Our friends at Napoleon Fireplaces & Grills have offered up a few tips for preparing your BBQ for that first piece of delectable mouth watering T-bone steak this Spring.  The following tips are simple and will have you and your BBQ in top grilling condition before you know it.  So, what are you waiting for?  Grab a cold one (or two) and get to work!   

Napoleon’s Top Five Tips For Preparing Your BBQ This Spring:

Have Your Cleaning Supplies Ready

You wouldn’t cook in a dirty kitchen, so why would you grill on a dirty barbeque? In order to sanitize and deep clean your grill, you will need the following products: a brass wire brush, small pail to hold hot water, dish soap, venturi brush, a 1/16” drill bit, replacement grease cups, spatula, stainless steel cleaner and some fine sandpaper. 

Give Your Grill A Good Spring Cleaning

The cleaning supplies listed will help clean every nook and cranny of your barbeque.

•  Start With The Burners:  It is easier to detach the burners and take them out of the grill for a very thorough cleaning.  Pass a venturi brush through the burners to snag out any blockages then brush the tops of the burners using a brass wire brush.  Once the burners are cleaned, check all of the burner ports to ensure that they are opened.  If some are closed with food particles you can use a 1/16” drill bit to open them.
• Water Works Wonders:  Sear plates and cooking grills should be washed with hot soapy water. Simply brush the top side of your cooking grills with a little oil to re-season them.  Hot soapy water works wonders on the cast base and sides of the grill and to remove grease splatters on the outside of the grill. For porcelain lids a thorough washing should suffice, for stainless steel lids a stainless steel cleaner should be used to remove any discoloring.  Once the paint is dried, brush the cast aluminum with a little olive oil, this helps restore the luster and prevent oxidation.
• Lastly, use a spatula to scrape grease from the inside of the base all the way down towards the drip pan. Remove the drip pan and give it a good washing and be sure to replace the tin foil grease catcher.

Inspect All Hoses And Feed Tubes

Once your cleaning is done it is a good idea to visually inspect all hoses and feed tubes on your grill.  Look for any crimps, scratching and or punctures, if you detect any of these, it is time to replace the hoses.

Do A Complete Leak Test Of The Grill

A leak test should be performed any time your grill has been in storage for a prolonged length of time or when you are changing any components on your grill.  For complete leak test information, please consult our web site at www.napoleongrills.com to view the leak test video.

Check All Ignition Parts

Now that your grill is clean and safe it is time to check out how it lights. For battery ignitions it is a good idea to replace the batteries with new ones. Check all electrode leads and ensure the tips of the electrodes are clean and have no grease or rust build up on them, if they do you can use sandpaper to clean them.

For additional barbeque tips, click here.

Summer is the time for playing outdoor sports, eating at picnics and BBQs with family and friends. However, some commonly made mistakes keep Latinos for being healthy. That is why a team of physicians at Mount Sinai Hospital took it upon themselves to debunk four of the most common summertime myths among Latinos.  

Since some Latinos have dark skin, they believe that they don’t need sunscreen

“A misunderstanding among Latinos is that, because many have dark skin tones, sunscreen is not necessary,” says Dr. Samer Kottiech, M.D. and Cardiologist. “However, to avoid skin cancer, everyone needs to frequently apply sunscreen regardless of their skin tone,” he adds. Dr. Kottiech recommends reapplying the sunscreen every 30 minutes after the first application. Also, be sure to cover your entire body and use at least one shot glass of sunscreen with each application.

If I drink beverages like coffee, soda and beer, I do not need water

With temperatures rising, it’s critical that your body is well hydrated. “Water is not the popular drink among most Latinos,” says Dr. Carlos Driggs, MD and specialist in Internal Medicine. ”However, in order to avoid heat stroke, it is best to drink between 1-2 glasses of water before going outdoors, especially during summer.” Also, Dr. Driggs suggests to increase the consumption of water by 2 glasses an hour, if you are drinking alcohol or exercising, making sure you carry a bottle of water with you at all times to keep hydrated.

If food is cooked, it can’t spoil

During summer, emergency rooms see a lot of patients who contracted food poisoning due to food that was not properly refrigerated. Since outdoor eating functions are so popular among Latinos, they are often impacted. “One commonly made mistake is to leave food outside after a picnic or BBQ,” adds Dr. Rajeev Sindhwani, MD, Cardiovascular Disease Physician. ”You can avoid food poisoning by following a few simple rules: 1. Handle food with clean hands; 2. Use separate cutting boards for meats and vegetables; 3. Don’t leave food outdoors; 4. Use a meat thermometer to ensure meat is cooked thoroughly,” and 5. Make sure to clean the grill or cover it with aluminum foil before cooking any fresh meat or vegetables to avoid contamination from previously cooked food residue.

If you trim the fat, you lose the flavor

Another misconception among Latinos, is if they remove the skin from their chicken or trim the fat from their beef, their food will be tasteless. ”Meats will taste just as flavorful by incorporating a variety of spices, fruits and vegetables,” says Dr. Eliscer Guzmán, M.D. F.A.C.C. ”By taking this approach, Latinos will live a healthier life and avoid cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, two diseases currently plaguing the Latino community.” Dr. Guzman recommends taking advantage of the abundant fresh fruits during the summer that are available at a reasonable price.

Dr. Guzmán adds, “Portions sizes can make a tremendous difference to your overall health also. A common rule of thumb for portions is to make sure the size of meat is roughly the size of the palm of your hand.”

Everyone seems to have many questions about what’s important when choosing kitchen appliances. This month, IKEA presents useful tips on how to choose appliances that don’t just work, but work smarter.

Tips for choosing appliances:

OVENS AND RANGES

Gas vs. electric: This is one of the first decisions to make when choosing an oven or range. Gas provides instant response, precise controllability and lower operating costs, while electric provides even heat and a lower appliance cost. Consider the types of food cooked and your budget.

Features: Consider daily use to determine the features needed, from self-cleaning functions, to basting and grilling functions, and automatic timers.

Layout: Double-stacked ovens provide plenty of capacity for baking and cooking while freeing up floor space. A separate range can create an additional cooking area on a central island.

REFRIGERATORS

Efficiency: Refrigerator energy standards have changed drastically since being mandated in 1993 and 1998. Look for a refrigerator that is Energy Star® qualified to save on energy and operating costs.

Capacity: Plan on 12 cubic feet of refrigerator space for two people and add 2 more cubic feet for each additional person. Space-saving features like pull-out and transparent drawers and bins make it easier to find and organize food.

Features: Look for features like built-in water and ice dispensers, adjustable shelves and separate temperature controls to make life easier.

DISHWASHERS

Practicality: Like refrigerators, dishwashers should be Energy Star® qualified. Besides being more hygienic than hand-washing, a dishwasher also saves water and time.

Features: Consider family size when determining necessary dishwasher capacity. Standard models accommodate up to ten place settings, tall tub models up to 14. Other options include energy-saving air-drying, delay timers for “off peak” energy hours and sani-rinse options which kill most germs and bacteria.

Other Featured Appliances

NUTID built-in microwave oven $699

Stainless steel. 10 power levels. Auto cook, reheat and defrost functions. This feature-rich microwave has an auto-cook function with seven preset categories. Installation in a high cabinet provides a comfortable work height and clears countertop work space.

MUMSIG built-in double oven $1499

This convection oven features two ovens for top and bottom heating and includes functions for grilling, pastries and self-cleaning, plus an automatic timer.