OT - How would you clean these grills/grates?

[Mcgyver]

lol.....its different every time

[Planeman41]

Spray with oven cleaner, wait fifteen minutes, then wash off with a hose. Oven cleaner is made for that kind of stuff. Contains lye, don't breathe, protect skin if you are the sensitive type. This is the obvious answer, I'm surprised that no one has mentioned it.

[MattiJ]

Lye is nasty stuff and you still have to dispose of the waste.

Dispose? Isn't that just cheap grade drain cleaner after you have used it to clean the grate

And yes, lye is nasty stuff so you better not splash it on your face and eyes. Face mask strongly recommended.

[A.K. Boomer]

Keep it simple: put them in the kitchen oven if it has a self cleaning cycle.

Me thinks that could be way too complicated when the Bride gets home and says "what's that smell permeating from my drapes and carpets"

fire pit em.

[challenger]

Well you see, this is what happens when you pick a fight with an enemy you know nothing about. Rule #1: when you pick a fight know your enemy well enough to know you can win.
These grates are for a cook from here. [URL] https://www.avalonbarbecueco.com/about[ /URL]. Award winning team, "Philly pig". Nuff said unless you have some hardware to show the walk???
Anyway, now that my light work is out of the way[emoji12] what I ended up doing is cleaning up the yard. A byproduct of which was a few 55 gallon burn barrel full of dry pine cones. Set them ablaze and dropped the grates into the inferno. Once cooled I blasted them with the pressure washer which I had out in order to wash the house that was coated in our annual yellow pine pollen dust. The pine tree is SE NC, and elsewhere I am sure, put out yellow pine pollen for weeks. It started a month or more ago and is just now nearing the end. The stuff gets everywhere. Almost like sheetrock dust IYKWIM.
It sticks to the siding and to the porch ceilings. Then the mold feeds on it and makes a blackish stain. A real PIA.
Anyway I am trying to kill the grill bird along with the spring cleaning bird.
So seasoning the grates is a waste of time huh? I guess because the grates become way too hot while in use and the coating burns off??? Saves me a lot of time knowing this. Thanks

agreed. what won't come off with a wire brush isn't worth worrying about.....spend the time you'll save trying to de-throne me on best bbq sauce ever

Galaxy S4, Slimkat
If I wasn't married I'd quit fishing

[Mcgyver]

didn't know anyone was picking a fight.

With all the respect due to someone called the Philly Pig, (who'd want to fight the Philly Pig lol) it still seems its a waste of time if they are grates as I understand the meaning of the word, as in something other cookware sites on top of it. What does seasoning accomplish?

[challenger]

didn't know anyone was picking a fight.

With all the respect due to someone called the Philly Pig, (who'd want to fight the Philly Pig lol) it still seems its a waste of time if they are grates as I understand the meaning of the word, as in something other cookware sites on top of it. What does seasoning accomplish?

I was 100% joking as I'm sure you know. It is my understanding that the BBQ crowd is VERY passionate about the art of meats so, along with that passion, trash talk is part and parcel.
I must admit that this is my personal ASSumption. I have no dog in the BBQ fight (well maybe that's actually Chinese food???) due to the fact that I'm allergic to mammalian meat. This comes from getting bit by many ticks and chiggers I am told. Therefore red meat causes an anaphylaxis reaction that is bad news. I must say I really miss ribs, hamburgers, bacon, corned beef and tenderloin. Other than those I never ate a lot of the of meat anyway [emoji16].
As far as the seasoning goes I thought that a good coating would prevent the type of gnarly build up that I just burnt off?? After reading your post about it being a waste of time I figured the direct flame to the grate would just bake the coating off???
Here are the post inferno grates. Not a speck of precious owner grease.
Yup, I think they look great! Sorry, I had to[emoji2]

Galaxy S4, Slimkat
If I wasn't married I'd quit fishing

[Mcgyver]

i actually wasn't sure if you were kidding, my bad. I'm just doing the food thing for fun, i'll have to get more trash talk in my repertoire

they came out well.....too bad about the red meat. I put a new kitchen in a year or two ago and have been really getting into cooking. I'll be a beginner for a very long time but I try to challenge myself. lots of fun.....and it comes with some great approbation from the rest of the house.....vs the machining creations which likely range from "he's nuts" to "at least he's not in my hair".

