Cleaning WSM Cooking Grates

[SteveM.]

Hi everyone, can anyone suggest a good way to clean the cooking grates. I try to clean them with a SOS pad, but I cannot make them look like new, i.e. nice and shiney. They seemed to have turned a permanent brown. Any help will be appreceiated. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

 

[Doug D]

In a well-ventilated area, on a protected surface, oven cleaner.

 

[Guest]

steve-

i use a wire handled brush.. its prob not the most efficient way of doing it, but it does keep the grates nickel shiny.

i put the grates into the kitchen sink, soaked in some warm soapy water, then use good old elbow grease.

im interested to hear what other ppl do too /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

 

[Albert Sanchez]

Dave,

I like to use a stainless steel scouring pad (see photo). This item is readily available in large grocery stores.

I'll use ordinary diswashing liquid as a lubricant.

Scouring Pad Photo

Cleans very well - knocks everything off, including the brown color you mentioned. Takes 5 minutes to clean the grates.

After that, I'll toss the grates into the dishwasher to remove any residual greasiness.

-Albert

 

[Jerry N.]

I put them on the fire before I put the smoker together - right on the ring. Burns everything off and then hit with a wire brush. I don't much care about the color of the grates except for rust.

 

[Dave Lewis]

Stop wasting your time. The brown stain doesn't hurt anything. When I first began using my WSM, I was anal about cleaning my grates to shiny nickel new every time. It was 30 minutes of elbow grease in the sink after every cook.

After lamenting about the work to get em clean on this site, others gave me the same advice I'm giving you: Stop the madness! Just burn off the residue either by putting them on the coals after your cook is done, using propane torch or weed burner, or as I do now, put them on the gas grill on high for 10-15 minutes and then use a brass grill brush to knock off the charred chunks. After a year and half of this method, my grates are black, but not rusted. I spray em with PAM before each use and the meat doesn't stick.

 

[Jim Clay]

I'm inclined to agree with Dave. However, I do a bit more. I have a large steel wash tub that the grates will fit in. It's in my garage next to the hot water heater. I just put a little dish soap in that and shoot some water straight out of the HWH into the tub. Then I just let them soak for about 3 or 4 hours. Then I just wipe them down with some steel wool and that's it. Not much work to it at all unless you put too much water in the tub, because then I have to lug it down to the street to dump the water down the storm drain.

 

[Kevin Taylor]

Good going Dave!! You have learned well, Grasshopper!

LOL

I have never cleaned a grilling/smoking grate in my entire 25+ yrs. of cooking. Just blast some heat on 'em and brush.

 

[Mark C]

Hi Steve, I am rather lazy about grill cleaning. I went to Target and got a 40 quart rectangular storage bin with lid. I fill it with water and dish soap and add a half gallon of ammonia. Let them soak for an hour and pull 'em out with your neoprene gloves and all it takes is a quick wipe with a dish towel and hose 'em off. Shiny new and the food handling gloves get clean too.

Also been doing this with my Bandera smoker grills for some time and they come out good as new! Sometimes I dont even wipe them - just use a strong spray from the hose.

Mark