GrillGrates on Gassers
- Thread starter JJackson
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JJackson
TVWBB Member
I think that logic is sound, assuming your grill will only be used for direct cooking, right? The issue I run into in my head with the east-west burners is not being able to set up 2 zones, since the GGs supposedly retain and transfer heat so evenly.
LMichaels
TVWBB 2-Star Olympian
Look at the GG and than go look at a CharBroil (supposedly infrared) grill. Basically same principal. BTW gimmicks like GG aside using an E/W compared to n/s burner arrangement is just as easy to zone. In many ways for many things on a grill the size of a Genesis the e/w arrangement is easier and more effective to zone. If you're looking at a grill that is truly huge (ex. my Wolf) where the front to back measurement is nearly as big as a Genesis from left to right than it's truly a tossup. Add in the rear burner and nid goes to the gigantic grill being much easier and more effective
JJackson
TVWBB Member
By themselves, I don't mind the E/W burners at all. In fact, not that this happens often, but if I add a smoke/wood chip box, it's more effective, with the only vent being at the back.
I more meant E/W would be difficult/impossible for 2-zone when grates that are super conductive, such as GGs, were used. In theory. I haven't pulled the trigger on anything yet.
RMcCormick
TVWBB Member
I purchased a set of Grillgrates to try and get a little extra life out of my old Costco gas grill. That big SS Costco gas grill always looked awesome, but didn't cook for crap. Terrible uneven heat. Super super hot spots. The Grillgrates cleared that all up. It's one of the few things I have purchased that actually do what they say there are going to do.
I was to the point on the Costco grill where it was tough to cook anything because the flair ups were so bad, everything just got charred to a crisp no matter what I did. Grill grates took care of all that, and allowed me to squeeze a few extra months out of the grill.
That grill finally gave up the ghost a month or two ago. I just purchased this bad boy last Wednesday, and rehabbed it this weekend. You can follow my little adventure in first time grill rehab here and here
Needless to say, the Grillgrates are going on the new to me Webber, luckily they fit almost perfectly.
They say you don't want the Grillgrates to go all the way back to front AND side to side due the slight convection effect they have. It allows the air to flow around the outside edges.
The set of Grillgrates I have has five plates. Four of the five fit on the Weber gas grill, and I use the other single Grillgrate on the Weber Kettle for direct cooking sometimes. Made some stuffed burgers the other night with this method and they turned out awesome!
I was to the point on the Costco grill where it was tough to cook anything because the flair ups were so bad, everything just got charred to a crisp no matter what I did. Grill grates took care of all that, and allowed me to squeeze a few extra months out of the grill.
That grill finally gave up the ghost a month or two ago. I just purchased this bad boy last Wednesday, and rehabbed it this weekend. You can follow my little adventure in first time grill rehab here and here
Needless to say, the Grillgrates are going on the new to me Webber, luckily they fit almost perfectly.
They say you don't want the Grillgrates to go all the way back to front AND side to side due the slight convection effect they have. It allows the air to flow around the outside edges.
The set of Grillgrates I have has five plates. Four of the five fit on the Weber gas grill, and I use the other single Grillgrate on the Weber Kettle for direct cooking sometimes. Made some stuffed burgers the other night with this method and they turned out awesome!
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JJackson
TVWBB Member
Yeah, they look great. A perfect fit.
Have you tried cooking indirect on the Genesis, or do you do all your indirect cooking on the kettle?
RMcCormick
TVWBB Member
No I have not. I just purchased it off Craigslist Wednesday. Completely disassembled it Thursday. Rehabbed it Saturday and Sunday.
I doubt I will use it for indirect cooking on the Genesis though. I have tried that single plate on the Kettle for indirect cook, and I didn't notice much of a difference. I might try indirect on the Genesis.
They really shine in direct cooking though. Again, from personal observations they do everything the manufacturer says they are going too.
JJackson
TVWBB Member
I have no doubt they work well cooking directly. I have yet to hear any bad things.
GrillGrates are one of my options for replacing the grates in my older E/W Spirit. I just didn't know if they worked so well that cooking INdirectly would no longer be an option.
RMcCormick
TVWBB Member
Oh, okay. I understand what you are saying now. You are worried that grill grates retain heat so well that you won't be able to cook indirectly.
