Clean Your Grate

• Make sure that you purchase propane or charcoal so that you are ready to clean your grate. Then if your grate has burnt-on food from your last grilling extravaganza, you'll be ready when it's time to fire up the grill. After about 15 minutes, scrub the grate with a stiff wire grill brush until all food particles are burned or scraped off. Let it cool down and cover.
• Spray the cold, clean grate with PAM® for Grilling Spray (and your utensils, too). Then preheat grill about 15 minutes before starting to cook.
• After cooking, scrape grill down with grill brush to remove burnt-on particles. 'Cook' another 15 minutes to help burn off remaining traces of food. Brush once more and extinguish fire. You will have a clean grate for your next meal.

Prepare Your Foods

Meats

• Choose a thicker cut of meat and fish for more tender and flavorful results.
• Trim excess fat from meats, leaving only about 1/4 inch of fat for flavor. Less fat helps avoid flare-ups and makes cleaning easier.
• To avoid cross-contamination when handling raw meat, always bring out two plates when grilling—one for the raw meat and one for the cooked meat.

Vegetable

• Wash and cut veggies in half or into 1/2 inch thick slices that won't fall through the grate.
• Smaller vegetables can be skewered for easy grilling—or use a grilling basket.
• Spray vegetables lightly with PAM®; season with salt, if desired, before cooking.

Choose Your Tools

• Use long-handled tools and long barbecue mitts to protect your hands from the heat.
• Use tongs to turn and serve the meat, not forks—you will pierce the food and lose flavorful juices.
• Use a meat thermometer to help determine internal temperature.

Before You Grill

• Spray PAM® For Grilling on the cold grill and tongs.

Other Grilling Articles:

• Build Better Burgers and Fantastic Franks