How to "clean" smoker grates?

[WeberWho]

What's the best way to knock down crud on my smoker grates? I'm not necessarily looking for the full deep clean but more less to get me by for my next cook. I can't run any outdoor water or a pressure washer with it being winter here in MN. I'd knock the grates down with a brush but I've been hearing horror stories with people ingesting bristles and having emergency surgeries.

Any recommendations for bristleless brushes or some other tool that might help me out? Thanks!

 

[kingjman]

Few ways I use....I'm also in MN....and cleaning cold grates obviously not as easy...I try to clean after cooks.

Don't use the bristles...but use the half circle on the end of cheapie tool to scrape clean....sometimes just top of grate...sometimes both sides. Usually only takes a minute or two. Set grates on charcoal chimney to burn off crud, or torch the welded pinch points.

Usually hit the grates again with paper towel after warmed up.

 

[BBQ Freak]

I clean mine still with the metals ones when the grates are still hot from the last cook but then come back over them with a rag and then wipe them down real good .

 

[cajunrph]

For years I've used a ball of Aluminum foil. Works just fine. Turn the grate over and hit the back side. Most the time I don't even do that. There's wood scrapers and other options. In the end the humble wad of foil stands at the head of the class. It will form itself to the grate just like the wooden ones. Only within a few passes. Unlike the wood which takes multiple uses. You can even use repurposed foil.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A6013 using Tapatalk

 

[Mike Twangzer]

Would a weed burner work ?

 

[BBQ Freak]

Would a weed burner work ?

it will but do not want to get to hot or it will warp your grates and made that mistake one time but you will also need to re-season afterword with pam again .

 

[WilliamKY]

Second aluminum foil. Get the cooker heated up and scrub the grate with crumpled up foil.

 

[Nuco59]

My grates are expando- they will shred balls of foil so I still use the metal brushes. I hit them first with a weed burner (not too hot - BBQ Freak is so right)- go over with a brush and then a wipe down with an oily cloth.

 

[twatsonr1]

Paint scraper will knock off most of the crud.

 

[Rusty Kettle]

If you replace your brush when it starts to get funny you won't have an issue. I use cheap bristle brushes all the time. Foil I have tried and it comes apart easy. I would use heavy duty foil if you go that route. Paint scraper is a good option if you don't want to risk a bristle brush.

To clean my 270 Smoker Sumo I run to 325 on reverse flow and use a dry water pan then when it gets to temp fill the water pan up and let it run for a bit. This loosens up the crud and scrapes off easily. Its not perfect imo but it gets it clean between cooks.
Deep cleaning is a bit more involved. I soak my grates in a vinegar and water mix after scraping. I then rub the grates in a baking soda and water paste and then rinse them off. Then I oil the grates and bake them in the oven at 350 degrees for a few hours until they have a nice coating. Olive oil works much better than vegetable oil imo. No sense wasting charcoal to reseason grates. Just bake them in the oven.

 

[ATucker]

I ise a bathroom scrubber similar to this:

https://www.amazon.com/Scotch-Brite...ocphy=9010764&hvtargid=pla-378862928788&psc=1

The cleaning head is replacable as needed.

 

[Smoke Dawg]

I use a bristleless brush

There are many out there like this

https://www.amazon.com/Kona-Safe-Cl...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=JEV6JS1A30C46QED1JM8

 

[dadsr4]

Maybe one of these chain mail CI scrubbers?

 

[Maylar]

I use a bristleless brush

There are many out there like this

https://www.amazon.com/Kona-Safe-Cl...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=JEV6JS1A30C46QED1JM8

Thanks. I ordered one.

 

[NickTheGreat]

I keep clean-ish used foil and use that.

I do have one of those "stones" with a handle that works well on my Weber Gasser. But mostly foil.

 

[dadsr4]

 

[KClandcruiser]

Maybe one of these chain mail CI scrubbers?

I bet that would work well. I use one of those for all of my cast iron pans and dutch ovens and it works great

 

[seakuv]

DADSR4 - that's what I do with the Weber grill - my two four leggers love grill cleanup time while the chimney of charcoal is getting started and then a few minutes over a hot fire sanitizes things. :thumb:

 

[sleebus.jones]

Now I know you guys don't like brushes, but I've had really good luck with this one holding onto its bristles:

https://www.weber.com/US/en/accessories/care/grill-brushes/6493.html

They're wound into the wire support so they don't come out. The cheap plastic ones get soft in the heat when you clean a hot grill, and that's why the bristles fall out. Lasts for years.

If you really don't like bristles, there's this one with a tornado brush:

https://www.amazon.com/Kona-Safe-Clean-Grill-Brush/dp/B01MYC1C2D

 

[qnbiker]

+1 for the Weber brush.