To that I would say no. Like I said, I have cooked on them indirectly on the Kettle just to try it out and I didn't notice any improvement over the standard Weber stainless grate. That's not to say it didn't work or that it was bad. Not at all. It cooked just fine indirectly. Didn't burn the food or anything.
I was just saying that for indirect cooking they were no better or worst than the standard stainless steel grates so I decided to just use them for direct cooking, which like I said is where they shine. One less thing to clean is what it boiled down too.
If Grillgrates were all I had, I would be content they would work great for all my needs direct and indirect. They do it all, and do it well. I think grilling over indirect heat seems to be less of a challenge as opposed to grilling over direct. So if I had something that was as good at indirect grilling as anything else, and excelled at direct grilling, which the Grillgrates do, then I would think I'd be set.
JJackson
TVWBB Member
Right. Especially if they're all linked together, so are (I assume) transferring the heat evenly, as advertised. I thought about getting the GGs to fit horizontally, same direction as the burners. That way I could take a middle piece out to break the connection. But I'm not sure I'd like using that GG tool at such a weird angle.
All in all, good to know. I'm just waiting on these crappy u-shaped PCI grates to rust all the way on top (they're almost there), then I'll have to decide. I haven't heard anything bad about GGs or RCPlaneBuyer's SS grates, so it will be one of those for sure.
LMichaels
TVWBB 2-Star Olympian
Go to Home Depot and (or any other big box that sells the Charbroil and Nexgrill brand junk. Look at the CB "true infrared" or the new Nexgrill infrared grills. Here is what you'll find. On the Charbroil you'll find a stamped stainless steel sheet. It will have raised "ridges" to mimic actual "grates" and perforations to let the "so-called" tru-infrared through. On the Nexgrill you'll find similar but it will have standard grates with a perforated stainless steel screen under them. Again to let the so called infrared to the food. All in all nothing but total bulls^&t. Now look at GrillGrates. Same basic thing as those grills only the grate is made of aluminum. For people who feel they need that type of "crutch" that's fine. The designs of all 3 allow a great (no pun intended) number of mistakes to pass unnoticed.
True grilling performance and true grilling are best performed on quality equipment with quality cooking surfaces. Your best bets are cast iron or heavy stainless steel rod type or cast type grates. Anything else you might as well put this on your grill and cook. Same difference...................really
True grilling performance and true grilling are best performed on quality equipment with quality cooking surfaces. Your best bets are cast iron or heavy stainless steel rod type or cast type grates. Anything else you might as well put this on your grill and cook. Same difference...................really
Bill W San Diego
TVWBB Super Fan
I wonder why GGs have won so many grilling 1st place awards over the past years?
Frank H
TVWBB Gold Member
FWIW , I have a set on my gasser (my son bought them for me )and as it turned out , the only way they would fit was E/W...and my burners go N/S
i dont use that weird flipper they give you. i find it pretty unecessary. i use tongs or a regular spatula and they work perfectly. the grill grates are the best thing ive ever used on my gas grill. i use them every time mostly on the flat side but occasionally on the ridge side. they are tremendous.
JJackson
TVWBB Member
Can you still cook indirectly on it, or are the grates eventually the same temp everywhere, regardless of which burners you turn on?
I replaced my PECI grates (which I liked a lot) with GrillGrates a few months ago on my 2000-vintage Genesis Silver B. Which has three knobs on the side and three burners running east/west. I found that the direct/indirect grilling was a bit of a pain with three east/west burners (one third in front cool, two thirds in back hot) rather than with four north/south burners (one half left side cool, one half right side hot). GG's helped me with that.
The reason to use indirect is to grill over a low temperature without fear of flareups and minmal exposure to open flame. Because of the connecting perforated bottom plate, GGs (like Charbroil infrareds) spread out the heat very evenly and greatly reduce flare-ups as compared to the PECIs and flavorizer bars. Smoke and flame come through the perforated holes, but much less than with the PECI. Much less hot/cold spots. With the GGs, I don't have the need to do indirect any more. Since I can use the whole grill surface on low with no flare ups. Big plus that I can use the whole grill now for even low grilling. I can now do six pounds of chicken wings for 45-60 minutes slow/low at 325 degrees and get no flare-ups at all. Then when I want to grill high temp, I just turn the knobs up.
