GrillGrates or Weber cast iron grates?


 
MikeinPA

MikeinPA

New member
Hey all,

one last piece to get the old red head 5000 running is grates.

I’ve considered two options:

1. GrillGrates (anodized aluminum) I’m sure you’ve heard of or hopefully some here using…
2. Weber porcelain coated cast iron.

I’ve had the cast iron on previous grills and enjoyed them however since there is a reasonably small price difference… wanted to see who has had experience with both possibly and any feedback you may have???

thanks!!
 
Ya know this subject has been beaten to absolute death here. Frankly GG imo are a gimmick but some like them. MEH do a search here, draw your own opinion and buy what you want.
 
I have grill grates on my gasser, I use them flat side up like a griddle. Frankly, I think the claims grill grates make are more hype than fact, I don't see any real difference over regular grates, but I like the griddle surface.
 
I don't think they are gimmick as some claim, to me they are another tool/way to grill and to me that is the difference as I'm not a snob when it comes to BBQing or grilling.
Qmx2lzWl.jpg

E54MU7dl.jpg
 
Going from Weber PCCI to GGs improved the performance of my circa 2000 Silver B pretty significantly:

Grill runs hotter overall. More even heat with fewer hot spots. Much less flare-ups, which allows me to cook on more of the grill top real estate. Rather than cook on only one indirect side -- so kinda like getting a bigger grill. Flat side can be used as a griddle/flat top and for searing. So kind of a two-in-one upgrade. Highly recommended.

NB: My Silver B is a 20 year old grill with a shallow cook box and only one layer of 5 flav bars. So the GGs to me are kind of like getting an extra layer of flav bars (more even heat; less hot spots). Don't know if you'd notice the same upgrade effect with a 13 bar deep cook box. YMMV.
 
Last edited:
MikeCantell said:
Stainless, have had cast on different units over the years and no thanks , xtra searing power not needed imo .
Click to expand...
That’s not out of running either. Newbie to the red head haven’t cooked on it yet and was curious how the double stacked flavor bars help keep flares down vs my single row in current spirit.
Jim C in Denver said:
Going from Weber PCCI to GGs improved the performance of my circa 2000 Silver B pretty significantly:

Grill runs hotter overall. More even heat with fewer hot spots. Much less flare-ups, which allows me to cook on more of the grill top real estate. Rather than cook on only one indirect side. Flat side can be used as a griddle/flat top and for searing. So kind of a two-in-one upgrade. Highly recommended.

NB: My Silver B is shallow cook box and only one layer of 5 flav bars. So the GGs to me are kind of like getting an extra layer of flav bars (more even heat; less hot spots). Don't know if you'd notice the same upgrade effect with a 13 bar deep cook box.
Click to expand...
excellent. Thanks very much for that info Jim much appreciated.
 
Grill Grates all day, no doubt about it. When you run cast to the temps that you need for searing, you're near the temps for burning off the seasoning. I replaced my kamado's cast grates with stainless, and bought a supplemental Grill Grate for the top, and it duplicates the effect of the cast grate with little to no maintenance. I can and have used the same GGs in several other grills, including my kettle, Performer, and pellet grills.

Charlie
 
I have both the Grill Grates, SlowNSear SS Elevated Grate and SS SlowNSear Easy Spin Grate on my Weber Performer Deluxe in which I still remain one-happy Grill Grate and SNS Customer.
 

Attachments

  • WLq1ROl%S+Olz4+cNk27og.jpg
    WLq1ROl%S+Olz4+cNk27og.jpg
    238.6 KB · Views: 15
  • jEmrW8wuQ8aDoW+dbxeELA.jpg
    jEmrW8wuQ8aDoW+dbxeELA.jpg
    227.5 KB · Views: 15
Last edited:
Jim C in Denver said:
Going from Weber PCCI to GGs improved the performance of my circa 2000 Silver B pretty significantly:

Grill runs hotter overall. More even heat with fewer hot spots. Much less flare-ups, which allows me to cook on more of the grill top real estate. Rather than cook on only one indirect side -- so kinda like getting a bigger grill. Flat side can be used as a griddle/flat top and for searing. So kind of a two-in-one upgrade. Highly recommended.

NB: My Silver B is a 20 year old grill with a shallow cook box and only one layer of 5 flav bars. So the GGs to me are kind of like getting an extra layer of flav bars (more even heat; less hot spots). Don't know if you'd notice the same upgrade effect with a 13 bar deep cook box. YMMV.
Click to expand...
Same here with my Silver B.
I have 'em on couple of my kettles too.
 
grill grates do a great job of distributing heat and preventing flareups. I power wash mine once a year for the last 6 years and no problems. Even use sections of GG on kettle and ranch kettle depending on what i'm cooking.
 
Mike, I do have both but only used GG. I like the clean lines and when Harry took the GG back, I was sad and don't want to use the weber cast iron. I was going to buy my own but didn't realize they were so expensive. I don't want to pony up that much money. Guess I'll have to wait until Christmas and make a request.
 
I bought the heavy duty stainless grates for my genesis. I've kind of bought into the cold grate technique on my kettle. I like that all over sear on a steak and I'm not a fan of the bitter burnt taste you can sometimes get with heavy grill marks. With a gas grill the grill marks pretty much are your sear so I think cast iron, stainless, grill grates are the way to go.
 
I like that all over sear on a steak and I'm not a fan of the bitter burnt taste you can sometimes get with heavy grill marks. With a gas grill the grill marks pretty much are your sear so I think cast iron, stainless, grill grates are the way to go.

If you use the flat side of the GGs (which is what I do for steaks), you get an excellent overall sear and zero grill marks (which can sometimes be stripes of bad tasting carbon burn). Works very well on a gasser that doesn't have an IR sear feature. Also works well for smash burgers.

As when using a hot cast iron pan, the edge-to-edge sear comes via induction (flat hot metal in direct contact with the steak). When cold grating over very hot coals, the sear comes via infrared radiation coming up from the coals. So for searing via IR, you'd want the thinnest possible wire grill grates. Because you don't want the grates getting in the way of your IR searing radiation.

IR radiation browns faster than convection (circulating hot air), but not as fast as conduction does. No idea if there is any taste benefit/difference between the actual sear via IR radiation vs. induction. My guess is that it is all equally Maillard-ey. Probably any overall taste difference would come from the smokiness of charcoal vs. propane.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top