how to restore cast iron grill grates
Apply another layer of vegetable oil to the grates. Restoring a Rusty Cast Iron Grill Grate. Cast iron grill grates conduct heat quickly and evenly, cooking and searing meat for that distinctive charbroiled flavor. Before you start, assemble all required materials: In a well-ventilated area, spray an even coating on your grates, place them inside garbage bags, and seal the bags air tight. Using a clean cloth or paper towel, lightly coat your grates using substances such as vegetable oil or olive oil. Cast iron grill grates age over time and need proper care to stay in good condition. Can I paint cast iron burners? Have you ever cooked with a cast iron grill grate in your backyard? Cast iron grill grates age over time and need proper care to stay in good condition. Continuously dip … See the guide How to Season Cast Iron Grates and Burners for more details. You’re looking to apply a thin film, not coat your grates heavily. Vinegar and Baking Soda Baking soda is an abrasive, which makes it a great substance to use to fight rust. A sure-fire way that’s been used to clean cast iron for years is to simply run it through your ovens self-clean cycle. Seasoning is simply the use of fat or oil that is baked into the pores of the cast iron at such a high heat that it polymerizes, forming a tough coating that prevents rust and forms a nonstick finish over time. I love cooking outdoors over live fire and smoke whatever the weather, using various grills, smokers, and wood-fired ovens to produce epic food. Place the oil-coated grill grates in the preheated oven or covered grill for 30 minutes. The vinegar will dissolve the rust, making scrubbing more effective. The oil should be coated on the grates, but it should not be dripping, as that could cause the oil to catch fire. Using paper towels and tongs, rub a thin coat of flaxseed oil, vegetable oil or shortening on the grill grates, using care to all sides of the grate. Scrub off as much as possible, and use a metal scraper to chip off large chunks if necessary. ? Cast iron is porous, and as meat cooks, its fats and oils soak into the pores where they harden. It cooks food evenly and is also an excellent option for those who are seeking lasting grilling equipment. This coating makes the cast iron non-stick and prevents rust build up. To clean yours, mix a solution of four parts water to one part apple cider vinegar. However, you may need to replace the grates if there is a large accumulation of rust that you can't remove or if the rust has eaten through large portions of the grate. If your sink is large enough to lay your grill grates flat you can simply soak them in vinegar to remove any rust. Using a dry cloth, wipe dry all the remaining moisture off your grates. Season Your Grates After Cleaning – This is Essential! The grates can usually be cleaned and restored. Use a baking soda solution to remove the grease You can try using a solution of baking soda if your grates are extremely dirty. The vinegar is not necessary unless the rust does not come off with the oil. While your grill is still warm, scrape the grates with a good grill brush. Wipe excess oil from the grates before returning them to the oven. After removing the grates, rinse thoroughly to remove any residual traces. Step 2: Clean the grates. The process is the same as with most cast iron, just follow these steps. If you leave the grates outdoors during the winter or don't use them for long periods of time, they may become rusty or grow mildew. Just preheat the grill on high for 15 minutes with the lid closed and then brush the grates clean with a Weber Stainless Steel Grill Brush. Do not be afraid, because there are a few things you can do to restore rusty cast iron to its former glory. After soaking overnight, remove the grates and rinse thoroughly. Cast iron grates are durable, resilient, and can withstand high temperatures. This is going to sound obvious, but cannot be overstated: The best way to keep your grill clean and rust-free is to give it a good cleaning immediately after every use. Now store them for a couple of days in a warm place where no children or pets could possibly get at them. Neglect and improper storage of a cast iron grill grate almost always lead to rust. After cleaning your cast iron grates and making sure they’re dry, you now want to apply a very thin coating of vegetable oil to help prevent rust from forming. Cleaning Cast Iron Grill Grates Rub the grates with vinegar and allow them to sit for a few minutes to an hour. Water creates rust, thus deteriorating the quality of your cast iron grate. Step 2. Burnt food particles, grease and other debris accumulate on the grates, preventing them from retaining their natural nonstick properties. If your sink is large enough, rest the grates in the sink and allow them to soak overnight. Using ammonia fumes. Soap and Water: Mix some dish soap and warm water in a bucket. After cooking, turn up the heat on the grill and close the lid. Let the grates soak in a 1:1 solution of vinegar and water for at least half an hour, then scrub the grates to remove any residue. How Often to Clean a Cast Iron Grill . Let the grates cool a little and scrape with a scraper or your grill brush to remove ash left behind. With your trusty grill brush, start scraping off any remaining leftover on your cast iron grates. Soak another paper towel with white distilled vinegar and use it to remove any remaining rust spots. They’re also able to retain an even heat during cooking and produce fantastic grill marks on your food. Spray the grill grates with the oil, making sure to get full coverage. Cast iron grill grates conduct heat quickly and evenly, cooking and searing the meat. That will make those come off easier and sanitize the grates at the same time. Once the crud has all broken down, rinse the cast iron and follow it up with a wash in soapy water. She also writes for a variety of online publications. On top of that, with continuous use and with routine seasoning they will eventually become non-stick; similar to a cast iron pan. Turn the heat off. There are many reasons to purchase cast iron grill grates. You Will Need: Water; Fat (oil, lard, bacon grease, etc) Heat (an oven or gas grill) Stiff plastic brush; Steps to Season the Burners and Grates: Start by thoroughly cleaning the cast iron grates and burners with water and a stiff brush. If you encounter some stubborn particles, mix a bit of vinegar or kosher salt with water, then apply the paste to the grates using paper towel. Can I fix it?? Where it Comes from And How to Cook it, Eye of Round Roast – What it is, Where it Comes From, How to Cook it, How to Calibrate a Thermometer Used for BBQ, Grilling and Smoking, Skirt Steak Vs Flank Steak: What’s the Difference and When to Use Each. How to Season Cast Iron Grill Grates Rinse the grates to remove