For me, the benefit is no hot/cold spots so the whole grill can be used, no flare-ups (not even with two pounds of bacon!!), better temperature control, and the ability to grill consistently and conveniently at a low temperature. So for me, the GGs eliminate the need to grill indirect in the first place. I also like that the GGs can be flipped over to use the underside like a griddle or flat-top.
If you had north/west burners, you could use GGs quite easily for direct/indirect. You can disconnect the interlocking plates from each other so that the heat from the hot side does not flow through to the cool side. But the real question is if you can grill low/slow with no flare-ups, is there really a need to grill indirect?
Jeff Padell
TVWBB Pro
I have been thinking about GG's, I do virtually all my grilling, except burgers, indirect on my Silver B - now on my new to me Genesis Gold C, because doing wings takes too much attention direct. I even build a second level to hold more food above the indirect center section.
The GG's sound like it could all be indirect, expanding the area I can do wings or other chicken across the entire grill or crank the heat and do hot and fast..
I had actually considered one of the infrared grills, but love the Weber's too much.
If I do get them should they be ordered to fit front to back in place of my CI grates or be ordered slightly smaller front to back leaving a air gap for circulation and be run on the CI grates?
Thoughts?
The GG's sound like it could all be indirect, expanding the area I can do wings or other chicken across the entire grill or crank the heat and do hot and fast..
I had actually considered one of the infrared grills, but love the Weber's too much.
If I do get them should they be ordered to fit front to back in place of my CI grates or be ordered slightly smaller front to back leaving a air gap for circulation and be run on the CI grates?
Thoughts?
Jeff Padell
TVWBB Pro
Bob
Checked out the Vortex, not matter what I do I will probably get one as they look neat. The problem to me is that charcoal takes a while to get ready to cook and I am not retired yet, but weekends...
I am looking for a good way to do more than 12 chicken wings, that is about the max I can get on my Gold C indirect. Think maybe the GG would allow me to cover the whole grill surface with them?
I am always up for gadgets! I have a Big Easy and also two rotisseries, one Weber one Cajun Bandit for the 22 WSM and OTG
Checked out the Vortex, not matter what I do I will probably get one as they look neat. The problem to me is that charcoal takes a while to get ready to cook and I am not retired yet, but weekends...
I am looking for a good way to do more than 12 chicken wings, that is about the max I can get on my Gold C indirect. Think maybe the GG would allow me to cover the whole grill surface with them?
I am always up for gadgets! I have a Big Easy and also two rotisseries, one Weber one Cajun Bandit for the 22 WSM and OTG
Bob Ivey
TVWBB Emerald Member
I get what you are saying but on my Performer with the Vortex I also have the Weber gourmet grill grate so all I do is put the Vortex in the center and then use the propane to light the charcoal in the Vortex. The same thing holds true by lighting the charcoal with the starter cubes. You are ready to cook in about 20 minutes and I always then put a piece of apple wood on the top of the vortex. Chicken tastes great and doesn't take much extra time.
As for not retired yet I understand the situation. I call myself semi retired because my business has very little work for quite a while now. But the difference is food tast with charcoal is worth the 20 -25 minute extra time. By the way, I like my gadgets to. My wife is saying no more BBQ spending but there are ways. What ever you decide, do what will make you happy. By the way, I will be getting GG's to use on my kettle as will as my Genesis 1000. Love those gadgets.
As for not retired yet I understand the situation. I call myself semi retired because my business has very little work for quite a while now. But the difference is food tast with charcoal is worth the 20 -25 minute extra time. By the way, I like my gadgets to. My wife is saying no more BBQ spending but there are ways. What ever you decide, do what will make you happy. By the way, I will be getting GG's to use on my kettle as will as my Genesis 1000. Love those gadgets.
Jeff Padell
TVWBB Pro
The wife had said no more BBQ STUFF!! But the other day on CL there was a Genesis Gold C from 2004 for $50! The guy said the only issue was the drip pan was falling off, turned out it was the aluminum slides were bent, bent them back. the rest is like new!
The wife said ok! But then really wants me to put the Silver B off to one side. My problem is that I have one piece of gear too much!
The wife said ok! But then really wants me to put the Silver B off to one side. My problem is that I have one piece of gear too much!