GrillGrate Review with a Couple Big Ribeyes!

[JMSetzler]

Product Review: GrillGrate - YouTube

I couldn't wait to get my hands on a set of the GrillGrates! These things are awesome and I believe they will be my new go-to grilling surface... Those sear marks blow away anything I have ever come up with on the cast iron grates....

[chrisnjenn]

Thanks for the review. I got the same one as you. I bought mine at the 2010 Eggtoberfest and the owner, Brad, was there showing them off. Great guy. I absolutely love this product and it blows away all my other cast iron grates (I have a Craycort also-also regular ones). Not even close.

I recently added another section to it. Now I have 4 sections and it cover my Weber Q 320 perfectly.

I highly recommend these.

[troytime]

the area between the marks looks gray and boring.

i might have to buy one just to do a taste test. i'm skeptical on the flavor side, i really think that the fat dripping down into the coals is what makes the steak.

[The_Kapn]

the area between the marks looks gray and boring.

i might have to buy one just to do a taste test. i'm skeptical on the flavor side, i really think that the fat dripping down into the coals is what makes the steak.

Actually, the fat drips onto the channels in the grate and is vaporized back into the meat.
Wonderful taste with outstanding appearance.

I LUV my Grill Grates.

TIM

[chrisnjenn]

Everyone that owns them loves them. Never heard otherwise.

[troytime]

anyone willing to loan me one for a week?
i'll pay shipping :)

[swamprb]

Great review!

Glad you showed them on various grills, because they really do make a difference.

When I first saw them at a comp, I laughed them off as a gimmick, but a guy next to us was grilling stuffed Pork chops direct on a Weber kettle for a side category, I was amazed at the grill marks and how the Grill Grates performed.

Gary's BBQ Supply (bingo) hooked me up with a couple sets and I basically chucked my cast iron grates! I just got the 4pack from the recent Groupon deal and now I have them on the Genesis, Q200, Performer and a BGE. They rock!

[GrillNewbie]

I would like to give them a shot on my gas Weber 310. I personally like the way my steaks turn out on my KJ. No room for improvement there.

[JMSetzler]

Gary's BBQ Supply (bingo) hooked me up with a couple sets and I basically chucked my cast iron grates! I just got the 4pack from the recent Groupon deal and now I have them on the Genesis, Q200, Performer and a BGE. They rock!


My cast iron grates for the Weber Kettle are probably going to find a new home...

[cowgirl]

I use mine for fish. Really like the way the grillgrates keep the delicate fish from falling through the cooking grates. The special spatula lifts the fish with out breaking it apart.

I use the flat side too for pita bread and tortillas. :thumb:

[Sunra]

Love the sear marks but I'm wondering how is the cleanup? It seems that it would be a PITA to clean between the channels.

[chrisnjenn]

Easy to clean. The tool it comes with makes it a snap to clean.

[JMSetzler]

The fork spatula will let you scrape a good bit of the 'crud' out of the channels, but what I'll be doing is that and also letting the grill run up to about 600 degrees when the cook is finished to simply burn it out...

[Big Bears BBQ]

Pretty cool ....

[Foxfire]

I like using them on my Weber kettle for reverse searing. You can set up a fairly low-temp fire to slowly bring a steak up to about 15 or 20 degrees below desired serving temp using indirect heating with your meat on the grill's cooking grate, then do a quick sear on the GrillGrates set up over the fire. Note that you'll need less searing time over the GrillGrates than you're used to if you've done the reverse sear before. (For a 130 medium rare steak I've been pulling off indirect at about 110 internal then about 60 second GrillGrate sear on each side and check temp).

I'm with Cowgirl, the backside is also great for getting a flat sear on burgers for a nice, even brownness. Last batch I made I even low and slow'd my burgers with a probe in them before searing!

Last neat trick from the GrillGrates site: Spray down your hot GrillGrates with a spray bottle to instantly steam-clean and sanitize.

[Smoothsmoke]

the area between the marks looks gray and boring.

i might have to buy one just to do a taste test. i'm skeptical on the flavor side, i really think that the fat dripping down into the coals is what makes the steak.

I agree with Troy. The grill marks look phenomenal, but not digging the greyish color of the rest of the meat. I'm assuming that has something to do with the grill grate itself. I rather have more color on my steaks and sacrifice the grill marks. I bet their is a way to get more color onto the steak?? The grill grate intrigues me but I'm still skeptical.

[chrisnjenn]

Mine are never grayish, but the perfect color. I'm assuming it is his camera. If someone is still skeptical after the dozens and dozens of threads praising the GrillGrates (from those who actually own one), then maybe you shouldn't buy one.

[Smoothsmoke]

Mine are never grayish, but the perfect color. I'm assuming it is his camera. If someone is still skeptical after the dozens and dozens of threads praising the GrillGrates (from those who actually own one), then maybe you shouldn't buy one.

You are wrong in assuming that I've read dozens and dozens of those threads.

[Foxfire]

I agree with Troy. The grill marks look phenomenal, but not digging the greyish color of the rest of the meat. I'm assuming that has something to do with the grill grate itself. I rather have more color on my steaks and sacrifice the grill marks. I bet their is a way to get more color onto the steak?? The grill grate intrigues me but I'm still skeptical.