[garyhlucas]

We use lye, caustic, sodium hydroxide every day as we build waste treatment plants. It is extremely dangerous for your eyes. One drop in your eye and you very likely will be blind, no second chance and WAY worse than an acid. In any event please feel free to put it in the sewer as the nutrient removal we are required to do always requires us to raise the pH using caustic or other source of alkalinity.

[challenger]

Yes the Lye intimidated me. I am not the most careful person however I was intimidated enough to wear all the proper protection. I didn't get good results but I'm sure that was due to mixing it too weak. It's is $14.00 a quart for the crystal dry n cleaner. It claims to be 100% Lye. I was trying to stretch it and even soaking for two days was not better than oven cleaner.

Galaxy S4, Slimkat
If I wasn't married I'd quit fishing

[Puckdropper]

Okay, the gauntlet has been thrown, fess up that recipe.

Darn, I was hoping you were in Missouri or similar, so we could meet in the middle (I'm in IL) and have a taste test! I'd even be willing to offer a propane grill and a fire pit for cooking of meat. I've got a tripod with cooking grate that does a fine job holding food over the heat.

[Willy]

Well I can testify to doing a fine job holding onto a cocktail while standing next to the heat.
Looks like all we need is some bus tickets and some dead critter parts! LOL

[Black Forest]

Whereas the grates are clean I will post what I think to be the funniest BBQ story I have ever read or heard. Sorry if it is too long for some of you old farts!

Notes from an inexperienced Chili taster named Frank, who was visiting Texas from the East Coast:

Recently I was honoured to be selected as an outstanding famous celebrity in Texas, to be a judge at a Chili cook-off, because no one else wanted to do it. Also the original person called in sick at the last moment, and I happened to be standing there at the judge's table asking for directions to the beer wagon when the call came. I was assured by the other two judges (Native Texans) that the chili wouldn't be all that spicy, and besides, they told me that I could have free beer during the tasting. So I accepted.

Here are the scorecards from the event:

CHILI # 1: MIKE'S MANIC MONSTER CHILI

JUDGE ONE: A little to heavy on tomato. Amusing kick.

JUDGE TWO: Nice, smooth tomato flavour. Very mild.

FRANK: Holy ****, what the hell is this stuff? You could remove dried paint from your driveway with this stuff. I needed two beers to put the flames out. Hope that's the worst one. Those Texans are crazy.

CHILI # 2: ARTHUR'S AFTERBURNER CHILI

JUDGE ONE: Smokey, with a hint of pork. Slight Jalapeno tang.

JUDGE TWO: Exciting BBQ flavour. Needs more peppers to be taken seriously.

FRANK: Keep this out of reach of children! I'm not sure what I am supposed to taste besides pain. I had to wave of two people who wanted to give me the Heimlich manoeuvre. They had to walkie-talkie in three extra beers when they saw the look on my face.

CHILI # 3: FRED'S FAMOUS BURN DOWN THE BARN CHILI

JUDGE ONE: Excellent firehouse chili! Great kick. Needs more beans.

JUDGE TWO: A beanless chili. A bit salty. Good use of red peppers.

FRANK: Call the EPA, I've located a uranium spill. My nose feels like I have been snorting Drano. Everyone knows the routine by now. Barmaid pounded me on the back; now my backbone is in the front part of my chest. I'm getting ****-faced.

CHILI # 4: BUBBA'S BLACK MAGIC

JUDGE ONE: Black Bean chili with almost no spice. Disappointing.

