Rusty Grates

[Phil Perrin]

After reading posts about cleaning the WSM grates,I decided that I was putting way too much effort into cleaning my grates. So,I started throwing them on the gasser. What did I see yesterday after the weekend turkey? RUST! Gobs and gobs of it. So now I gotta get new grates. Has this happened to anyone else? PS- would it be okay to just put foil on the top grate until the new ones come in? (just under the meat,not the whole grate)

 

[Tim Clendenning]

Phil, just clean the rust off the grates and oil them up. If you want you can put some foil down too. Next time dont burn them clean on your gasser, just give them a good scrapping. The oil and grease from the food helps keep the grates from rusting, and gives a little extra flavor to the next food that you cook!

Windy City Smokers

 

[George Curtis]

take a wire wheel to them. will clean right up. always leave the grills oiled as mentioned. i burn my grills clean before i cook. no rust.

 

[Shawn W]

My grates started to rust after they got scrubbed so much with a green scrubby the coating wore off. I need new ones. For now I do them on the gasser with a wire brush, but like Tim is getting at I don't burn them 'dry', just get the worst off and leave them looking a little wet.

 

[Bryan S]

If you burn off the grates over too high heat it will burn the plating off the grate, and if you leave your grates outside in the WSM they will rust sooner or later, been there done that. I've been using the same top cooking grate for 4+ years now and I soak it in hot soapy (Dawn) water for a few hrs, or overnight then use a very stiff brush to get all the gunk off. Rinse and hang up in the garage to dry and till the next use. I have several 100 cooks on that grate and not a spec of rust to be found. Chuck the rusty grate, and start over.

 

[r benash]

Starting to see rust, but keeping it at bay. Basically after starting to sear steaks over the chimney. It gets hot enough (grate gets cherry red) to burn off the plating.

So be aware if you use this technique with the standard food grate. You'll need to be diligent to keep the rust from taking over. Clean right away, light oil and keep it out of the grill when not in use as Bryan says.

Or - pick up a stainless version from Weber. That would solve the problem I suppose.

I may just pick up a stainless and keep this one for over the chimney cooks for steaks. But it still seems to have plenty of life left if I keep after it.