Finally getting some warm weather!
First thing that comes to mind, beside gardening, is barbecuing! Like most people, we noticed a couple of years ago that our wire BBQ brushes were losing their bristles. I remember scrubbing the grates, barbecuing burgers, then noticing that tiny wire bristles were stuck on the cooked meat!
If ingested, these tiny wires can cause quite some damage to the throat, or worse, travel down the digestive tract, resulting in a lot of pain and even requiring surgery to remove the bristles. The number of reports and warnings were rapidly increasing throughout 2016, and this was still an issue last year!
“…small wire bristles fall off and attach to food on the grill, …” (full article: BBQ brush bristles can lodge in throat, warns ER doctor, CBC NEWS Nova Scotia).
The solution? If you own a wire BBQ brush, get rid of it! – for now at least, or until the new regulations come into effect (New standards coming for BBQ brushes following metal bristle injuries).
And although bristle-free brushes can be purchased at any grocery store, here are some more economical alternatives:
Scouring pads
Scouring pads are inexpensive, durable and reusable. They can safely be used to scrub any debris off the grates before barbecuing.
Damp cloth
A damp cloth with a bit of baking soda can go a long way. This method requires a bit more muscle power when scrubbing the deposits off the grates, but it works.
Onions?
Yes, onions. You can cut an onion in half, then use it to scrape the grates. Although this might not clean as efficiently as the two previous options, it will remove some of the deposits and will give an extra added touch of flavor to your grilled food.
In any case, avoid using wire bristled brushes, as the wires can easily fall off during scrubbing and end up in your food.
Safe BBQing! 😎
