A FLAKY KETTLE
Q I have a Weber kettle that I bought from a flatmate a few years ago but have only started using it recently. It works okay but I am worried about the paint that is flaking off the inside of the lid. Will this get into the food and is it harmful to eat?
Stephanie
Dromana
Victoria
A It’s not paint Stephanie because all Weber kettles are coated inside and out with porcelain which is like a sheet of glass that is bonded to the metal at a very high temperature. And, before you ask, it’s not flakes of porcelain coming loose either.
It’s just crud – carbon and stuff that has stuck to the inside of the lid while waiting in the queue to exit via the exhaust vent. It’s harmless Stephanie but if it worries you then place the lid (carefully so you don’t damage the porcelain) in a laundry tub and give it a blast with one of those fierce-smelling oven cleaners. Leave it a few hours and you should be able to wipe over with a sponge to remove most of the crud.
And, while you’re at it, you might as well give the same treatment to the inside of the base of the kettle.
BBQ Blue