TWO THINGS ARE CONVERGING:
* Cleaning my propane bar-be-cue (barbecue) and
* Kashering the thing to be Kosher for Pesach.
On motze Shabat I was watching Cook’s Country, apparently a successor to America’s Test Kitchen.
Most of the folks from the latter program, except for host Christopher Kimball, seem to have transitioned to the new Cook’s Corner hosted by two women who were regulars on America’s Test Kitchen.
The format is the same – recipes, taste tests, and reviews of kitchen tools.
Today, I decided to see what some kashrut agencies determined how I could kasher (make kosher) my propane-fueled barbecue.
FIRST, CLEAN THE GRILL.
I had been using a mixture of ammonia and water and plenty of elbow grease. My second born son gave me some special mats to keep the grill beneath them clean; they work pretty good and they are “dishwasher safe.” Even with the mats, fats from the meat – especially lamb – permeates the grill so I have to scrub down everything, including the warming rack above the grill. Could be worse.
The mats cannot -- alas -- be kashered for Pesach so after the hag I will have to throughly clean the unit again.
My daughter forbids the use of a steel brush to clean the grill since she read that the bristles can come off during the cleaning process.
ANYWAY, Cook’s Country’s program for motze Shabat was about barbecuing meat.
The way the ladies cleaned the grill was simple.
Get the grill HOT. 300o F (~130o C) or higher.
Use a (daughter-forbidden) wire brush to scrape the grilling surfaces; because the surfaces were heated to a high temperature, anything adhering is (they said) easily knocked off.
That seems a much easier process than my water and ammonia bath, but it does burn up a little propane.
Once the grill is clean and hot, put the burners on HIGH, close the barbecue’s top, and let the unit heat for about 30 minutes.
(My barbecue has an integrated thermometer so I can watch as the inside temperature rises well above 300o F.)
After about 30 minutes at the highest temperature, shut off the fuel and let the barbecue cool.
Once cool, remove the parts (whatever can be removed short of attacking it with screwdrivers and pliers).
Wipe all exposed parts to eliminate any residue from the heating.
IMPORTANT Make certain all the oil is removed from all the parts.
Wash (hose down?) parts off to make certain there are no stubborn particles – that would be of no concern since (a) they would fall into the category that a dog would refuse to eat them and (b) they will be canceled out by the blessings when any hametz is burned.
HOWEVER, acording to my favorite, strictly "O" rabbi,
"It is useful to note that if there are significantly sized removable particles or even oil residue at the end, the entire process needs to be redone.
"Secondly, the declaration of bitul will not help here. If there is even minute edible hameitz residue and it gets into the food, no amount of sales, declarations, or nullification will help you."
Carefully inspect each part before reassembling – just to be sure
Let everything dry and reassemble.
ON MEAT AND FISH There are those who don’t cook or eat meat and fish together. The universally permitted way to cook fish on a grill also used for meat is to wrap the fish in foil. (The alternative is to buy additional grills – one for fish, one for meat.)
WHEN YOU ARE READY to use the grill, heat the grill to the desired temperature. Then wet a wadded up paper towel with oil – any kosher oil is OK -- and, holding it with long tongs (a critical piece of equipment here), oil the grilling surface. As the oiled paper towel is wiped on the grill, there could be an occasional flare up (ergo the reason for the long tongs).
I am not a rabbi nor do I play one on tv. Check with your own rabbi.
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