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A Reusable Non-Stick Cooking Surface For Any Outdoor Grill

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Reusable non-stick cooking surface for grill

Before you head out to the beach, campground or park for your next picnic or vacation, take some time to think about how nasty that public grill was the last time you used it. A rusty grate that is falling apart and coated with other people’s food and germs is not the most cleanly or healthy surface to cook on. Nobody wants to skip the hot dogs and hamburgers and settle for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, but nobody wants to taste metal or get sick from ingesting who knows what either. For this reason, many of us pack along a roll of tin foil to cover the grilling surface prior to cooking.

This is great because it gives you a clean area to put your meat on while it cooks, but it’s also expensive when compared to other options, and it’s not the best solution to the problem. Sure you avoid grilling on rust, or eating remnants of the last picnicker’s meal, but you also block the heat, eliminate the grill marks, slow down cooking times, and prepare your food on a questionable material.

The ideal alternative would be a safe and effective grill grate cover that gives you a clean surface to cook on, but also one that doesn’t ruin the benefits of cooking on an outdoor grill. You want to keep the grilled flavor, and you want to maintain the speed and performance of your grill, but you also want to ensure that you have a clean, user friendly surface to cook on.

Clean Grates Every Time

It doesn’t matter if you’re grilling at home, or grilling on a public grill at a park, you’ll always benefit from a quick and simple way to get ready to cook. Instead of scrubbing and scratching with a wire brush in order to prepare the surface, many people prefer to place something over the top so they can get grilling as quickly as possible. When at home, you can take steps to maintain your grill grates properly, but when in public, it’s almost impossible to ensure a clean grilling surface that’s ready to use. You never want to place raw food on a dirty surface, so proper prep, or some kind of cover will be required before you can get started.

Non-Stick Is Best

Not only do you want a clean surface to cook your food on, you also want one that’s easy-to-use. Untreated grates, or grates that are dirty and worn will cause trouble while cooking. Food will stick to the metal, and delicate foods may fall apart as a result. When the cooking surface resists sticking, your job will be easier. There are many ways to help your home grill stay clean and non-stick, but they will require work over time. You can also instantly transform your home grill or a public grill into a non-stick cooking surface by placing something over the grates rather that treating the metal directly.

As it is quicker and easier than long-term maintenance, and it also offers an instant solution for public spaces, many people will choose a non-stick grill grate cover for home and travel purposes. A high quality grilling sheet is the perfect solution for any outdoor grill, but there are other ways to ensure a clean grill and a non-stick cooking surface.

Traditional Ways To Prevent Sticking While You Grill

Making an outdoor grill non-stick involves several steps to prepare and maintain the grill grates. Whether you have a gas grill with porcelain-coated grates or a charcoal grill with cast iron grates, these tips will help prevent food from sticking and make your outdoor grilling experience more enjoyable:

  1. Season the Grates:
    • For Cast Iron Grates: If your grill has cast iron grates, the seasoning process is essential. Here’s how to season them:
      • Scrub the grates with a wire brush to remove any rust or debris.
      • Coat the grates with a thin layer of vegetable oil or flaxseed oil.
      • Heat the grill to a high temperature for about 15-20 minutes to allow the oil to penetrate the pores of the cast iron.
      • Let the grates cool, and then wipe off any excess oil. Repeat this process a few times to build up a non-stick seasoning layer.
  2. Preheat the Grill:
    • Always preheat your grill for at least 10-15 minutes before placing food on the grates. This allows the grates to become hot and minimizes sticking.
  3. Oil the Grates:
    • Use a high-heat cooking oil with a high smoke point like vegetable oil, canola oil, or grapeseed oil. Soak a folded paper towel in oil, then use tongs to rub the oiled towel over the hot grates. Be careful not to burn yourself.
  4. Oil the Food, Not the Grates:
    • Brush or toss your food with a little oil before placing it on the grill. This helps create a natural non-stick surface on the food itself.
  5. Use the Right Tools:
    • Invest in grill accessories like a good spatula and tongs with non-stick surfaces or silicone grips. These tools help prevent delicate items like fish or vegetables from sticking.
  6. Maintain a Clean Grill:
    • Clean your grill grates thoroughly after each use. While the grates are still warm, use a grill brush to remove any food residue. A clean surface is less likely to cause sticking during your next cookout.
  7. Avoid Overcrowding:
    • Leave enough space between food items on the grill. Overcrowding can trap moisture, leading to steaming instead of proper searing and browning, which can cause sticking.
  8. Consider Using a Grill Mat:
    • Grill mats are non-stick, heat-resistant mats that can be placed directly on the grates. They provide an extra non-stick surface for delicate items like fish or small vegetables.
  9. Regular Maintenance:
    • Periodically check and clean the drip tray or grease pan of your grill. Excess grease and debris buildup can cause flare-ups and affect the grates’ non-stick properties.

By following these tips and regularly maintaining your outdoor grill, you can create a non-stick cooking surface that makes grilling a breeze and ensures your food comes off the grates with ease.

What About Grilling On Aluminum Foil?

