Speaking of Grills - What is proper "Grill etiquitte"??

[vacationbug]

In 2009 my family grilled out at BCV but afterwards the coals were still hot, plus I didn't know what to do with the ashes. So we had left them hot (it had started to rain as well) and when I went back later to check the grill it was cleaned.

Soooooooo - then I was wondering what the proper procedures were for the grills? Did I do wrong by "leaving" the mess? Or is that what one is supposed to do? I didn't see any "dump hot coals here" signs or anything nearby.

I haven't grilled since then, but would like to know what the proper manners are when one is finished with the grill. Please note: we didn't leave anything behind but the hot coals (and the raindrops).

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[dzorn]

Not sure of the correct thing but I would never leave a hot grill. Pour water on it at the very minimum.

Denise in MI

 

[Deb & Bill]

Not sure of the correct thing but I would never leave a hot grill. Pour water on it at the very minimum.

Denise in MI

And then clean out the mess.

 

[bwvBound]

Wow ... sure glad *most* of my timeshare experiences offered Gas grills. Easy on, easy off, then swipe the bristle tool over the grate a few times to clean it. Maybe it is time to add "GAS GRILLS" to the DVC wish list!

 

[Donna M]

I second the gas grill idea!

 

[Brian Noble]

I would be inclined to stir the coals to separate them, but then leave them be. Pouring water on them will make the grill more or less unusable for the next person unless you get it nearly completely dry, and that's a challenge to say the least.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I second the gas grill idea!

Are you paying for the gas? I really don't care to and when some kid messes with the grill and leaves the gas on..... Kablooey!!

 

[Dean]

Are you paying for the gas? I really don't care to and when some kid messes with the grill and leaves the gas on..... Kablooey!!

I think ALL of the resorts I've stayed at that had gas grills (and most do), also had staff responsible for checking them and cleaning them. Generally they check them periodically during the day and give them a good cleaning, usually in the AM. Plus, usually there are other guests using them along and hey help police the situation. I'd say that about 50% of the time when I use a grill, someone else is ready for it by the time I'm done. Most are natural gas, some are propane. Most grills I see are high end (Ducane, Broilmaster, or similar). The additional costs are pretty minimal but certainly the members there pay for it. Even then, the dues are generally significantly less than DVC. coals are a significant fire hazard and more of a burn hazard.

 

[surfer_ed]

Has anyone ever went out and purchased the charcoal etc and not been able to find a grill that was not in use?

 

[OhioDVC]

I've always been able to find a grill, maybe a short wait. I think if you make the mess you should clean out the mess

 

[BEASLYBOO]

I've grilled many times at OKW and a few at the other resorts. OKW is the easiest because the grills are by the quiet pools, some like Kidnai etc. seem a bit more remote. BLT/BWV and places like that I don't grill, I really don't like transporting trays of uncooked meat through the lobby and elevators.

Over the years I've become quite good at judging the amount of coals I need. I grill and while I grill the kids swim and the adults have a bit of a happy hour while the food is cooking. A few times people have asked if they could use my coals after and that's a great idea and worked out for everyone. I don't water the coals because as a few have posted that makes a darn right mess and near to impossible for others to use the grill afterwards. Around 11 we take a nightly walk and take out the trash and if I've grilled I go and sweep it out into a grocery bag with a paper towel.

* Only once have I gone to start the grill and someone is already there, the guy offered to call my cell when he was done and it worked out fine, I just added to the existing coals!

One thing I have found is that many times people don't scrape the grill after they remove their food and I don't like that. I scrape the grill and oil it before I use it and I scrape it after so that it's clean and then the remaining heat from the coals leaves it devoid of crud for the next use.

 

[vacationbug]

Thanks Beaslyboo for your helpful response and insight! I was primarily interested in making sure that everything was left in an orderly condition for the next user. And since we did not borrow any BBQ tools from DVC (brought our own spatchua and tongs, etc.), nor had any known access to a small trowel or shovel or something to remove the coals or ashes, it was a guess as to how to dispose of those ashes properly.

As stated previously, I had cleaned the "mess" and only the few remaining hot coals were left. As Brian Noble mentioned , we had separated the coals and by the time we were done there weren't many left, but those would obviously be too hot to put into a plastic bag to dispose in the trash. Since it was beginning to rain at that point, we returned to the villa. It downpoured shortly after we had returned to the villa, so essentially that would have put out the remaining hot coals.

Since we used foil on the top of the grill (it wasn't very appetizing to put food directly on the top of the grill with bird dropping and whatnot) there was no
"food gunk" to deal with on the hot surface of the grill itself. Clean up was easy with the foil, so there was no "food" mess remaining for any other user.

We even "policed" the immediate picnic area, picking up some other users trash that had been left behind or perhaps simply blown into the picnic area, so no, I would say that other than the hot coals, there was no real "mess" left behind.

When I did return with a plastic bag, a roll of paper towels and my own spatula, the grill had been already cleaned. I was prepared to do it despite not having my usual "tools" to do the job.

As Dean mentioned , I wondered myself whether CM were assigned to look after the grills and do this, but I have not been able to make this determination from information on DIS or other places.

Thanks again to those who provided useful advise and/or actual experience with the DVC grills. It was/is appreciated.

 

[Dean]

As Dean mentioned , I wondered myself whether CM were assigned to look after the grills and do this, but I have not been able to make this determination from information on DIS or other places.

I know OKW has had people in the past responsible for cleaning the grills and I'm sure they all do. They really have to.

 

[MinnieVanMom]

Our last visit we grilled at BCV and used the pre soaked charcoal. The grill was clean and we found a few guests were surprised we were grilling and didn't even know there were grills. It worked great as the kids swam and we could keep an eye on them at the same time. Dinner was at the table by the pool and it was fun and easy. We left the coals as they were HOT!