Q&A: Any tips for getting my propane-gas grill ready for outdoor-cooking season?

I haven’t used my gas grill since last fall—it’s been sitting covered on my deck. How can I be sure it’s in shape to cook this summer?

Memorial Day is just a few weeks away, and this unofficial start of summer also signals the kickoff of outdoor-cooking season. Before you start searing steaks, grilling vegetables, or flipping burgers, you need to make sure your gas grill is in shape. Remember, a clean, well-maintained grill will improve the flavor of all the food you cook and help prevent grease fires and other accidents.

Follow the steps in “Help Your Grill Cook Better, Longer” and you should be all set to fire up your grill—safely—this spring and summer.

Essential information: Before you buy a grill, read our June 2008 gas-grills report and visit our gas-grills product page. Be sure to try our delicious, easy-to-prepare dishes—with expert advice for cooking the perfect steak—and use chef-restaurateur Bobby Flay’s recipes.