See my previous comment -- starting with indirect cooking and then a reverse sear takes care of this. I suppose you could also pre-sear and then indirect cook up to temp, but I haven't done that with my own GGs yet.

Great vid!

[Smoothsmoke]

See my previous comment -- starting with indirect cooking and then a reverse sear takes care of this. I suppose you could also pre-sear and then indirect cook up to temp, but I haven't done that with my own GGs yet.

Great vid!

Thanks man, sounds like that would work! Also, thanks JM for the vid!

[troytime]

Mine are never grayish, but the perfect color. I'm assuming it is his camera. If someone is still skeptical after the dozens and dozens of threads praising the GrillGrates (from those who actually own one), then maybe you shouldn't buy one.

i rely on a lot more than reviews, and it's not because I don't trust you or the others :)

I've read hundreds and hundreds of recipes and reviews on beer can chicken being magically amazing - yet i know that the method has absolutely no positive effect.

I am naturally a skeptic, and I apologize for that.
I love food, and food science. I love exploring methods, techniques, equipments, and myths. I will buy these grill grates if no one will loan me one. I'll test it, and if I find that it does rock - i'll tell everyone.
If i find that it sucks, i'll tell everyone.

[Midnight Smoke]

so Cast Iron Grates are now * a thing of the past, I don't know. I like your review and it appears others agree, I am just not sold on them. What can these do other than cost money for something that Cast does as well, if used properly?

For all of you that are throwing your CI to the side, I would be happy to take it off your hands... Thanks JM!

[JMSetzler]

so Cast Iron Grates are now * a thing of the past, I don't know. I like your review and it appears others agree, I am just not sold on them. What can these do other than cost money for something that Cast does as well, if used properly?



Cast iron isn't a thing of the past. I still believe it's the best standard grilling surface out there. If they are maintained properly, they will last a lifetime and they do produce good grill marks.

I believe the GrillGrate not only produces better grill marks but it also produces a more even heating surface. Depending on what kind of grill you are cooking on, the GrillGrate also minimizes and attenuates flare-ups that can over-char your meat. They obviously aren't for everyone. No argument there. I just believe that in my grill cooking, this grilling surface will out perform what I have been using in the past.

[Bluebird]

You guys are getting me in trouble with the boss. When I see all the great items on here she says do you really need another thing for your grills:roll:, to which I reply it's a must have. But she really enjoys the food I cook for her so I guess I will keep her.

[BIG_JON_STUD]

I love mine and they are truly my go to grilling surface. Cleaning is not that much of a PITA if you saok them in hot soapy water for about an hour. The crud just comes with very little effort.

[Trumpstylz]

Did you cut the corners yourself?

[RW]

I will buy these grill grates if no one will loan me one. I'll test it, and if I find that it does rock - i'll tell everyone.
If i find that it sucks, i'll tell everyone.
:clap: How reviews should be done.:-D

[J-Rod]

They seem a little "As seen on tv"-ish to me. And correct me if I'm wrong but aren't they aluminum?

[Babyboomerboy]

I just have one word. "I really love my GrillGates a whole lot" The one word was "love":-D:-D:-D

Great report and video. Thanks for sharing

[GrillNewbie]

I just ordered a set of 4 GrillGrates. I'll cut the corners of two of the sheets for my Kamado and use all 4 on my gasser. Looking forward to trying these baby's.


Thanks for the review. :thumb:

[Foxfire]

They seem a little "As seen on tv"-ish to me. And correct me if I'm wrong but aren't they aluminum?

I thought that, too, but took advantage of the really good Groupon deal earlier this month. Here's what I can say, in my very limited experience.

Built well. Light weight because of the material but not at all un-sturdy.

Highly effective at collecting heat and transferring it up to the top rails.

As far as care and maintenance, think along the lines of cast iron. You want them to get dirty, black, and seasoned. Cleaning (insofar as stuck-on particles and sanitary cooking surface) is easily done if you put them on while your grill is heating up if you use a grill brush with a pad and steam-sterilize with a spray bottle.

I don't think of GGs as a "replacement" grilling surface. Maybe time and experience would change my mind, but I'd probably use them as a way to amplify the ability of a lower-temp fire to also sear. So apart from a kettle or even a propane cooker, I'd imagine that any smoker (offset, reverse flow, komodo) would really benefit from an instant "hot side".

Haven't done fish of any kind on my GGs yet but that might be a time when I'd grill exclusively over GGs instead of using them just as a searing tool.

You can cut down your sear time quite a bit when using GGs. My old method for Weber kettle rib eyes was this: 2 min sear at 10 o'clock orientation, then 2 min at 2 o'clock (to get diamond grill marks), flip for another 2 min sear, then move to indirect heat for 2 to 5 min of indirect cooking to get to 130-135 medium rare. With GGs, I can expect to cut that sear time from 2 min in each orientation to a minute or maybe 45 sec. They get that hot.

Using GGs gains you the advantage of diffused heat, like a diffuser plate. But the trade off is you loose the vaporized fat drippings that go into the fire. Pick your poison.

Probably wouldn't use on a UDS because it's already so easy to make those things go turbo for searing by just taking off the lid and moving meat from the outside of the grate to the middle. You often don't even need to open the bottom vents. But again, I haven't tried that yet.

My 2 cents (okay, about 44 cents) :becky: