Clean Grill Grates

Whether your grill is charcoal or gas, the grates need to be cleaned properly on a regular basis. Cooking on clean grill grates will improve the taste of your food, minimize food safety hazards, make clean-up easier, and extend the useful life of your grill.

Steps

Cleaning Charcoal Grill Grates

  1. Brush away any loose food particles left on the grilling grate with a brass grill brush while the grill is still warm, but after the coals have died out.
  2. Rinse the grilling grate completely and leave the grill uncovered so the grate can dry thoroughly.
  3. Remove the cold ashes from the bottom of the grill to prevent them from retaining moisture, which can cause the grill grates to rust prematurely and interfere with airflow the next time you use the grill.

Cleaning Gas Grill Grates

  1. Turn the flame on "low" as soon as you remove the food from the grill. Brush the grill grate with a brass wire grill brush for about 10 seconds to remove any large food particles.
  2. Turn the grill to the "high" setting until the smoke stops to burn off any remaining food residue.
  3. Turn off the burners.
  4. Brush the grill grates clean with a brass wire grill brush.
  5. Spray the grill grates liberally with vegetable oil to loosen any food particles that may still be stuck on the grate. Once loosened by the oil, the particles will fall below the grate and will be burned the next time the grill is turned on.

Tips

  • If the grill grate is coated with porcelain, be sure that you only use a brass bristle brush to clean it. Do not scrape porcelain-coated grill grates with the scraper that is attached to most grill brushes because it may damage the coating.
  • Baste and marinade food with vinegar, citrus juice, or soy-based sauce mixtures to make grill clean-up easier.
  • For a heavy-duty deep clean, wrap the grill grate completely with heavy-duty aluminum foil, covering the grate tightly with the shiny side of the foil facing out. Place the grate on a heated grill for 15 to 30 minutes, depending on how heavy the build-up is. Once the grate cools, remove the foil. If there are any food particles remaining, they can be removed with a wire brush and warm, soapy water.
  • Use a wet, soapy fine-grade steel wool pad, applying slight pressure, for a more thorough grill grate cleaning.
  • Store your grill grate cleaning tools near the grill to make quick and easy grate cleanups a regular part of your grilling routine.
  • Be sure read the owner's manual for specific cleaning instructions for your grill. If you don't have the manual, you may be able to find it online at the grill manufacturer's website.
  • Apply tomato-based barbecue sauces during the last few minutes before the food is removed in order to minimize clean-up.

Warnings

  • In order to avoid the risk of being burned, do not attempt to clean grill grates over very hot coals.
  • Food left on grilling grates can become a breeding ground for harmful bacteria that could contaminate food later.

Things You'll Need

  • Brass wire grill brush
  • Fine steel wool pads, embedded with soap
  • Mild dish washing liquid
  • Clean sponge or rag
  • Stainless steel wire brush (for gas grill)
  • Plastic scraper (for gas grill)
  • 1-inch (2.54 cm) putty knife (for gas grill)
  • Fitted foil catch pan liners (for gas grill)
  • Spray vegetable oil (for gas grill)

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

You may like

Retrieved from "https://kipkis.com/index.php?title=Clean_Grill_Grates&oldid=278098"