dust, and dry them with a clean towel. After that, take the fat that you choose to do the process and cover all the surface of the grate with it. When mixed with vinegar it makes a thick paste that can be applied on the rusted grill grates to dissolve the rust. Return to the oven and check them every 30 minutes for one to two hours. Make grilling a more enjoyable, safe and healthy practice by cleaning and restoring your grill grates with elbow grease, a stiff wire brush, vegetable oil, white vinegar and time. Seasoning Cast Iron Grill Grates After you've cleaned your grates, you need to re-season them to prevent future rust buildup. My goal with this site is to help as many people as possible enjoy and be good at doing the same. How to Clean Cast Iron Grill Grates Grill grates take a real beating. Season the grates as usual. Check the grates and apply more vegetable oil if they dry out. Use hot pads and several layers of paper towels when you are applying oil to the hot grill grates. Burnt food particles, grease and other debris accumulate on the grates, preventing them from retaining their natural nonstick properties. Have you any tips or tricks for keeping them clean that we haven’t covered here? Heat the grates for 15 minutes at 200 degree Fahrenheit. There are several ways you can go about using vinegar as a cleaning agent. Now, don’t demoralize yourself, this can happen even to most experienced world-renown grill masters. Made from bees wax, soybean & palm oil, it’s specifically designed for seasoning cast iron. For stubborn rust on grill grates, try using a nylon brush to remove the rust particles. Don’t use too much pressure. Then gently scrub with a kitchen scrubber or wire pad to remove any remaining rust. The video shows stainless steel grates, but the cleaning instructions are identical for PECI grates. If you just used the grill, allow it to cool completely before moving on to the next step. Rub the grill grates with the oil, and continue wiping and rubbing the grates until they come clean. With proper maintenance, cast iron grill grates can last for years and even decades. Then take a stiff brush and clean the cast iron grates. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit, or preheat your grill on low. Professional member of the NBGA (National Barbecue and Grilling Association). 5. They Look so Alike! This way you’re able to burn off much of your stuck on food and barbecue sauce. You can also use a paste made of baking soda and water. Combine a mixture of two parts distilled white vinegar and one part baking soda. If your grill has a lot of rust and/or baked on crud and you don’t think any of the above methods will work for you, then oven cleaner is the be-all end-all way of stripping all your cast iron down to bare metal. The reason is, it will be helpful to season the grates in an appropriate way. Start by making a 50/50 mixture of water and distilled white vinegar, and let the grates soak for about an hour. This will remove any seasoning you’ve built up, but will also remove any surface rust, bringing your grate back to bare metal. You have to make sure that you cleaned the area properly. After 10-15 minutes, switch off the heat and open the lid. Cast iron grill grates can last more than a lifetime if they are adequately cared for. To clean cast iron grill grates, first, remove the grate from the grill and prop it against a sturdy surface. This provides a smooth, non-stick surface requiring no additional oil on the grates before cooking. How to Restore Your Cast Iron Grill Grates | Hunker No one wants to eat food off of a rusty, mildew-laden grill grate with hunks of charred debris hanging off of it. Wrap medium grit sandpaper around each rung of the cast iron grate and carefully rub the metal using an up and down action. Ideally, a cast iron grill should be cleaned after every use. Regardless of how you cleaned your cast iron grates, you should always season them before you put them away. They are incredibly durable and if looked after properly, will likely outlive your grill. I defenitely don’t have the money to buy one right now. You can also mix it vinegar or baking soda or make a paste with water. How about you, what kind of grill grates do you own? So long as your spouse will allow it, bring your grill grates inside the house and wash them in the sink with hot soapy water and steel wool or a stiff brush. Your stove grates are likely cast iron, so treat them with care to prevent damage. If you don’t have a self-cleaning oven you can get the same results by leaving your grates in an extremely hot grill (like 600°+) for over an hour. Cast iron grill grates used on outdoor gas or charcoal grills need proper seasoning and regular care. Rubbing Crisco shortening on cast iron grill grates before using them prevents rust from forming and also prevents the frustrating problem of food sticking to them while cooking. I'm back to start grilling on my Big Green Egg again, but my amazing Cast Iron grill grates from Craycort have rusted like no other. Once you’ve finished cooking and removed your food, open all vents if using charcoal, or turn up your grill to high if using gas and then close the lid to allow the grill to get hot. Steps to Remove the Rust: Scrub the area with a steel grill brush until all rust is removed. Soak your grates overnight in a mixture of ratio one parts distilled white vinegar to half part baking soda. There are several common and safe household items that can be used as a rust remover on cast iron grill grates. Morgan's extensive educational background includes studies in creative writing, screenwriting, herbology, natural medicine, early childhood education and psychology. Step 3: Spray the grates with oil. Store the grill grates indoors in a dry location when they are not in use. To be able to clean grill grates easier, they should be warm. Combine 6 tablespoons of baking soda with 2 ounces of warm water and apply the paste to the iron grates. Once you’ve burned off your food, you can either clos… Leave a comment below to tell us what kind of grates you own and how you clean them, we can all learn from each other! I’ve been using Crisbee for about 6 months now, and my pans have never looked better! Leaving grease and stuck-on food on the surface will make the surface more difficult to clean and can contribute to bacterial growth and food poisoning. Is there something I can do to make the grates … The cooking process aids grate maintenance. The heat will soften leftovers, making them easier to remove. How to Season Cast Iron Grill Grates. FoodFireFriends.com is a participant in the Amazon Services Associates Program. This is going to sound obvious, but cannot be overstated: The best way to keep your grill clean and rust-free is to give it a good cleaning immediately after every use.
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