Do I clean the BBQ after each use?

[dreamingofsun]

So will we get food poisoning if we don't? I'm sick of cleaning it - hubby does the BBQ but it turns out as more work than me doing stuff in the oven. Conscensus down the pub is that you don't clean between use, just use a metal scrubber and burn off all the crap before using.

I do. If nothing else, I never know when I will be using it next, plans change all the time, so I'd rather keep it clean.

I do wash it.

And buy all the meat and the buns, and buy the salad and prep it and the booze and make everyone's drinks, and sort the plates out and tidy everything away.

But DH is Very Important as he is turning kebabs and therefore in charge of dinner .

Mine has enamel racks - I put them in the dishwasher after scraping the worst of it off.

I don't wash mine. Just go over with a wire brush and let anything left over burn off next time I light it. Never had food poisoning yet.

perhaps i'd better elaborate - this isn't a hubby v me question. its a do we need to clean at all question? so far your answers agree with my thoughts.....and i confess i had hoped to become more slovenly and not bother to clean. oh well......

bornto - thats more what i was hoping for. And why are there metal brushes if not to do that? they don't look as if they would work in the sink?

I do.

We were told not to wash. We burn it off the next time and use a wire brush on it. We cover the drip tray underneath with tin foil.
At the end of the summer we do this one last time before it goes away into the garage.

DH just uses the wire brush the next time we use it. I think it's a bit manky but I don't get involved with the BBQ, that's his department.

No

No. I clean the racks before I store it in the shed for winter. That's all.

No. Before I use it the following time I get the BBQ nuclear hot. Then put half a lemon on a fork and rub the lemon up and down the frills. Between the heat and the lemon it comes up a treat.

Never washed it in three years.

No. fuck that.

An Aussie friend told us absolutely not, it's part of the flavour. Clean it thoroughly once it's done for the year, yet to follow his advice though as i always feel I should clean it

I wash it properly at the end of the season. Otherwise, I char and scrape. Not had food poisoning yet...

more no's than yes's at the moment i think. looking good

We also covered the drip tray underneath with foil.

Which was fine until one day i noticed it also had quite a scattering of mouse droppings.

We don't clean ours. Just do what pp say and scrape the worst off then burn it before next use. If your worried you can buy disposable BBQ trays. Little silver foil things with holes in the bottom. I've never used them but may save you cleaning if you don't want to scrape and burn?

Surely, as long as your BBQ is on for a while so the charcoal is hot enough to cook, any germs are cremated? DH is obsessive about only grilling on charcoal but if I was using gas, I'd be fussier about food hygiene.

Nope. We scrape the worst bits off before we use it and let the flames do the rest. Never had a problem!

Nope. I thought you were supposed to but my husband (and in-laws, and friends) told me that you're not supposed to. It "seasons" it over time and yes, the high heat cooks off the worst of it. The first time I use it after getting it out for the season I turn it on simply for the purpose of a burn & scrape clean. I also clean the drip tray/trap etc.

We just blast all the burnt on stuff off it before we use it, and scrub it about once a year or so.

We burn it off while we are eating then give it a good wash once a year.

Never washed mine no problems yet