Having food stick to your cooking grates while grilling can be very frustrating, and it's also pretty upsetting when the appearance of a beautiful piece of food is ruined due to it sticking to the grates. By following the helpful tips below, you can prevent it from happening in the future.
- Preheating: Always make sure to preheat your grill for about 15 minutes on high, with the lid closed, until it reaches 500 to 550 F, before cooking. Then, clean the grates by brushing them. After that, adjust the temperature to the proper level for the type of food you're going to grill.
- Oil: Apply some cooking oil to the surface of your food. Many people try and oil their grates, but the truth is that most of the oil burns off before it can be of any benefit, and it can actually make the grates stickier if you're cooking at a temperature above the oils smoke point. Oiling your food is much more effective. Cooking oils with a higher smoke point are the best ones to use, such as an inexpensive refined olive oil (over 450 F), instead of ones with a lower smoke point, such as extra virgin olive oil (about 375 F). Applying oil also adds some flavor and can help seasonings and spices adhere to the food better.
- Temperature: Make sure you're grilling at the correct temperature for the food you're making. Grilling something at too high of a temperature can cause it to stick, especially chicken.
- Patience: If you try to move or flip a piece of food and it sticks, close the grill lid and wait about another 30 seconds before you try to move or flip it again.
- Grill N Spray: Try using our Grill N Spray. It's designed specifically to help prevent food from sticking. Some of the larger retailers it can be purchase at are Lowe’s, True Value, Demoulas Super Market, and Safeway.
- Cleaning: As mentioned in tip # 1, you want to make sure to clean your grates after preheating your grill by brushing them. Leftover food on the grates can act a bit like glue, and can cause your fresh food to stick to both the leftovers and the grates.