Grill Grates vs Cast Grates vs Griddle for Ribeyes.

How hot do you run the griddle? Have you tried the reverse sear method?

Grill Grates work well....or you can flip the Grill Grates over and use the surface like a griddle.

Cast grates require a little more upkeep. YMMV.

FWIW I'd rather use a cast iron pan than cast iron grates.

Of the choices I'd pick the standard Stainless grates and a solid steel or cast iron griddle. You don't need the griddle, but if you're reverse searing it's hands down the best way to get a hard sear quickly. If you're having trouble with too much char with your griddle then consider the reverse sear method where you slowly cook the steak on the stock grate until it hits the desired internal temp (rare, med-rare etc), then pull the steak off and open the fire wide open with the griddle. Once the griddle is reading 600F+ with a laser themo drop your steaks on to get your sear. It's called "reverse sear" b/c you sear at the end.

Grill Grates are too thin & wimpy to pump out and maintain the same level of heat as thick steel or cast iron. I think they're great if you're stuck with a pellet cooker but if you're cooking over live fire there's much better options.

Cast Iron grates just burn in grill marks before the spaces between the grates have enough time to properly sear. Plus they rust. You don't want grill marks, you want an even sear over the entire surface. Leave the grill marks to Applebea's.

Obviously this is all my personal opinion.

Hands down, GrillGrates produce the best ribeyes.

I like the flat side of grill grates, but the ridged side just burns lines into steak instead of develop a nice Maillard sear. I have wide/flat cast iron grates for my Primo and can’t get a great sear with them even at lower temps like 400-450*

I do like GG for beef filets and delicate things like fish though, I think their soft mouth feel benefits from the lesser outside crust that you get from ridge size up GG.

I vote grill grates

I welded some 8x8 steel grates from1x1x3/16 angle and they work great. I don't need to find a hot zone every time I turn or flip like I do with aluminum grates.

I used grill grates on several pellet grills and tried a bit over charcoal, but in the end I like an all over sear much better than a few pretty lines from grill grates. That being said, because of less char with grill grates, I think I can taste the seasonings a bit more at times


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

4ever3 said:

I vote grill grates

Click to expand...

What is it you love about them? Not trying to pick a fight, but your picture proves the point of burnt grill marks and underdeveloped browning between them. May as well used a curling iron.

shares said:

I welded some 8x8 steel grates from1x1x3/16 angle and they work great. I don't need to find a hot zone every time I turn or flip like I do with aluminum grates.

Click to expand...

This! I use a 1/2" thick baking steel and there's literally no measurable drop in heat no matter what I throw at it. It's a beast.

SonVolt said:

What is it you love about them? Not trying to pick a fight, but your picture proves the point of burnt grill marks and underdeveloped browning between them. May as well used a curling iron.

Click to expand...

So ya wanna fight big boy ? :razz:


Exactly what gtsum said... They give you the char taste along with the unchared (is that even a word) seasoning.

That being said, if I want crust over the entire surface I’ll flip them over and use the griddle side...

Different strokes for my different moods. I may be in manopause dontcha know!

“May as well use a curling iron.” Sentence of the week!

Call me crazy, but I have gone from searing on thick steel rods back to the classic expanded metal grates to expose the maximize amount of the meat to the coals. I think I read about it years ago from Meathead.

View attachment 182060
View attachment 182059

I'm a fan of the grill grates as well, but I find myself cooking them on the flat side more than the raised side.

I also still roll with the cast iron/stainless steel pan depending on my mood. Tonight I am cooking some eye of ribeye SRF Wagyu Black, and they will be cooked in a cast iron skillet/pan on my outdoor kitchen burner for a good sear and butter braise and then into my Memphis at 400 degrees to finish.