GRILLIN' TIME IS ALMOST HERE!

The weather is getting warmer. It is about time to get the old grill ready for all that outdoor cooking. So grab a wire brush, put on your gloves, and get with it.


Be careful when you take that cover off. I once had a mouse who built a real nice home on the outside burner on my grill. I should have had my Dad, the last great hunter, there to back me up. That mouse scared the you know what out of me. You ever try to swat a mouse with a wire brush? I ruined the wire brush. But anyway be careful rven when you open the lid. I have had bee hives, wasp nests, and once a garter snake had made a home in the bottom of the grill, where the propane tank sets. Must have been really cozy for the winter.


The snake made me jump a bit, and that time I ruined a pumice scraper. So you might get a few extra wire brushes and scrapers for the summer, as they might be cheaper if you buy them by the dozen.


As you clean your grill, make sure that you check the propane tanks, the lines, the burners, and other parts of your grill. Tighten any loose screws or bolts. Check the hinges on the lid. And if you have a charcoal gril, check handles, brackets that hold the grates in place, and tighten all loose screws and bolts. Also check any leftover charcoal bricks from last year, as sometimes you will have spiders and such in the bag. Check last year's lighter fluid to make sure you have enough, and because sometimes it goes bad and won't start a fire. If your grates are really bad and rusty, replace them. If you use lava rock in your grill, check that also. You might need to add some.


As we get more warm weather, I start to think about things to grill. Get a notebook. Write down the things that you think about grilling. Maybe add some new stuff to your grilling list. What kinds of rubs are you going to use this year? Now is the time to start making your own, or maybe getting some of the store-bought kind. Try something new and different this year -- something that maybe has kind of scared you in the past. Invite some family over and experiment on them.


Don't forget to get some of your cast iron ready also for outdoor cooking. I have several grills and smokers, plus an area for cast iron cooking. I will be posting some outdoor cast iron cooking ideas for use on your grill or outdoor fire place. I'm starting to drool a bit just thinking about it, so I'd better quit before I short out the key board.


So, get them grills ready! And let's all get ready to. . . FEED OUR FACES!