With the cold weather of the past few weeks, it difficult not to dream about warm temperatures. Did you know that you can use your grill during winter? Here are some tips to enjoy a bit of summer.
Safety first
Being constantly exposed to some risks when using your grill, you should always takethese safety precautions.
For instance, you should choose carefully the type of clothes you will wear. Avoid long scarves and other clothing items that may not remain close to your body. If you wear this type of clothing, make sure they are not exposed to the flames of your grill.
Winter conditions might take you by surprise. Ice and the lack of light during dinner time will further complicate matters. Installing LED lights on your barbecue lid handle can help prevent many accidents. Since they work with batteries, your LED lights will also become very useful during power outages. As for the ice, make sure to check the floor surface and use salt or sand to avoid slipping.
One last piece of advice: never leave your propane tank in your house or inside your shed.
Allow extra time
Since outside temperatures will be lower than during summer, your gas grill preheating and cooking time, as well as its fuel consumption, will be higher. Planning is therefore key especially if you cook for some friends or are in a hurry.Depending on some factors such as steel thickness, you will need to allow approximately 20 minutes of preheating time. However, charcoal grill, such as Kamado appliances, are less affected by cold weather.
Avoid at all costs to frequently open your barbecue lid
Once the desired temperature is reached, only open the lid occasionally in order to perfectly grill your food. How will you know when it is ready? Using a thermometer, essential during winter, and a timer. At the end of the required cooking time, read the internal temperature and serve if it is ready.
To reduce cooking time, use smaller pieces of meat and avoid windy locations.
Store your grill outside!
Stay away from humidity and prevent any rust from forming, by storing your grill outside. Remove any snow from it and keep an adequate amount of fuel in your tank.
Helpful tip
Always make sure to have a spare gas tank. Imagine how annoying it would be to run out of gas while cooking a meal!
