Cleaning Racks

I coat them with oil before the cook. Then I clean them with a brillo pad, works good but still a pain.

Some folks run them through the dishwasher.

Some use a plastic tub from HomeDepot,let them soak with Greased Lightning/Simple Green and water for a couple hrs.

If you Pam them before,spray and let set with Greased Lightning soon after,they pretty much rinse clean.

Candy Sue sprays her FEC racks with oven cleaner and lets them set in a plastic garbage bag for a couple of days.

Hose them off.

Hope this helps a little.

I don't have a dishwasher,except for the kids. Ha. Any of the before mentioned work pretty well. But if they realy get bad my neighbor suggest soaking in lye then rinseing well. Thats how he reconditions cast iron cookware and I must say its drastic before and after. He did my weber grates for me (cast iron) they looked like new and claims its no effort.

Gary

Like Tom sez, I just spray my racks with Pam before the smoke. Afterward, a soak in very hot water with dish detergent for an hour or so does the trick.

My wife says Dawn "Power Desolver" works great for her. This can be found with the dishwashing detergents somewhere close to the regular Dawn dish detergents.

I too pre-spray.
But sometimes I forget or they get real bad. Then I use Oven, Grill, and Fryer cleaner from SamsClub (soak in large plastic box). I also get good results from Dawn Power Disolver, if just small areas.
Rob

I've been using ammonia in hot water and letting them soak for an hour. Then a very lite scrub and put them in the dishwasher. Will be trying some of the other suggestions too.

I just let them set out and the dogs lick them pretty clean. Keeps them busy for a few hours.

Ok, not really. Mine fit in the dishwasher pretty nice. Just hit the button and let 'er rip!

quote:

Originally posted by fatQboy:
...But if they realy get bad my neighbor suggest soaking in lye then rinseing well. Gary

Just a note, remember, this is a smoker that will have food in it. Whatever chemicals you use, make sure it gets cleaned out.

Personally that sounds like a lot of work. AND don't forget that if any of that doesn't get cleaned off REAL well after use, those are grates that you'll be eating off of.

I just use a grill brush to scrape off the big chunks, then about every 4 or 5 cooks (depends on what I'm cooking) I soak them in a cement mixer plastic tub I buy from HD (no cement ever used in it, but it's large enough to put my bigger racks in).

Soak them overnight and they'll come out clean as a whistle and NO elbow grease required.

Okie, you soak them in just water or what else?

I tried the dishwasher today, but the dishwasher was a black, sooty , greasy mess afterwards. I like the thought of just putting them in a tub and soaking them, then wiping them down...I really do not need them spotless...

I totally agree with Smokin on getting rinsed off all cleaning soaps or what ever one chooses to get those grates clean. Worse yet, could impart a bad taste to the meat.
I rinse good and even sanitize in the dishwasher when possible.
However if one never eats out at fast-food places or resturants, then you could be safe...but let us all not forget the hormones, anti-biotics, or other drugs and chemicals that the meat one is cooking contains...from either feed or enviroment.
I always try to buy range fed or organic when possible, but usually Sam's doen't sell ribs, etc. in those cryovac pkgs. to feed more than a few, that is organic certified.

What the heck, we need to get the pipes cleaned out now and then...
Just clean/eat safe and enjoy the smoke.
Rog

I will leave mine lay outside in my yard, especially if it is rainy or we have heavy dews.

Most of the time I just wash with hot soapy water and use a wire sponge looking thing.

The ammonia thing is not a great idea as it will break down the copper that is under the chrome finish, if it gets in there.

It really would be nice if they were stainless instead of chrome.

I bought a plastic cement mixer tub at True Value for 10 bucks, squirt in some Dawn and water from the hose and let it sit in the sun for awhile. then a little scraping with a plactic scraper I took from my wifes Pamperd Chef's stuff and they're clean enough for me. ...after a good rinsing..

dan

I made me a bracket to hang 'em on the fence, then I hit 'em with the pressure washer.

Maybe this is the reason I am single, but I would have thought at least one of you guys would have made the comment:

"That's why I got married. So I wouldn't have to wash the racks!"

Other than scrape off any built up residue, I don't do anything to the racks following a smoke. Just prior to the next smoke, I put them on the gas grill, close the cover, and crank it up. Let in run for about 15 minutes at 600F+. When cool enough to handle, I rinse them off with a high pressure hose.

Geyser,
Reckon everyone is wanting to stay married, that's what the ? is all about. You are only allowed the one miscue of the racks in the dishwasher.

I use easy off oven cleaner, the cold type, I let it sit for two or three hours. I do not have to scrape, just cold water cleanup with a car wash brush. Remember you must cure the metal surfaces before cooking again. My cure method is pam olive oil sprayed over the entire interior, except for the fire pot. One hour cure. I do this every 5 or 6 cooks in my FEC100. The olive oil keeps the gaskets pliable longer also, but wipe the excess off. Happy Qing, Mark...

I have found this Goo Gone Grill product to work very well...

http://www.lnt.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1434124&...v63NdZqktH9FnzGnNVaw

I've found that my best approach is to stack them together vertically in the sink and then use a green scotch bright pad to clean off each row of wires four-at-a-time. This really cuts down on the scrubbing time and effort when compared to to the one-at-a-time method. I follow this up with a trip through the dishwasher. Finally, I just started using the rib hooks in my Amerique and love having no racks to clean at all! Just tossing the rib hooks in the dishwasher makes me smile.

I agree with Tom on this one. I have always soaked my grills in hot water and dawn dish detergent in a plastic mixing tub I purchased at Home Depot. I put them in to soak right after I finish cooking for at least an hour,sometimes overnight if I am busy. I have never had a problem getting them clean with little or no effort.

Wait a minute, who do you think taught Tom that trick?

Well it was me, of course!

Keep in mind I just got my smoker and only cooked chicken thighs and a pork shoulder roast. I put mine in the dishwasher on the pots and pans cycle. Couldn't believe how clean they got.

quote:

Originally posted by GLH:
Well it was me, of course!

Guess again.

I use the upturned lid from a plastic tote box. It's just deep enough for all the racks and side rails for my 008. Use about 1:4 mix (not critical) of either Simple Green or Krud Kutter with cold water. Leave to soak overnight then, in the morning, wipe clean with a sponge and rinse thoroughly.

Krud Kutter seems to be the stronger of the two cleaning agents. I've found it works just as well as the Simple Green at around 1:6. Large bottles of it are available at Home Depot for $12 or so.

Large bottles (140oz) of Simple Green can be obtained from Lowes for about $9.50. The trouble and strife (=wife) likes to use this stuff for cleaning the kitchen and it's economical to use it to refil the smaller spray bottles.