A common frustration of grilling is having your food stick to the grill grates. As you attempt to remove the food, the meat may fall apart, or you end up with the charred remains of previous meals stuck to that night's dinner. Not cleaning your grill regularly and not pre-heating before use are two potential reasons that you are experiencing sticking while cooking.
Clean Grill
Clean the grill on a regular basis if you want to prevent sticking. Old food and charred remnants can stick to the new pieces of food you place on the grill. Scrub the grates thoroughly with a grill brush or steel-wool pad to remove any residue from the grill. Do this before pre-heating the grill.
Oiled Grates
When your grill grates are dry, you may find that you experience sticking during cooking. Lightly oil grates before you prepare to grill. Soak a paper towel in vegetable oil, then rub it over the cold grates. You may also choose to spray the grates with a nonfat cooking spray prior to heating. Depending on the type of dish you are cooking, you may want to spread a thin layer of oil on the meat itself before cooking to keep it from sticking.
Pre-Heating
If you don't sear the meat as soon as you put it on the grill, you are more likely to experience sticking. Exposing the meat to high heat for one to two minutes locks in the juices and prevents sticking. Don't place food on the grates and light the grill. Instead, wait until the grill is medium-hot to hot before cooking.
Handling Meats
Turning meats and fish too early when cooking may cause them to fall apart and stick to the grill. As the meat cooks, "Bon Appetit" magazine explains, changes in the protein will prevent it from sticking to the grill. A well-done and crisp skin will turn much more easily than a fleshy, underdone skin. Depending on the type of meat or fish you are grilling, you may need to wait more than five minutes until you can flip.
References
- "Bon Appetit" magazine; Ask a Grillmaster: How Do You Keep Food from Sticking to the Grill?; Julia Bainbridge; July 14, 2010
- "Los Angeles Times"; Keep Fish From Sticking to the Grill; Russ Parsons; Aug. 1, 2007
- "Akron Beacon Journal"; Ask Lisa --- Food Sticking to the Grill; Lisa Abraham; Sept. 26, 2007