JUDGE TWO: Hint of lime in the black beans. Good side dish for fish or other mild foods. Not much of a chili.

FRANK: I felt something scraping across my tongue, but was unable to taste it. Sally, the barmaid, was standing behind me with fresh refills; that 300 lb bitch is starting to look HOT, just like this nuclear-waste I'm eating.

CHILI # 5: LINDA'S LEGAL LIP REMOVER

JUDGE ONE: Meaty, strong chili. Cayenne peppers freshly ground, adding considerable kick. Very impressive.

JUDGE TWO: Chili using shredded beef; could use more tomato. Must admit the cayenne peppers make a strong statement.

FRANK: My ears are ringing, and I can no linger focus my eyes. I farted and four people behind me needed paramedics. The contestant seemed offended when I told her that her chili had given me brain damage. Sally saved my tongue from bleeding by pouring beer directly from a pitcher onto it. It really pisses me off that the other judges asked me to stop screaming. Freakin' Rednecks! ! !

CHILI # 6: VERA'S VERY VEGETARIAN VARIETY

JUDGE ONE: Thin yet bold vegetarian variety chili. Good balance of spice and peppers.

JUDGE TWO: The best yet. Aggressive use of peppers, onions and garlic.

FRANK: My intestines are now a straight pipe filled with gaseous, sulphuric flames. No one seems inclined to stand behind me except that slut Sally. I need to wipe my ass with a snow cone!

CHILI # 7: SUSAN'S SCREAMING SENSATION CHILI

JUDGE ONE: A mediocre chili with too much reliance on canned peppers.

JUDGE TWO: Ho Hum. Tastes as if the chef literally threw in a can of chili peppers at the last moment. I should note that I am worried about Judge # 3.

FRANK: You could put a #)$^@#*&! Grenade in my mouth, pull the #)$^@#*&! pin, and I wouldn't feel a damn thing. I've lost the sight in one eye, and the world sounds like it is made of rushing water. My shirt is covered with chili, which slid unnoticed out of my X*$(@#^&$ mouth. My pants are full of lava-like ****, to match my X*$(@#^&$ shirt. At least the during the autopsy they'll know what killed me. I've decided to stop breathing, it's too painful. I'm not getting any oxygen anyway. If I need air, I'll just suck it in through the four inch hole in my stomach.

CHILI # 8: HELEN'S MOUNT SAINT CHILI

JUDGE ONE: A perfect ending. This is a nice blend chili, safe for all; not too bold, but spicy enough to declare its existence.

JUDGE TWO: This final entry is a good balanced chili, neither mild now hot. Sorry to see that most of it was lost when Judge # 3 passed out, fell and pulled the chili pot on top of himself. Not sure if he's going to make it. Poor Yank.

FRANK: - - - - - Mama?- - - (Editor's Note: Judge # 3 was unable to report).

[Georgineer]

Rather than mess about seasoning the grids and grates with vegetable oil, I would use one of the traditional graphite based grate and stove polishes (Zebrite, Hotspot...) applied with an old toothbrush and a rag, or just plain graphite powder brushed well into the surface. It would make them look very smart, and on the areas which don't get hot enough to burn it off I think it should act as a release coating for the food spatter. Regularly applied, it might help to prevent the food build-up in future.

George

[Glug]

Rather than mess about seasoning the grids and grates with vegetable oil, I would use one of the traditional graphite based grate and stove polishes (Zebrite, Hotspot...) applied with an old toothbrush and a rag, or just plain graphite powder brushed well into the surface.

Interesting. Didn't know about those. That uniformity could be very useful. My Grandfather was recently insisting he had some Coal Stove Polish in the basement. We were unable to locate it.

Regarding the burn off. The parts, once stripped, should have some kind of protection applied to prevent rust, and hopefully make them easier to clean in the future. Ideally any oil 'seasoning' on the parts would first be slowly polymerized. Then it would be converted to carbon. That would have good resistance to burn-off.