Has anyone used GrillGrates ?

[rotuts]

these were mentioned in the Aug/Sept Fine Cooking :

 

http://www.amazon.com/Additional-Hard-Anodized-GrillGrate-Panel/dp/B002MATG4W/ref=pd_sim_lg_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=01SKF8BND0XGZB827SNZ

 

the part that caught my eye was that these (might) prevent flare-ups, esp w chicken

 

a bit pricy to experiment with ...

 

also

 

http://www.grillgrate.com/

[rotuts]

fine, so nobody.

 

I ordered a set w some wood pellets.

 

will let you know

 

chicken better be on sale soon

Edited June 27, 2014 by rotuts (log)

[bonkboo]

Curious about results.

[mgaretz]

I have them and like them. The raised side is good for burgers and when you want grill marks, I recently started using the flat side for more of an overall sear.

[Martin Fisher]

I have them and like them, they really do even out the heat, produce some nice grill marks and prevent flare-ups...in fact, I haven't had a serious flare-up since I started using them.

I do wish that the grates were a bit closer together, but that's a minor issue.

[cyalexa]

I really like my GrillGrates. Be careful when you first use them, I overcooked several things until I got used to them. A very fatty rib eye will still flare a little.

[rotuts]

My GG's arrived :

 

 

this is on my prehistoric 3 burner Weber, one of my best friends.

 

looking forward to using them soon.  got quite a few 1 lbs wood pellets too.

 

they included a discount coupon for " friends and neighboors'

 

10 % off grill grate sets  

 

code  'SHARE14'  no exp date.  maybe next year it will be 'SHARE15' who knows.

 

they say use canola for the raised ridges for a few times.  I have some fax-seed oil might try that.

 

Bon Apetite !

Edited July 2, 2014 by rotuts (log)

[Martin Fisher]

I seasoned mine in the oven with several successive coats of flax seed oil.

[btbyrd]

I think I'm about to pull the trigger and buy a set of these, but I'm curious about how they really perform. I'm sure they'll almost eliminate flareups and that alone is pretty special. But how well does it really work when it comes to searing off steaks? From photos, I can see that they produce great grill marks, but the spaces in between the grates don't seem to brown especially well. I'm also curious how the flat side works for things like bread and pizza. I'm also probably about to pick up a pizza steel from BakingSteel.com and don't want to double up on functionality. My hunch is that it would be pretty badass to use a steel sitting on top of Grill Grates sitting on top of my enameled cast iron grates. But at that point, I'd be spending almost $300 for hunks of metal to put in a grill (if I get 5 GGs to completely cover my existing grates). That's a lot of change just to pimp my grill.

[Paul Bacino]

Nice Fit..RT

[rotuts]

I got them for both even heat, as i can now use all three burners on lower settings, and flare up for fats  ie chickens.

 

for steaks / burgers why not a seasoned cast iron pan ? even one w low sides or this :

 

http://www.webstaurantstore.com/lodge-l90g3-10-1-2-pre-seasoned-cast-iron-griddle/530L90G3.html?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=GoogleShopping&gclid=CPmAs9Ltpr8CFeXm7AodrV8Aiw

 

or this :

 

http://www.webstaurantstore.com/cast-iron-portable-griddle-reversible-20-x-9-1-2/359IGD2095.html

 

its reversible  

 

you dont have to use all 4 ( or more ) at a time. you would have room for both.

 

don't forget the coupon !

Edited July 2, 2014 by rotuts (log)

[rotuts]

P.B.:  they seem to have all sorts of 'standard' fits, even round sets for charcoal and Eggs.

[gfweb]

can you scrape them without screwing up the surface?

[Martin Fisher]

can you scrape them without screwing up the surface?

 

Yes, they're hard anodized.

[Martin Fisher]

From photos, I can see that they produce great grill marks, but the spaces in between the grates don't seem to brown especially well.

 

Turning the steak for a cross-hatch pattern helps, it's also a good idea to use lump charcoal for a really hot fire.

I've also combined the use of the grill grates with a charcoal chimney above for extra browning.

[Martin Fisher]

P.B.:  they seem to have all sorts of 'standard' fits, even round sets for charcoal and Eggs.

 

Yes, I even have a set that fits the little 14.5" Weber Smokey Joe and the new 14.5" Weber Smokey Mountain.

[rotuts]

this is what GG says about cleaning.  they recommend a 'grill brush'  sort of like this :

 

 

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/wire-grill-brush/1014888110?Keyword=grill+brush

 

Or

 

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/mr-bar-b-q-oversized-deep-cleaning-dual-wire-grill-brush/1041738696?Keyword=grill+brush

 

They show this one :

 

http://heroswelcome.com/images/P/kingsford-BBQ-brush%202210x1958.JPG

 

Note the red handle.  Probably much better function .  Ill have to find one like this.

 

They say this :

 

“”  Cleaning :

 

Clean the rails during warm-up w a standard grill brush or pad.  Less is more.

 

The technique is more wiping than aggressive brushing.  Use the Grill tool to keep debris

 

Out of the valleys, etc “

[Martin Fisher]

In my experience, a square edged turner works best for cleaning the top of the grates because it takes nearly everything off in one stroke.

I then wipe them off with a piece of paper towel.

[rotuts]

I thought I'd take a few measurements.  

