Help adjusting to new stainless grates


 
C

Carl_B

New member
Hi All! I need some advice. I had a Weber Genesis Silver A for many years, and really liked it. I live in the Pacific Northwest, so eventually replaced the cast iron (PECI) grates with stainless steel ones due to rusting (and laziness on my part about cleaning the rust :)). The "rods" of these stainless grates weren't round, they were shaped thin metal with a flat edge (Weber part #65905, Google for a visual), and I was always surprised at how well they worked.

So this year, 19 years after I bought the Genesis, it was time to get a new grill. I chose the Weber Spirit E-315 and was quite happy with it, using the cast iron (PECI) grates it came with. But they started to rust, and I figured I'd just replace them with stainless steel again. They don't make the grate style I had for my Genesis anymore, so I researched grates and bought some with 9mm round rods. Then I foolishly tossed the cast iron ones out (don't know what I was thinking).

Anyway, I've been disappointed with the 9mm stainless steel grates. I've found that I don't get a good sear, everything takes much longer to cook, and doesn't seem to stay hot as long. I don't recall having to make a big adjustment with my Genesis when I switched to stainless, and I know I definitely got a better sear marks with it due to the flat edge of the "rods".

I've checked online again and a lot of people say great things about 9mm stainless grates. So I'm wondering: what am I doing wrong? Do I need to let the grill preheat longer? I currently let it heat on high for 10 minutes and the temp is always between 550 and 600 degrees when I start grilling. Do I have to cook at a higher temperature? Right now I'm pretty disappointed with these grates, they really seem like a step down from the cast iron ones. Any advice on how to get the most out of them?

I'm no grill master, I mostly cook burgers and hot dogs, with occasional veggies and chicken breasts. Everything comes out worse with these grates. Wondering if I should invest in some "GrillGrates", but I just shelled out $100 for these stainless ones...
 
Everybody has their own preference, but the thermal conductivity of stainless steel is quite low, which makes ss slow to heat up and slow to cool down. The stamped stainless steel grates, being thinner, have less mass than a solid rod grate of the same size and tend to be a good compromise, although the welded construction is prone to breakage.

GriilGrates, being anodized aluminum, have very good thermal conductivity, so they heat quickly and cool down quickly. Some people like them, others don't. The thermal conductivity of cast iron is somewhere between the two metals (ss and aluminum.) The 9mm solid rod grates seem to be popular here on TVWBB so maybe someone can offer better advice or would be willing to take them off your hands should you decide to go down a different path.
 
I've been using those Weber stamped stainless grates on my Genesis 1000 and now Genesis Gold for about twenty years now, the same set as a matter of fact. I like them a lot. You should still be able to find a set for your new grill. Check the dimensions, but I believe Weber part #65619 is the right set for your grill. This is Amazon, but I would still price shop because I've seen them for a lot less. Screenshot_20250725-224804.pnghttps://www.amazon.com/dp/B09F7TYHN4?tag=tvwb-20
 
Carl_B said:
Hi All! I need some advice. I had a Weber Genesis Silver A for many years, and really liked it. I live in the Pacific Northwest, so eventually replaced the cast iron (PECI) grates with stainless steel ones due to rusting (and laziness on my part about cleaning the rust :)). The "rods" of these stainless grates weren't round, they were shaped thin metal with a flat edge (Weber part #65905, Google for a visual), and I was always surprised at how well they worked.

So this year, 19 years after I bought the Genesis, it was time to get a new grill. I chose the Weber Spirit E-315 and was quite happy with it, using the cast iron (PECI) grates it came with. But they started to rust, and I figured I'd just replace them with stainless steel again. They don't make the grate style I had for my Genesis anymore, so I researched grates and bought some with 9mm round rods. Then I foolishly tossed the cast iron ones out (don't know what I was thinking).

Anyway, I've been disappointed with the 9mm stainless steel grates. I've found that I don't get a good sear, everything takes much longer to cook, and doesn't seem to stay hot as long. I don't recall having to make a big adjustment with my Genesis when I switched to stainless, and I know I definitely got a better sear marks with it due to the flat edge of the "rods".

I've checked online again and a lot of people say great things about 9mm stainless grates. So I'm wondering: what am I doing wrong? Do I need to let the grill preheat longer? I currently let it heat on high for 10 minutes and the temp is always between 550 and 600 degrees when I start grilling. Do I have to cook at a higher temperature? Right now I'm pretty disappointed with these grates, they really seem like a step down from the cast iron ones. Any advice on how to get the most out of them?

I'm no grill master, I mostly cook burgers and hot dogs, with occasional veggies and chicken breasts. Everything comes out worse with these grates. Wondering if I should invest in some "GrillGrates", but I just shelled out $100 for these stainless ones...
Click to expand...

The only way I've gotten a decent sear from 9MM stainless grates was from using the sear burner on my Genesis 335 since that gives me three burners close to each other. Even then, I have to use 4 areas of the grate to take advantage and get a decent sear on a steak. 30 seconds, rotate and put on another spot, flip onto a third spot, and after 30 seconds rotate and put onto a fourth spot. Maybe what I'm sharing is obvious or doesn't actually help, but I figured it couldn't hurt to share my experience. I am also confused about how many people I've seen on reddit loving the 9MM stainless grates.
 
