I got a grill brush with bamboo bristles. Works great. Metal wire brushes are terrifying.
Surgeons urge people to throw out bristle BBQ brushes (2016)
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Re: Surgeons urge people to throw out bristle BBQ brushes (2016)
#112The easiest way to clean it is: 1. Let the grill get hot, simple by waiting some minutes with the charcoal on fire 2. Rub with something to clean old grit, with paper, half of an onion, piece of fat from some meat and any sponge slightly wet being good.
The problem is some propane grills are fairly low power and will require a long time to "burn off" the grease and other stuff. I routinely do it with mine, but it takes at least 10 minutes full blast...
If your grill is dirty enough, you may end up causing a fire that will burn through the enclosure (I've seen it happen). It's also fairly polluting, so if anyone's outside it's best to clean some other way. I like the onion trick myself.
Re: Surgeons urge people to throw out bristle BBQ brushes (2016)
#113I think this exactly article was already discussed here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12409425 There were some good tips on how to avoid the brushes for once.
Yea, I remember when it was posted last time on here. I think HN is the only place I've heard about this; have been using those things for most of my life without realizing this could be an issue.
Re: Surgeons urge people to throw out bristle BBQ brushes (2016)
#114Why do you clean a grill? Let the carbon build up. It's seasoning and food doesn't stick to it. Just preheat the grill to burn off any remains from the prior use. If there's really heavy buildup, use a straight edge scraper like a paint scraper or heavy spatula. Cleaning a grill down to shiny bare metal is a sure way to have all your food stick to it every time.
I'm pretty sure all that flavour during BBQ is from benzene an aromatic hydrocarbon.
Not sure if that was a joke, but since it's the internet I'm obligated to take it seriously. :p
That burnt gook always tastes bitter to me. The flavor of BBQ is primarily Maillard reactions of proteins and carbs reacting, aromatic phenols from herbs and spices, and polyphenols from wood smoke.
Re: Surgeons urge people to throw out bristle BBQ brushes (2016)
#115Earlier quoted context omitted.
I wonder if he was making the opposite point. That enforcing safety at a society level is not productive.
I don't think so. Its a common argument that generally available products should be safe by default, not safe because of training. The reply is a bit of a straw man, there's obviously nuances to that stance. In this case, expecting _everyone_ to know exactly how a wire brush is unsafe is not realistic. If there weren't alternatives, well, there wouldn't be much to do. But in this case, there's plenty of safe alternat…
What would such a ban look like? No wire brushes for BBQs? What about the wire brushes they have in the hardware aisle? Do they need to add 'not for BBQs' to the label?
Seems like good fodder for tabloid evening news and then just let it be.
Re: Surgeons urge people to throw out bristle BBQ brushes (2016)
#116I went to buy a BBQ brush last year and all they had were metal bristle brushes. I was surprised given all the bad publicity about this. Needless to say, I didn't buy a brush that day. Any recommendations for a good non-metal brush?
Just a chunk of wood works quite well. If you want to get fancy you can use a file to round out some grooves but that will happen naturally.
https://www.amazon.com/Scraper-Natural-Barbecue-Non-bristles...
Re: Surgeons urge people to throw out bristle BBQ brushes (2016)
#117What are people using as an alternative to a bristle brush?
I was told to try cutting an onion in half and dragging it up and down the grates (after warming up for a bit). After trying it I would say that it’s not perfect but does a decent job of removing the big stuff. I’m still looking for a more reusable solution since I like to grill a lot.
Maybe just a wet rag would work? I’ve seen hibachi chefs use them on a flat grill along with a scraper.
Re: Surgeons urge people to throw out bristle BBQ brushes (2016)
#118I went to buy a BBQ brush last year and all they had were metal bristle brushes. I was surprised given all the bad publicity about this. Needless to say, I didn't buy a brush that day. Any recommendations for a good non-metal brush?
Weber and other companies make stone and nylon scrubbers, Home Depot sells them. You can find wood / bamboo ones online too.
Re: Surgeons urge people to throw out bristle BBQ brushes (2016)
#119What are people using as an alternative to a bristle brush?
Stone or nylon scrubbers. There's also wood and bamboo ones.
Re: Surgeons urge people to throw out bristle BBQ brushes (2016)
#120I've been using a small square of chainmail to clean my grill (and occasionally my cast iron pans) and follow it up with a damp paper towel It works well but is kind of a PITA compared to a wire brush.