 

I cleaned most of the gunk out of the lower area of the Weber.  Every couple of years when the

 

"season" gets going I get a fat fire. They warn about this.  I already did a cleaning of the large pan ( not the little one ) after This Springs Fat Fire, but thought Id do a better job.

 

Conditions here are on the hotter side :  85 F.  60 % humidity.

 

my set-up includes a remote temp probe that I placed in the back 1/3d of the grill :

 

 

the temp tip is not touching the aluminum.

 

My Weber has three 'burners' and 5 'flavor bars'  the temp probe is placed over FB # 2, counting back to front.  this FB has no gas under it.

 

FB 1 has gas under it as do FB 3 and 5.  FB 5 is over the mandatory front burner.  this one must stay on, the back two can be turned off.

 

 

ts a bit hot, and I have to say well

 

hydrated w Ice Cold Beer, it goes in a frozen glass so there there is Beer Slush in the top 1/4.  Not beer Foam.  If the Slush melts, I might add a few cubes of ice.      Were talking hydration here, nothing fancier.

 

 

I decided not to fiddle today w 

 

the AltonBrown technique of turning down the propane tank for less gas flow.  

 

 

Exp # 1 :

 

each burner was placed on 'Low' with the tank fully opened.  it took about 10  - 15 minutes to reach equilibrium.  410 - 415 on the remote probe.  I was inside  

 

next I turned off the middle burner, front and back on low : 375 F

 

then just the front burner on low :  310.   I opened the cover to let the system cool a bit between

 

each experiment.

 

lastly I moved the probe to be over the FB # 4.  If you've kept track, thats the one just after the front burner

 

Temp  also 310.

 

So what did i learn ? :  it really gets you a hot grill, w less gas on and it's even enough w/o further 

 

fiddling and faddling for a home set up.  You have to keep this in mind.  they point this out :

 

"Your grill will run hotter w GG's  Adjust your grill temperature down."   Correct.

 

I then lightly coated the grate tops w flax seed oil and turned all burners on low for the first

 

seasoning

 

its now 90 F but the humidity is down to 47 %  beer supply holding.

 

Chicken better be on sale soon !

Edited July 2, 2014 by rotuts (log)

[btbyrd]

I got them for both even heat, as i can now use all three burners on lower settings, and flare up for fats  ie chickens.

 

for steaks / burgers why not a seasoned cast iron pan ?

 

don't forget the coupon !

 

Those are basically the same reasons I'll be ordering as well. Reduced flareups from burgers will be nice and I'll finally be able to grill chicken skin-on without freaking out from the grease fire. It will also be good to use my grill's rotisserie without removing the grates (since the Grill Grates will prevent fat from hitting the burners). I also like the ability to reach under the food to lift it (fish!) and the fact that foods won't fall through the grates and into the fire. And using it while inverted as a griddle seems pretty handy.

 

The reason I'm looking into Grill Grates for steaks and burgers is that I really love the flavor that comes from using a grill as opposed to a pan or cast iron griddle. Cast iron can produce a good result, but it's not really what I'm looking for. The flavor from the vaporized juices is what I find most delicious about grilled proteins. I'm also intrigued by how many people seem to win steak competitions while using this product.

 

Anyway, I'm sure I'll find out soon enough... I'll be ordering a set once my paycheck comes in (along with a pizza steel). Thanks for the tip about the coupon!

 

 

Turning the steak for a cross-hatch pattern helps, it's also a good idea to use lump charcoal for a really hot fire.

I've also combined the use of the grill grates with a charcoal chimney above for extra browning.

 

I don't have charcoal, but my gas grill can reach 700+ (and even hotter at the grates). That seems plenty hot for searing purposes. Do you ever use yours to finish off sous vide meats? I love SV grilling, but I get major flareups from fatty cuts like ribeye. Grill Grates seem like a good solution to this problem. I'm thinking that my SV steak workflow will eventually be presear with a Searzall --> bath --> screaming hot Grill Grates with a few wood pellets. Sounds about right to me.

[cyalexa]

My grates fit my gas grill perfectly. I disposed of the porcelain covered cast iron grates that came with the grill. I seasoned the GrillGrates with linseed oil a couple times, in the grill, not my oven, when I first got them. I clean them with a brush after getting them really hot then a rag after they have cooled off enough to handle. I recently used the flat side for the first time, for hot smoking salmon and getting a crisp skin at the same time and was quite pleased. It's too hot for me to grill in the summer but will be using the flat side for pizza, ribeyes, and hamburgers in the fall. 

[paulraphael]

Aren't flare-ups the whole point of grilling? Seriously, where else will the smoke flavor come from?

[btbyrd]

Vaporized juices are one thing; a grease fire is another. I think the idea is that the juices will still vaporize when they hit the aluminum, but you don't have to worry about fat catching on fire and burning your food.

[rotuts]

Im hoping these will prevent a Vertical Chicken ( x 4 ) Char-Ass

 

I'll post pics.

 

smoke is not flame.

 

in the past on my Weber I was able to do 6 chickens at a time ....

 

for the purposes of taking them to various large dinners

 

i had to have the Water Gun mighty handy for the Fat Flames.

[Martin Fisher]

Flavor is the whole point of grilling, for most folks anyway...fats and juices dripping on the coals adds flavor....the intense flames from grease fire flare-ups results in damaged food, nasty acrid off flavors, uneven cooking and the turning of the air blue on the part of the cook!!!