Carl, good SS should "mark" your food exactly like CI of the same weight and density. What many call a "sear" is not actually. It's actually "marking" the primary job of "searing" is done by the heat of the grill. The most efficient and effective way to "sear" something is full on contact i.e. a pan or griddle. I.E. a flat surface. Many confuse "marking lines" with "searing" one is primarily cosmetic and the other actually effects the taste/texture of the meat you're cooking. The other does not.
Getting those lines should be FAR FAR easier on heavy SS grates than thin stamped ones. Trick is learning to work with them. Like CI they're VERY slow to get hot and slow to cool down. Again most of this is dependent on the "mass" of the grates.
 
Hi Carl I live just north of Seattle in Bothell. If you're interested in trading for your 9 mm SS grates. I'll give you two sets of grates for them. A set of the original Weber stamped stainless steel grates like you had on your Silver A and a set of cast iron.
 
Carl -- TBH, I don't think the type of grate you use on a gas grill makes all that much difference. Over the 25 years I've been using various Weber Genesis gas grills, I've tried/used all the options. Which I rank as follows:

1. GrillGrates (rail side up)
2. Weber PCCI
3. Weber stamped stainless steel
4. Weber stamped enamel
5. SS rods.

Just not a fan of SS rods, although I'm in the minority on here.

But my biggest recommendation. Get yourself some kind of flat hot metal to use on one side of your grill.

As Meathead explains below, gas grills cook mostly via convection (flow of hot air). And convection generally sucks among the heat energy transfer methods when it comes to searing/browning. Conduction and radiation are MUCH better when it comes to bringing the Maillard. Hence the reason why many high end grills include a special infrared searing burner.

Charcoal grills sear great -- because they emit tons of IR radiation. So for a charcoal grill, the best grate is the thinnest possible flimsy steel rod that will hold the food out of the fire and not get in the way of the awesome IR flowing up from the coals. Edge to edge brown tastes better than brown stripes or cross-hatches.

Since none of my Weber gassers have an IR burner option, I compensate for the searing suck-age of gas grill convection by using conduction (i.e. flat metal in contact with the steak). In my case, I use the flat side of the GGs, which sear like a mother. A griddle insert works too. So does a hot cast iron pan. The other half of the grill usually stays some kind of grates. Because conduction is sooo good at searing, you still need to be able to cook indirect/convection.

Adding conduction cooking to the gas grill toolbox in addition the basic convection cooking is what took my gas grill to an entirely different level.

#science


amazingribs.com

The Definitive Guide to the Best Grill Grates

Which grill grate is best: stainless steel, cast iron, enamel coated, plated wire, or cast aluminum? The answer may surprise you.
amazingribs.com

amazingribs.com

The Thermodynamics of Cooking and How Different Cooking Methods Work

Learn about thermodynamics: the basis of all cooking! Find out how heat transference works in your grill, bbq, and smoker.
amazingribs.com
 
Last edited:
Jim C in Denver said:
Carl -- TBH, I don't think the type of grate you use on a gas grill makes all that much difference. Over the 25 years I've been using various Weber Genesis gas grills, I've tried/used all the options. Which I rank as follows:

1. GrillGrates (rail side up)
2. Weber PCCI
3. Weber stamped stainless steel
4. Weber stamped enamel
5. SS rods.

Just not a fan of SS rods, although I'm in the minority on here.

But my biggest recommendation. Get yourself some kind of flat hot metal to use on one side of your grill.

As Meathead explains below, gas grills cook mostly via convection (flow of hot air). And convection generally sucks among the heat energy transfer methods when it comes to searing/browning. Conduction and radiation are MUCH better when it comes to bringing the Maillard. Hence the reason why many high end grills include a special infrared searing burner.

Charcoal grills sear great -- because they emit tons of IR radiation. So for a charcoal grill, the best grate is the thinnest possible flimsy steel rod that will hold the food out of the fire and not get in the way of the awesome IR flowing up from the coals. Edge to edge brown tastes better than brown stripes or cross-hatches.

Since none of my Weber gassers have an IR burner option, I compensate for the searing suck-age of gas grill convection by using conduction (i.e. flat metal in contact with the steak). In my case, I use the flat side of the GGs, which sear like a mother. A griddle insert works too. So does a hot cast iron pan. The other half of the grill usually stays some kind of grates. Because conduction is sooo good at searing, you still need to be able to cook indirect/convection.

Adding conduction cooking to the gas grill toolbox in addition the basic convection cooking is what took my gas grill to an entirely different level.

#science


amazingribs.com

The Definitive Guide to the Best Grill Grates

Which grill grate is best: stainless steel, cast iron, enamel coated, plated wire, or cast aluminum? The answer may surprise you.
amazingribs.com

amazingribs.com

The Thermodynamics of Cooking and How Different Cooking Methods Work

Learn about thermodynamics: the basis of all cooking! Find out how heat transference works in your grill, bbq, and smoker.
amazingribs.com
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info; that "Meathead" site has a lot of interesting articles. I'll look into using a cast iron pan and see how I like it. And maybe one of these years I'll get some GrillGrates. :)
 
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