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Cleaning grill grates in oven?

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comfrank

Knows what a fatty is.
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I'm pretty good about cleaning the grates of my grills and smokers after use, but over time there is a build up on the bottom of the grates, in between the rungs, and in the corners where it's hard to get the wire brush into. So, my grates are due for a thorough cleaning. Anyone see anything wrong with putting them in the oven and using the self-cleaning cycle?

I've got two different kinds--steel (?) grates from my OK Joe Bandera-style smoker, and cast iron grates from my BBQ Galore Bar-B-Chef. In fact I think Alton Brown suggested using the oven for these specific cast iron grates.

Downsides?

Thanks,
--frank in Wilson, NY
 
one of the joys of having a gas grill is that i use it to clean all the grates from my smoker and other griills. just fire it up on hi, close the lid and enjoy the smell. after a little while i open her up, and hit the grates with a wire brush. you may need to reseason the cast iron grates if you get them too hot. the one problem with this method is it smells so good the neighbors all show up thinking i'm cooking something. you can do this in your oven (provided it gets hot enough), but you ae gonna get a lot of smoke if there's any kind of build-up.
 
RichardF said:
one of the joys of having a gas grill is that i use it to clean all the grates from my smoker and other griills.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's the only thing I use my gas grill for anymore. Dunno about using an oven though, it sure kicks off a lot of smoke if I have a lot of build-up, seems to me it would smoke out your kitchen.
I was thinking about your exact question when I was contemplating getting rid of the gasser to make room on my deck. I'm holding on to it for now just so I can clean my grates. I'll be curious to hear how others clean their grates without gassers.
 
I just throw a bunch of hickory in the pit and throw the grates on top. Fire cleanses all and hickory burns hot.
 
comfrank said:
I'm pretty good about cleaning the grates of my grills and smokers after use, but over time there is a build up on the bottom of the grates, in between the rungs, and in the corners where it's hard to get the wire brush into. So, my grates are due for a thorough cleaning. Anyone see anything wrong with putting them in the oven and using the self-cleaning cycle?

I've got two different kinds--steel (?) grates from my OK Joe Bandera-style smoker, and cast iron grates from my BBQ Galore Bar-B-Chef. In fact I think Alton Brown suggested using the oven for these specific cast iron grates.

Downsides?

Thanks,
--frank in Wilson, NY
Click to expand...

I remember seeing that. Its worth a shot. My cast iron grates have never seen the oven but they are rusting. Im thinking about getting dimensions and seeing if there are replacement grates in SS at lowes/hd
kris
 
hit them with the weedburner or place them ontop of the chimney starter when lighting coals.
 
I also throw them on my gasser and fired it up, wire brush and some oil. Of course I really don't clean them that often, after a smoke i wire bursh them down and let it go at that.
 
I don't recommend the oven method. Did it once and smoked up the whole house. Once you start the self cleaning cycle, you can't stop it. I've gotten into the habit of breaking down the WSM and putting the grates on top of the remaining coals once cooking is done. Follow that up with a quick hit with the wire brush and we're ready for the next cook.
 
OK so this is weird. I was at the doctor's yesterday reading one of the home owner type magazines and this little article attracts my eye. It was a retraction from the magazine that had offered the advice of cleaning your BBQ grates in the self cleaning oven. Apparently many self cleaning ovens can't be opened and stopped once the process begins. The house would fill with smoke and it was a mess. The magazine was apologizing for the advice.
 
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