OEM Grill Grate Cleaning.


 
Samuel

Samuel

TVWBB Wizard
So, I was cleaning the ex-wife's grill for her and I cleaned her oem grill grates. Should I be concerned because I used foil scrubbing pad to clean her cast iron grill grates. Do they have a coating on them. I had to use a scrubbing pad to get the stubborn grease off and especially on the bottom of the grates.

Grill Grates pic 1.jpgGrill Grates pic 2.jpg
 
They are porcelain enameled, so just take that into consideration.

Here’s the “by the book” instructions from Weber’s website:

“Care – When it comes to cooking grates, the maintenance is the same for Porcelain coated cast iron as it is for Stainless steel. Before each use, we recommend preheating your grill to 500-550°F, brushing your cooking grates clean with a stainless steel bristle brush and then adjusting your control knobs to your desired grilling temperature. It is not uncommon for food to stick more to new cooking grates. As you continue to use and clean your grates you will break them in reducing the amount of sticking.”

Pressure Washing always helps too.
 
I wouldn't sweat it that much - I've got the same grates ---- those are actually really GOOD grates as far as CI goes.
Damn near indestructible as long as you use them often and leave them wet with grease. Scraper on the grill after heating them to 350ish is all it takes to clean them.
 
Just saw JohnNY's response....

NOOOO!!!!!! That is SOOOO wrong --- its stupid to COOK it onto the grates so you have to scrape EVERY LITTLE BIT OFF (plus it throws all the carbon all over your deck) --- scrape it off while its still warm and SOFT...... it will goop up a brush, but just stick it in a bucket of soapy water.
I keep trying to tell people this..... its SOOOOO much easier and it keeps the grates greased so they don't rust.

Burning them off at 500-700 is the fastest way to kill CI ---- you are NOT going to be cooking at that temp - why heat them up that far?
 
Bruce said:
I think you would be surprise how many people fire up their grill, turn all the knobs up to high and leave them there throughout the entire cook.
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I think we have members here who do this. I mean, look how many complain that their new grill can't reach over 450-500. Me? I just want to cook something not cremate it
 
Yes, we do. I run my Q200 on Hi a majority of the time, but it maxes out at 450 on the lid thermometer which is pretty accurate as verified with a remote ambient thermometer. But, on stuff like chicken breasts or a roast and stuff like that, I do indeed dial it back.
 
Bruce said:
I think you would be surprise how many people fire up their grill, turn all the knobs up to high and leave them there throughout the entire cook.
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No..... I wouldn't.

It just seems like there has been an old school mindset or lore that the way to clean the grates is to 'just burn it off - as HOT as you can' --- I've always found scraping the carbon off much harder than merely wiping the warmed grease/goop off. I 'may' follow up with some higher heat (400ish) to burn some of the grease off and/or sterilize, but not very often. I'm happiest when my grates look wet with grease - edge to edge - without any chunks clinging --- at least I KNOW its not going to rust anytime soon when I see that - I worry when I see 'dry' grates. I treat them like my cast iron pans.
 
This all comes off of my vivid memories of SUPER heavy porcelain coated CI grates from the early 2000s - pricy upgrades to my Spirit 500 after the stamped porcelain/steel grated gave out. Those 'looked' indestructible - and were for a while..... UNTIL that porcelain started cracking and the grates rotted from the inside out. Worst set of grates EVER.

These Spirit (I) grates are EXCELLENT by comparison - and much heavier than the Spirit II grates. I've been running them for ~8 years now.... I don't think I will ever 'need' to replace them.
 
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