket, practice over a flat spot in the kitchen. When you’ve mastered the physical movements in a cool, safe environment, you’re less likely to have accidents over the grill.

Always be prepared for the unexpected. Steaks stick, burgers break in two, chicken skin peels off, and it’s all really hot. Spraying the grill to minimize that may or may not work depending on your grill type, recipe, and other factors. Never let your desire to ‘save the meal’ get you into trouble. No piece of meat is worth a bad burn.

After you’re done, always let the grill cool before attempting some types of clean up. Many clean up guides will say that scraping a hot grill is easier than cleaning a cold one. That’s true, since as the material cools it bonds to the grill. Scraping from a distance (long handle) is safe, but cleaning a hot grill with a wire brush is foolish, since you’ll invariably fling hot bits of material onto your skin and possibly into your eyes. Scrape first and then scrub (if you need to) when the grill is cool.

Develop the habits to keep your barbequing safe and you’ll enjoy those BBQ dinners a lot more.