Care of Cast Iron Grills

[grampyskids]

I have always brushed of my cast iron grill plates after each use. In my next cook, I wipe them with a little oil. Basically I treat them like my cast iron pans. I understand that some people wash them after every use. So tell me what do you do to treat cast iron?

 

[caveman]

http://www.kitchenemporium.com/info/castiron.html

 

[justpassingthru]

That is what I do with mine, I have a Weber Genesis E310 and the directions say to preheat to 500°, but I only go to 350°-400°, but even at those temps the cast iron is dry and any oil that was left is burned off, then I oil or rub a piece of fat on them and then grill.

Gene

 

[ak1]

I never wash them. I just give them a good brushing and oil prior to use.

 

[hdsmoke]

I never wash mine either. But some people were adament about washing on another thread on this subject a couple weeks ago. That at smoking temps you are not disinfecting anything. I suppose thats right. So, i started throwing mine in the gasser for a few mins before i smoke while the smokers heating up. Then either spray with pam or rub with fat and smoke.

 

[jcurrier]

grampyskids- I have had the cast iron grates on my Weber gas grill for at least 5 years. I have never washed, brushed oil, or cleaned them with the exception of using the grill brush once they get hot. Once a season I take a putty knife and clean the edges real well and scrape any extra stuff off. Never had an issue with sticking or rust. Maybe because they are on a gasser and the get quite hot each cook. I have upwards of 75 antique Griswald and Wagner pans that I use on a regular basis and those get a quick cleaning and rub with crisco after each use.

 

[warthog]

I never wash mine. Just clean em off with a grill brush and wipe on some cooking oil.

 

[olewarthog]

I never wash mine either. After a cook, I'm usually ready to eat. When my belly gets full, I get pretty darn lazy. It's usually the day after before I go back & clean the smoker. I heat up my grates on my gasser then brush off the burnt food particles. While they are still warm, I wipe them good with a paper towel soaked in cooking oil I also spay the inside of the cooking chamber hood with oil. If I see any rust on the SFB where the paint has cooked off, I brush that down real good & wipe that with oil as well. I used PAM for a couple of time, but that gets expensive. I bought a cheap trigger type spray bottle & I use inexpensive cooking oil or bacon grease (that stuff is free).

 

[mike91mr]

Nothing prevents rust like caked on BBQ sauce...

If I notice the gunk is really starting to build up, I'll use some heat to burn it off right before I cook, but other than that, I never clean my cast iron grates.

 

[mballi3011]

I just run the heat up and then brush it and then a good coat of oil and let's go grillin.

 

[5lakes]

With my cast iron grates, I use a stiff nylon scrubber. I haven't had the smoker long enough to really do much more than that. If I do need to take them off and give them a really good cleaning, I would do it the same as my cast iron pans and dutch ovens. Hot water, nylon scrubby, thin coat of olive oil, good to go.

No soap, since that would take off the patina and require them to be seasoned again.

 

[glgoodwin]

So the smoker doesn't get hot enough to kill the bacteria on the grill but it does get hot enough to kill the harmful bacteria in chicken? Doesn't make sense to me.

I simply brush and oil... But to each there own. If we all had the same ideas the world would be boring and no new fattie reciepes would ever come about... Like the happy McFattie for example

 

[hdsmoke]

I agree....and didnt get it either. but it was one of those things that made me thing

But, sometimes you do get some grease/lard sticking around on the grates. I would guess that if that sits around for a while in the heat (sunlight heat) it can get a little gnarley. On the other hand i never worried about it before with no ill-effects. So i can go either way on the bacteria issue.

ETA...here was the reply in another thread i was thinking about. I was off base on the bacteria issue...it was another reason:

From the thread here

 

[timberjet]

Geez this thread made me remember that I have not used my propane grill for quite some time since I am totally addicted the the smoker now. I just looked in there and to my horror the cast iron grills are all rusted up in the center. I will be paying some much needed attention to this today!