Griller tactics
Experts explain to SAM WYLIE-HARRIS why it’s important to keep those barbecues gleaming
WITH sunshine, blue skies and a string of Bank Holidays on the calendar, summer brings lots of scope for planning barbecue parties.
When you’re prioritising sorting the essentials such as your propane or charcoal supply, not to mention those tasty marinades and stocking up on ingredients before they sell out – cleaning your barbecue might be the last thing on your mind.
How much does this really matter though?
“Just like with everything else, it needs to be maintained so you’re able to use your grill time and time again,” says Dan Cooper, head grill master at Weber.
“If you don’t regularly clean your barbecue, you run the risk of exposing food to residue, dirt and grime, which could ultimately affect the taste and flavour of your cooking.”
To help you get to grips with the build-up of grease and grime, here are some guidelines... barbecue
If your hasn’t been used for a while, give it a thorough clean
Dan says the first step is key.
“Heat your barbecue to the max for about 30 minutes – this will help to burn off most of the old grease and fat.
“Then, it’s essential to have the right tools for the next steps so you can clean the grate, internal components and exterior of the barbecue properly, to help keep your grill cooking and looking like new,” he continues.
“Helping to ensure high performance and barbecue safety.”
Weber has a wide range of utensils to make cleaning as hassle-free as possible, such as its Stainless
Steel Gas BBQ Cleaning Kit (£50.39) and Charcoal BBQ Cleaning Kit (£39.99). Angela Slater, resident expert at Hayes Garden World, who specialises in barbecues, says: “Cleaning the barbecue at regular intervals is essential, as a barbecue with a build-up of grease is dangerous to use and won’t last as long.”
She says removing all parts and scrubbing off the charred fat buildup with a wire brush, and then cleaning with a dedicated barbecue cleaner greatly extends the life of the parts – “and saves money on having to continually replace them”.
Eliminate dirt from the grates
“Make sure your barbecue is still hot, and then brush the cooking grateswith a grill brush to remove leftover residue” Dan advises.
“Next, use half a raw onion on the end of a barbecue fork to scrub the grates. This will pick up any grease left behind, as well as any small specks of dirt and carbon, due to its acidity.”
Once cool, clean the internal bits Let it cool before the next step. “Put on rubber gloves and remove the grates and internal components,” says Dan.
“Then use a T-brush and scraper to clean everything, making sure all grease channels are clear, before placing them back.
“Don’t jet-wash or put components in the dishwasher, as this can cause some parts to rust,” he warns.
And if you’re looking for a quick cleaning fix in-between grilling sessions, Laura Marsden, marketing manager for Marigold, recommends investing in a good quality scourer, such as the Marigold Scrub Away Heavy Duty Scourer (£1.19), specifically designed to remove burned-on food.
“It’s flexible, so great at bending round grills and getting into corners or hard-to-reach areas,” she says. “It’s also durable, lasting as long as five traditional spiral scourers.”
Buff it up
Once you’ve got the cleaning out of the way, it’s time to polish up.
“Use a microfibre cloth for buffing to give your barbecue the best shine possible,” says Dan.
“And that’s it – you’re now ready to grill and become a grill master this season. Enjoy!”
THE girls are giggling uncontrollably as we’re thrown around the 4x4, gripping on to anything that might keep us vaguely more stable.
Jasper Hart, the 77-year-old farmer here at Brook Meadow, is in the driving seat, steering us through muddy tracks and sploshing in and out of giant puddles, as we take a tour around the grounds.
If I’m honest, Leicestershire isn’t a place I thought I’d ever holiday. But skipping airport queues for a drive through the countryside to stay in a quaint lodge on the middle of a farm feels like the perfect pick-me-up to our stress-addled, always-trying-to-do-too-much family life.
It’s fair to say all farmers work hard – but Jasper is still going strong despite the ripe old age of 80 looming, having cancer twice, no toes on one foot and just one eye, which is also colour-blind.
His father bought the farm in 1913 and Jasper and his wife Mary have been running it for 30 years. Their daughter Claire is an architect and interior designer, who has come into the fold and transformed the accommodation, so you can now choose whether to camp, glamp or stay in wooden lodges.
Some fields are rented out for growing crops, outdoor sports, and even growing willow for basketmaking. But Jasper’s beautiful beef cows are his main priority. You can’t miss blonde Boris, one of two bulls here, making his presence known as he struts around a field, mooing at us interrupting feeding time as calves suckle nearby.
