Burnt on Carbon BBQ grill

[Cat_Driver]

Anyone have any secret way of getting off burnt carbon on a BBQ Grill parts, grates and spill plates. I tried heating the drill to high temp that's didn't help. I don't want to sand or use tools as the stainless steel will scratch.

So far I tried BBQ cleaner and Oven Cleaner OFF, Carbona, Goo Gone, and ZEP Heavy duty.

I've let it soak in plastic bags for 5 hours in one case, other I let soak 30 minutes to an hour.

I'm sbout to start using Carb cleaner.

 

[bunyip]

Brass brush will(should) clean the grill, softer than steel and shouldn't damage it, our old weber q is heavily stained from years of smoke and I can't get it off, but it is aesthetic only so I don't worry.

 

[RickB]

Best way to keep them clean and shiny is to not use them.

 

[RNeumann]

Wrap grates in foil- nothing special. Replace and light BBQ with lid closed. It will begin to smoke (think LOTS of smoke if it’s dirty). In 1/2-1 hour the smoke will stop and all that is left is some ash. Basically the self clean oven. I was shown this trick about 25 years ago by an old plumber friend- been using it ever since.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

Put the grates in your self cleaning oven next time you clean it. Warning, just an idea never had the problem. We always burn the grease off before turning off each use.

Ron

 

[CADplans]

I have a round rod (about 3/16") grate, it will accumulate the thick black stuff .

I take the corner of a STOUT stainless spatula and drag it between two rods,, while pushing HARD,,
the black stuff comes right off.

I use charcoal, and built a hot fire one time to get the black stuff off.
The hot fire was successful, but the rods were rusty after the hot fire, clean of black gunk, but rusty,,,
SO, no more hot fires for me,,,
We grill at least 5 times a week this time of the year,, so I get LOTS of black gunk,,,:dance1:

 

[om21braz]

A hot water bath and Bar Keepers friend work well for me. Fine enough abrasive unless yours is mirror finish stainless.

Bar Keepers Friend cleansers | Once Tried, Always Used

 

[Jim Nelson]

I have a Big Green Egg , actually 2 of them, and do most of my cooking on a cast iron grid. The grids are well seasoned but you still get build up especially if you do a lot of low and slow. BGE says to use heat to burn off this and the coating that accumulates on the inside of the ceramics. This works fine with the ceramic coming out nice and white but you have to re season the cast iron.The base on my original egg cracked, which I attributed at least partially to the high heat cleaning,I used to be a lot more **** about keeping everything bright and shiny. I have evolved to scraping what I can off the grid with the back of the cleaning brush, then when it eventually gets real thick I use my cordless multitool with a scraper blade in it and that makes quick work of the crud build up and no re seasoning.To clean the ceramic dome I wad up a ball of aluminum foil and scrub it occasionally which keeps the carbon from dropping onto the food. Works for me.

 

[jaxs]

Some of you might refuse to eat my smoked meat after seeing the smoker. I use brass wire brush to loosen then wipe with paper towels to remove creosote as needed. Using chemical cleaner on smoker,dutch oven,cast iron skillet or briar pipe is sabotage.

 

[RickB]

Some of you might refuse to eat my smoked meat after seeing the smoker. I use brass wire brush to loosen then wipe with paper towels to remove creosote as needed. Using chemical cleaner on smoker,dutch oven,cast iron skillet or briar pipe is sabotage.

I will not get offended if someone refuses to eat stuff that comes out of my smoker. All the more for those that will.