Cleaning Your Griddle? Drop The Brush And Grab An Onion (Bonus Flavor Included)

The pressure to properly clean a hot griddle can cause anxiety to rise. The wrong equipment can scratch the surface, while a metal brush can leave behind potentially harmful particles. But you don't need special cleaners to get the job done. Using an onion can bypass many of these concerns while adding a boost of flavor to your meal. "No harsh chemicals, no scrubbing," described an Instagrammer, using the trick to wipe down her grill grates. "Just easy grill magic."

A fiery hot surface isn't needed for this trick to clean a griddle. After the griddle has heated to a moderate temperature, slice an onion leaving the skin on, drizzle olive oil onto the open face, and glide the exposed surface over the griddle. The moisture in the onion will steam the hot metal and remove any residue or leftover pieces of food without unnecessary scraping or scrubbing on your part. There's science in the method, as enzymes help get rid of burnt-on food on the griddle, and compounds in the onion help to get rid of grease, and the onion flesh itself is a mild abrasive. The olive oil conditions the griddle's surface to provide something of a non-stick surface — like when you're seasoning a cast iron pan. By the time you're finished, the griddle will not only be clean but will also be prepped with flavors of caramelized onion and olive oil, offering an aromatic announcement that you're ready to cook. As one Instagram user noted, "The smell of the onion can let the neighbors know it's about to go down!"

When using onion to clean the griddle before cooking, the produce will start to blacken a little, and how black it gets can also a way of assessing if your griddle has come up to the right heat to begin cooking. The griddle's seasoning will remain intact as the onion cleans the surface, and the steam and oil can make for a cleaner area than a brush alone. The oily, oniony surface should add the kind of savory flavor that enhances the eggs or smash burgers you intend to serve. "That's been a carne asada move for decades," quipped one Instagrammer. 

Some cooks use potatoes, oranges, or limes to clean cooking surfaces. Spearing the chosen produce with a fork or holding it with tongs can be helpful as you slide the piece across the hot surface. "My family member does that with the onion, and when I asked him why, he said he had no idea it's just a thing people do," wrote an Instagrammer. "I thought everybody does this," added another. Some home cooks also use the onion cleaning trick for cast iron and stainless steel pans. Similarly, an onion can also be used to clean grill grates. After trying this trick, the dishes served at your next barbecue may taste better than anything you've cooked before.