You want to plan a party or picnic in the park and have a great cookout with burgers, but you aren’t sure about grilling burgers on a charcoal grill at a park. Is it safe to use those public grills?
You can absolutely grill on a park grill with no problems. You might be thinking, YUCK a nasty park grill, but really it isn’t that way. Think about it. These grills are always using fire – hot fire! Just the fire and heat going up through the grill grates will kill any germs that may be on the grill.
Especially in a situation where you may not own your own grill, this is a perfect opportunity to get out and get some grilling done. When used and done right, grilling out on a park grill is very safe and fun hanging out with family and friends at the park.
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Before You Go – Items to Take Along
Before even thinking about going to the park remember you won’t have the convenience of being able to run into the house to get something you may have forgotten. You want to be ready for grilling burgers on a charcoal grill at a park or anywhere else you may be going. So first here is a list of items you want to be sure to take with you.
- We may be captain obvious here, but be sure to take charcoal with you! If you can’t find a small bag at your local store, you can put some into a paper bag. Be sure to take an extra bag for cleaning out the grill prior to cooking.
- Charcoal lighter – we recommend a simple stick-type click lighter you can get at the grocery store. So easy to use and you don’t have to deal with using a chimney or lighter fluid.
- Grilling gloves – very handy to make sure you don’t burn your hands when dealing with the hot grill especially when it will be a grill you are not used to using. All grills react differently even though they are the same type.
- Spatula and/or tongs for cooking those great burgers! Be sure to take paper plates, cups, utensils, and napkins. It also helps to take a paper table cloth to cover the park table to make a cleaner eating area.
- Squirt water bottle for possible flare-ups. You like a char on your burgers, but not burnt to a crisp!
- Aluminum foil to cover the grill grates before cooking and also to wrap up the leftovers – if there are any!
- Burgers! You can prepare the patties ahead of time or using frozen burgers will work just fine. Make sure you purchase good 80/20 burgers and that they show the type of meat it is on the label. Stay away from any package that just says “hamburger” because it isn’t good beef.
- Side Dishes – you want great sides that are good and easy for your picnic. The classic potato salad or any kind of pasta salads are great and easy to carry.
- Remember to take along mustard, ketchup and mayo, and absolutely the cheese. This is where the individually wrapped American slices come in very handy.
How to Get the Park Grill Ready for the Burgers
You are now in the park and ready for that picnic. Here are some things you want to be sure to do before grilling burgers on the park grill.
1. As with any grill, charcoal or gas, be sure to clean the grill grates with a good, strong brush. Brush the top and bottom of the grates as best you can. You, of course, won’t get them sparkling clean, but brush as best you can. Most brushes are stainless steel and may leave some of the bristles, so be very careful about not getting any of those in your meat. There are some brushes available that are bristle-free so check out one of those.
You also want to be sure to clean out the grill of any ash or leftover briquettes. You want to be sure no flare-ups will happen and you just don’t want old ash from someone else’s cooking.
2. Even cleaning the grates and knowing that the fire will also clean off any germs on the grates, we do recommend covering the grill with aluminum foil for your cooking. This gives you a sense of cleanliness and will also keep any food you have from falling through.
Another pro to using foil is if the grill you are using has any rust on it. Consuming rust is never a good idea, so the foil will keep you safe.
If you decide to forego the foil, preheat the grill and let the flames go up onto the grill to get off any debris that might be left. Then do a second cleaning with the grill brush to get any remaining residue off the grates.
3. As we mentioned, you can and we recommend, covering the grill with aluminum foil for your cooking. Be sure to poke holes, only a few, here and there in the foil to allow the heat to come up through the grates. This method may be the way you want to go due to the very good chance of bird droppings having been on the grill.
Now we don’t mean to gross you out, but this is a very real problem. You definitely want to clean the grates thoroughly with a brush and the fire coming up onto the grates will clean the germs from the grill.
Another option would be using a cast iron griddle on top of the grill grates. These work great and you will still have that outdoor cook with the safety you feel better about.
4. Add your pyramid of briquettes to the grill and light as usual. When the coals are nice and white, use a long stick or a fireplace poker, or what you might use at home and brought with you, to spread out the coals for even cooking.
5. Preparing your burgers – even when using aluminum foil you want to put just a bit, don’t need much, of oil on your burgers prior to cooking. If you choose to forgo the foil, which is absolutely fine if you let that heat get up through the grates and brush well, you don’t want your burgers to stick to the grates.
We recommend oiling your burgers instead of the grates. If oiling the grates, you will get too much smoke coming up and burning the grates which in turn will burn your food.
How to Put Out a Charcoal Grill at a Park
You have now found that grilling burgers on a charcoal grill at a park is not only safe but very fun and good! When you are done grilling and all are fed, be sure to run the grill brush over the grates to clean them off while they are still hot. This gets them in better shape for the next person coming in to do their fun park picnic grilling.
You also want to check your park regulations to see if you have to wait for the grill to cool prior to leaving the site. Even if that wouldn’t be a requirement, it is nice and safe to make sure the grill is cooled off prior to leaving.
Fun Park Games!
While you are enjoying that tasty grilled burger and sides, you have to play some games!
Easy ones to bring along are Badminton – just some birdies and rackets; Ladder Golf; or Washers. These are games that can be enjoyed by adults and kids alike.
You can get good sets of any of these games at your local store. Or if you are crafty, you can make your own!
How about a scavenger hunt? You can find all kinds of ideas on Pinterest if you don’t have ideas of your own.
Conclusion
Hanging out and grilling burgers on a charcoal grill at a park is fun and safe, if done right. Be sure to thoroughly clean the grill prior to cooking and make sure the grill is cool before you leave. If you can, it is always a good idea to clean the grill for the next person grilling!
Let us know how your park grilling experience is and send us some pictures! We would love to see your outdoor grilling adventures. Also, let us know what games you play at the park!