Stainless Steel Gas Grills

Stainless steel gas grills are a wonderful piece of equipment for the summer months when it is pleasant to play and cook outdoors. Gas grills can be portable with a propane canister or permanently placed with a natural gas or propane hookup. They are easier to clean than other grills and usually have a hinged hood. They are heated by a gas burner that heats lava rocks or ceramic briquettes.

Before you start using your stainless steel gas grill make sure the gas connections are tight. You can test the amount of gas in the canister by pouring a cup of boiling water over it. The tank will remain cool to the level of the gas. If you have a higher end model, it will have controls that ignite the burners. Some lower-end models require you to use a flame. Be sure to use a long lighter made for this purpose. Close the lid and wait for the grill to heat to the required temperature for the food you are cooking. Be careful not to overheat as this will cause discoloring or the hood.

It is better to clean your stainless steel gas grill each time you use it. Stainless steel can discolor and even rust, depending on the quality of stainless steel, the way it is cleaned and the proper use of heat. If it gets over heated too often, it will discolor so it is best to keep the temperature at the level needed for the item being cooked. Some things need a low temperature for a long time and some need a high temperature for a short time. Sometimes it is a good idea to cook the long term items first then turn it up high for the short term items. If you leave the lid open while the grill is cooling down you can minimize the discoloration but even the most expensive grills will eventually discolor a little.

Stainless steel will scratch so when cleaning only use a very soft cloth or towel. The grill can be cleaned with warm water and mild liquid dish soap. It should be carefully rinsed with plain water after cleaning and thoroughly dried. Then sprayed with a glass cleaner anywhere there are spots or fingerprints and wipe with a paper towel. Commercial stainless steel cleaner will give the same polish as the glass cleaner.

The instructions for the gas grill may say it is self cleaning and there will be a setting for cleaning. This is just to burn off any residue from the grate. It is not sufficient cleaning and the pan in the bottom needs to be cleaned out too. After the residue has been burned off, use a wire grill brush to scrub the grate. Some brushes have a scraper on one side and the grate can be cleaned with either side. This is the minimum that should be done but you can also scrub the grate with steel wool and soapy water with light pressure. Rinse with plain water and let dry. If you take good care of your stainless steel gas grill you can prolong its life for years and it will serve you better every summer.