These are the six best tips for cleaning your tabletop grill
Will you, like many others, be taking your tabletop grill out of the cupboard again soon, perhaps to make surprisingly delicious salmon with white wine sauce on it this time? And is there a chance you’ll find some stuck-on leftovers from your last tabletop grilling session? Then read these tips on how best to clean it after use, because next time can only be more enjoyable as a result…
Because last year’s burned-on piece of chicken breast doesn’t exactly add to the festive cheer, and if you didn’t take proper care of cleaning and maintaining this workhorse after tabletop grilling last time, this is your chance to do better this time.
How to clean your tabletop grill properly
First wipe it down with kitchen paper
Wipe up excess fat and loose leftovers with some kitchen paper as soon as you have switched off the appliance. That way, you won’t flush any leftover bacon fat down the sink, because that is strictly verboten. In any case, never use a scouring pad, as it will cause damage.
Run the dishwasher
Most pans from newer tabletop grill sets can go in the dishwasher because they are often made from dishwasher-safe material (unlike the grill plate itself). Do check this, of course. And if you are the proud owner of your grandparents’ retro tabletop grill heirloom, it is probably a better idea to soak the pans in hot soapy water and wash them by hand.
Oven cleaner is not invited
Oven cleaner does indeed help remove stuck-on residue in the oven, but it is also corrosive and damages the non-stick coating of your tabletop grill plate. So don’t use it in this case.
The bag of ammonia
If you can’t scrub the tabletop grill plate with a scouring pad either, what is the solution for stuck-on residue and burned-on stains? Ammonia. It works incredibly well if you soak the plate in it, which you do by putting the plate in a clean bin bag (without holes) with soapy water and a splash of ammonia, tying the bag shut and leaving it overnight. The next day, rinse everything off under a hot running tap with a soft brush. Give it another thorough wash with dish soap (and make sure you wear gloves).
Grease-free and deliciously clean
The frame of the tabletop grill is probably covered in grease splatters, bits of omelet and more too. It can’t go under the tap, of course, but you can easily scrub it clean with a damp cloth (as long as it isn’t a filthy yellow cloth) and some soapy water or glass cleaner.
This is something you don’t want to hear
We saved the worst news for last. Namely: you’re better off getting started immediately after tabletop grilling. Of course, you don’t feel like doing that, because naturally you’d rather curl up on the sofa with (another) mug of mulled wine. But the sooner you start cleaning, the easier it is, and therefore the less time it takes. So if everyone rolls up their sleeves for a moment, it’ll be done in no time and you can spend the rest of the evening digesting together. With that mulled wine.
Read also:
- 10 tips for getting rid of tabletop grilling smells
- Golden wine tips for tabletop grilling
- Recipe: traditional cheese fondue with Appenzeller®