I’m here with my husband James and daughters, Rosie, 12, and Poppy, nine. We’re staying in Skylark – a two-bedroom lodge whose decor wouldn’t look out of place in interiors magazine.
Claire’s hand-painted walls depict roughly-sketched birds and botanicals, overlooking a perfectly pink theme with on-trend touches like wicker lampshades and gold taps, alongside hand-stitched blinds and sheepskin seat cushions.
Funky retro shapes meet modern designs and cosy textures; there’s a real effort to make the space a joy to live in. And it’s very cool kitsch.
You can open the doors up to dine al-fresco, or barbecue in the sunshine overlooking the lake, and wood-burners can be set up for toasting marshmallows and keeping warm as the sun goes down.
On our first morning, my reward for rising early with a sniffly child is walking out onto the deck, frost crunching beneath my slippers, the marmalade-orange sun on its way up and the lake looking mystical. White mist hums all around it, skinny tree branches reach across, and two perfectly white swans sit in stillness atop the water.
We’re visiting before peak season, when wood-fired pizzas can be gobbled hot from the stove, family outdoor cinema nights can be enjoyed under canvas, and most excitingly, you can book a stay in the fancy two-story Marabou Safari Lodge – new to the site last year.
But whatever the weather and whatever the time of year, nature escapes are good for the soul. And we love nothing more than zipping up our coats, catching snowflakes on our tongues, and discovering life on the farm.
There are delicious discoveries to be made nearby, too. Rosie’s eyes grow wider as we nibble on the pesto fromage at the outdoor French Cheeses stall in Market Harborough, a 15-minute drive away.
Even in the cold, we could stand here for hours tasting all the cheeses, but it would probably leave me bankrupt (two small pieces cost £11.50), so we wander past an onion bhaji the size of a small frisbee (£3.50), sniff the most pimped-up doughnuts we’ve ever seen (£11 for four) and chomp on freshly-fried churros, dunked into hot chocolate sauce (£5). The kids already think this is the best holiday ever.
If that wasn’t enough of a treat for one day, endless skies light up lush green fields and whirring wind turan
bines on our way to Harrington (another 15-minute drive away and full of long winding roads and pictureperfect cottages) to try the award-winning fare at the Tollemache Arms (thetolly.co.uk) pub.
Portions are enormous, service is wonderful and the food is great. The perfectly cooked hanger steak kebab with roasted veg, chimichurri dressing and flatbread (£16) is worth the indulgence, but big enough for two, especially because the layered fondant-like ultimate posh chips (£4.50) are an absolute must. And leave room for pudding – both the peanut butter creme brulee with choc chip cookie (£6.50) and lemon posset with forced rhubarb and Chloe’s shortbread (she’s the head chef, £6) are to die for, as is the homemade mango and passion fruit lemonade.
Back at the farm, we head over to Avalanche Adventure (avalanche adventure.co.uk), set up by Jasper’s late son and his best friend Robin, where we watch 4x4s wheel-spinning through muddy mounds as they whizz around the off-road tracks, and wait for our clay pigeon shooting slot.
Robin gives us the lowdown before we don ear protectors and attempt to shoot clay pigeons and rabbits (£35 for one hour). Suitable for anyone over 12, Rosie gets sized up before chickening out, I take a couple of shots with a 50% hit rate and James ends up firing solo. Poppy eyes up the quad bikes (£55 per hour) but she might need to wait a couple of years to test those out.
After working up an appetite, we brave the chill in the air and head over to the lake for our first family picnic of the year. We gobble up the cheese, charcuterie meats and freshly baked bread that was delivered in our hamper (the local honey, homemade jam and marmalade and buttery croissants were all devoured at breakfast) and while the time away chatting, as the ducks waddle around our feet.
On our final morning, we learn all about the 12 on-site hens from Mary. Rosie and Poppy scatter seeds for them to peck at, as we tiptoe over to their hen house in the hope of finding some breakfast.
Sure enough, after opening up the back, one chicken is laying an egg on cue. Poppy reaches in and picks out any already laid and Rosie carefully lifts the freshly-popped egg, surprised that it’s still warm.
As we wave goodbye to farm life, we all agree it’s the perfect weekend escape and a real chance to slow down. The same can’t be said for poor old Jasper who’s certainly being kept busy – but Brook Meadow is a credit to him and his family, and we can’t wait to see Boris and his babies again soon.
...Funky retro shapes meet modern designs and cosy textures; there’s a real effort to make the space a joy to live in.
On Skylark lodge