Are you one of those cast-iron griller types out there? I mean the ones who are not sure about best practices on how to clean cast iron grill grates, then welcome to join us!
In this article, we will talk all about cast iron, and how to clean cast iron grill grates.
A cast-iron rack is excellent for grilling for many reasons:
- Even Distribution of heat
- Extremely durable
- The toughness that is built to last
This type of grill grate can withstand any forces mother nature throws at it, other than water.
When iron comes into contact with water, it will rust, and the only thing you can do is to watch your cast iron grate deteriorate, and this is why as a griller, you need to learn how to clean cast iron grill grates.
Cleaning cast iron grill grate isn’t that hard, nor is it time-consuming, the whole cleaning can be done and over with within just 10mins!
If you’re tempted to use a rusted grill grate for your BBQ, you probably need to think twice the next time you want to do that, as the rust will gravely affect the taste of you well-seasoned steak meat, and of course, we know that eating barbecue food grilled with a rusty grill is everything but appealing.
To have a long-lasting grilling grate, You must observe and take proper care of your grates.
It’s essential to know how to clean cast iron grill grates so as to keep them in an optimum condition, and therefore, keeping the flow of healthy, tasty BBQ foods coming.
If your grate, unfortunately, succumbs to the rusty force of mother nature, then you know it’s time to renew it and no “how to clean cast iron grill grates” technique will bring your grate back to the way it was.
A cast iron grill grate is an effective heat conductor, making cooking per square inch easy. It’s no surprise that most people choose a cast iron grill as their type of barbecue grill.
And there’s an excellent reason for that, as you might have guessed by now! The heat transfer capacity of the cast iron grill is way better than any available steel.
The cast iron grill can make delicious food regardless of the temperature of the grill equipment, and this is why the iron cast grill grate makes evenly distributed flavor on the delicacy which you’re BBQing.
Compared to other grill making equipment out there, you can use a grill for cooking sauces, toasting cornbread, and even making a tasty stew. The cast-iron grill grate can do much more because this is a real investment. If you want a cast-iron grill grate to stay in good condition for a long time, you must know how to do proper care and maintenance.
How To Clean Cast Iron Grill
So how do you take care and maintain a cast iron grill, and appropriately too?
We’ll help you with that with these easy steps of proper care and maintenance of cast iron grill grates.
Cleaning After Use – How to clean cast-iron grill
What is the best brush to use on a cast iron grill?
It is recommended that you clean the grill immediately after use. The optimal temperature for cleaning is when the rack is still a bit warm and not completely cooled. The heat will allow you to remove excess food, grease, and residue from the rack easily.
Scrape the Grate – How to clean cast-iron grill
Many types of wire brushes for grill cleaning can be found on the market today. Find the brush that works best for you (you can check out this page for the best grill brush review), then use it to scrape all the rest of the food remains off the grate.
In addition to these barbecue brushes, several cleaning solutions can help you further clean the grill grate.
When cleaning a cast iron grill grate, you can disinfect it with water and apple cider vinegar. Then start the scraping. Repeat until you can remove most of the rest of the food from the stove rate.
Apply Mild Detergent – How to clean cast-iron grill
You can use a mild detergent to remove excess oil and rinse the grate with warm water to finish, and this is why is it essential to “season” your bbq racks before use each time. You can learn how to season a grill rack here.
Dry the grate – How to clean cast-iron grill
You can either wipe the bbq rack with a clean cloth or aerate to ensure it is completely drained of water.
This step is essential to dry it because if let wet, the water on the grill rack will cause is to oxidize, which is rust. Remember, rusting is the last thing you want to happen to your cast iron grill.
Seasoning and Heating the grate – How to clean cast-iron grill
After “seasoning” the BBQ rack, heat it and make sure the grill is completely covered. When done, you can cover the grill with aluminum foil and finally place them on the grill. Turn on the grill and raise the temperature, Let stand for about 10 minutes and make sure to close the lid when the grill is on. After that, remove the rack and season it once again.
Cleaning Cast Iron Grill With Salt
Who would have thought you cleaning a cast iron grill with salt was possible? How do you clean it with salt?
This procedure is best down when the cast iron grill is still warm, but not hot.
To remove stubborn food bits from the grill, pour 1 cup of coarse kosher salt into a bowl.
Scrub with a folded kitchen towel.
Discard the salt and rinse the grill with hot water.
Wipe dry immediately with a kitchen towel, or heat the grill on medium-low heat to evaporate the moisture.
To season the grill spread a thin layer of linseed oil (1 tablespoon) on cast iron. This helps the pot develop a smooth patina, prevent rust, and maintain its non-stick properties.
Vegetable or lard (non-vegetarian) can also solve this problem.
Gently heat the pan to help soak the oil.
Remember that when cleaning cast iron pan with salt, is important to quickly dry up the water after scrubbing with the salt.
Final thoughts
People will first notice your BBQ grate, so make sure the grill bed is in the best condition before inviting your friends and neighbors over for bbq, especially during those hot and sunny days. Cast-iron racks have been tried and tested to meet common barbecue demand and challenges.
Additionally, remember that cast-irons are porous and do a superb job absorb fat and oil and to maintain that enjoyable experience of grilling with a cast-iron grill, maintenance, and proper care should be observed at all times. Happy grilling!!
