To clean or not to clean?

[nucleargeek]

This is a debated topic among my family and friends. After cooking your latest side of beef or pork in your cooker, do you clean and scrape your grill grates and side walls or should you let the drippings stay for the next time. Some say not cleaning just adds to the flavor, others say it's just plain nasty and means you're too lazy to do it. Have seen it done both ways, and to be honest....didn't change much of anything in my opinion. Can you guys help put this topic to rest so I can stop hearing about it. FYI....i do scrape and clean my grill grates, but not the sidewalls.

 

[brdbbq]

Grates yea walls no. That's good seasoning. IMO

 

[jt]

I try to throw the grates into the firebox after I'm done or as I'm preheating for the next smoke. Then just quickly run a grill scrub or brush over them to remove anything else. I've brushed the walls a couple times if stuff is peeling or anything. Other than that I leave them alone.

 

[parrothead]

I leave em alone for the most part, but once in awhile I just have to get out the pressure washer and go nuts. If you do this however,make sure you get a fire going, even a small one to evaporate all of the water in it.

 

[chad]

I clean the grates in my smokers. Hot soapy water and scrubby. Only knock the big chunks off the walls and lids if it starts peeling.

The big cookers get a preheat and wirebrushing - occassionally swing by the car wash and pressure clean the grates.

Spray and wire brush the grates on the grills while still hot and maybe again when heating up for the next cookout.

 

[Bellybro]

Clean the grates. Only the walls if chunks are peeling off.

Like Dave, run the large cookers by the carwash to clean the outside.

And a lesson learned from experience, if you get water inside start a fire to evaporate it!!!

 

[BBQchef33]

In the klose pits, the expanded steel grates get preheated and wirebrushed, anything else that gets them to clean makes em rust. Inside the pit will get an occasional quick hosing down after heating it up. Nothing that will remove the seasoning though, just enough to remove loose stuff and globs.

 

[nucleargeek]

Thanks guys.....i thought that would be the case.

 

[Hoorenga]

It would be my humble opinnion (inexperienced as it is) that the smoke from burning grease is not a desirable adjunct to good BBQ. It does add to the seasoning and rust resistance of the metal, so I'm with everyone else on this one. Reminds me of some one in this area (who shall remain anonomous) who had a BBQ operation. People raved about her Q. Our department hired her to do a picnic BBQ for us. They used a variety of cooking containers including several garbage cans. They cooked with the lids on. Sort of a half BBQ, half grilling situation. I had no issue with the garbage cans (great idea) but they started their charcoal with copious quantities of fire starting fluid and the only smoke they applied came from the grease dripping off of the chickens on to the hot coals. The taste was awful but suprisingly enough most people enjoyed it.

 

[chad]

Hope the garbage cans were beat up and rusted - otherwise - the zinc in the GALVANIZING should have added great flavor and carcinogens!! If they were preburned it shouldn't have been a problem.

 

[Hoorenga]

S#@t that's right. Never gave it a second thought at the time. I have seen people use garbage cans for cold smokers but that is a different story.