Aluminum foil is a popular and convenient option, and it’ll definitely cover the grill grate to give you a clean surface to work with, but it’s not very versatile, it only works for a single use, and it costs quite a bit if you think about it. You can certainly use some foil to block the grime when cooking cheeseburgers at your campsite, but what about veggies, eggs, stir fry, fish and all those other yummy options that would stick, cause it to sag, or cook right through it.

Also, laying it down can take quite a bit to cover the whole area, and once your meal is cooked, you’ll have to throw it all away. Even cheap, flimsy foil costs more than you would want to pay, and there is no possible way to wash or reuse it after employing it to cover your grill. Foil also prevents grill marks, reduces natural grill flavors, and blocks some of the heat to slow cooking times. When you add to that the growing number of studies that suggest that exposure to aluminum may lead to cancer, Alzheimers, osteoporosis and other serious illnesses, and you have a pretty sketchy solution to your problem.

Grilling on aluminum foil is a common practice and can be safe when done correctly. However, there are a few reasons why some people choose to avoid it or use it sparingly:

  1. Reduced Grill Marks and Flavor: When you grill directly on the grates, the food comes into direct contact with the high heat, creating those desirable grill marks and imparting a smoky flavor from the grill’s smoke and juices dripping onto the coals or burners. When you grill on aluminum foil, you miss out on these characteristics, which many people enjoy.
  2. Flare-Ups: If the foil isn’t used correctly, it can cause flare-ups. Grease and juices from the food can accumulate on the foil, creating a fire hazard. It’s crucial to use heavy-duty foil and poke holes in it to allow the fat to drain safely.
  3. Health Concerns: Some people worry about potential health risks associated with aluminum exposure. While there’s no conclusive evidence that grilling on aluminum foil poses a significant health risk, some individuals prefer to err on the side of caution, especially when cooking acidic or high-fat foods, which can increase the likelihood of aluminum leaching into the food.
  4. Environmental Considerations: Aluminum foil is a disposable product, and using it for grilling creates waste. This may be a concern for individuals who are environmentally conscious and want to minimize their use of single-use items.
  5. Potential Tearing: If the foil is not handled carefully or is too thin, it can tear during cooking, causing the food to come into direct contact with the grates. This can lead to sticking and a less-than-ideal grilling experience.

While grilling on aluminum foil is generally safe and can be convenient for certain dishes, you can minimize potential issues by taking the following precautions:

Nobody wants wants to fumble around just to have a clean barbecue, and few care to waste money, or risk the health of friends and family just to get some food cooked. We all would prefer to cook on something that is clean, and not many of us want to skip the fun to do that.

Luckily there is a better way to make due when grilling away from home, and it will not only block the grime, it will also give you a non-stick covering that can be used over and over again. It will definitely make that public grill way less yucky, but it will also allow you to go longer between cleanings at home, or experiment with non-traditional grilled foods using your backyard set up.

A Better Non-Stick Cooking Surface For Any Outdoor Grill

Non Stick Grill MatThe BBQ Grill Mat [4] is the perfect solution to any old, worn, or rusty grill, and it is also a great addition to those that are in pristine condition. It is a large flexible mat that will work with most any barbecue, and it is basically a piece of fabric that is coated in a material similar to your non-stick cookware. This material is safer to cook on than foil, and it allows for maximum transfer of heat.

Even though you will have a flat covering for your grate, you will still get excellent heat and regular cooking times, and you will even get grill marks as if it were not even there. The flexible material easily conforms to any grill shape, but it is plenty sturdy to hold up to any type of food.

One side is identical to the other, so you could even flip it over mid-grill to keep on cooking with a clean, non-stick grilling surface. When your cooking is finished, the mat can be removed and washed so you can use it over and over again instead of throwing it away. You can even put the grill mat in your dishwasher so clean up could not be easier.

Our Non-Stick BBQ Grill Mat easily solves the dirty public barbecue problem, but it also gives you something that’ll allow you to prepare a wider range of foods outdoors. When nothing can stick to the metal, or slip through the cracks, there’s suddenly a long list of meals you can cook that were never possible before. Get one to provide an instantly clean and non-stick cooking surface for use anytime you take a trip, but then discover all of the ways you can use it on a regular basis at home to save time and frustration, but also allow you to do more with your grill.

How To Use It

This grill cover is incredibly easy to use. You can place it over the grill surface to prevent regular food from sticking, but you can also use it to provide yourself with a large flat surface to grill almost any type of food. It almost acts like a large pan or griddle for use in your backyard.

Ideal for small and skinny stuff like shrimp or vegetables, but also nice for delicate fish fillets, meat coated in sauce and so much more. It will allow you to grill anywhere without worry, but it will also allow you to cook the impossible over an open flame for maximum flavor and enjoyment. Follow these steps to use one the next time you fire up the barbecue:

What Else Is It Good For

Perfect to provide a non-stick grilling surface for your cookout on the road, but also ideal for a long list of other stuff too. This versatile product can be used occasionally or every time you light the grill. Each one is incredibly durable and long-lasting so you’ll be able to use them over and over again with no replacement necessary.

The indirect heat will still give you that grilled taste and the marks from the hot grate, but it will spare you the frustration caused by food that sticks or falls down because it’s too small. Below is a list of common applications but there are probably hundreds that we missed. To give you an idea of how useful this reusable, non-stick cooking surface can be, check out the list that follows:

Products Mentioned

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