How To Clean A Grill With An Onion

You don't need a fancy cleaner to remove that post-barbecue grit

So you went overboard with the barbecue sauce, and now there are bits of bourbon-chile glaze stuck in every nook of your grill.

Sure, those were the best ribs ever, but they won't taste so hot three weeks later. Instead of buying a can of cleaning spray (and all the chemicals that come with it), turn to an item you likely already have in your house:

Clean your grill by rubbing half an onion back and forth over the grates.

First, get the grill hot to burn off any large excess pieces, then put an onion on a long fork and go to work. If you're using charcoal, even better: You can throw the onion into the coals afterward to add flavor to whatever you're grilling. Plus, by not using any harmful cleaning products, you don't have to wait to put your kebabs on the grill.

Onions have natural antibacterial properties, which is why this works. So grab life by the tongs and go overboard with the mayo using your favorite new marinade trick—you can clean it up later.