Grill clean up advice

Has anyone had problems with the chrome coming off the grills? I have the smokette and have problems with it disappearing. I haven't seen any flakes in my food so I assume it is dissolving. I think this might be a health hazard but not sure. I have many areas that are down to the copper substrate.

I don't see that stainless grates are available.

Bill

Actually I had that same problem too and called Cookshack about it. The nice person on the phone told me that I was probably using an acetone based cleaner. I checked the ingredients and did not see acetone listed on the product lable but thought I should probably change cleaners. My bride, Jane, mentioned the dishwasher soap and I have been using it since. No more chrome loss.

We've been using bottled lemon juice. Just pour some on a scrubbie and go over the grills with it. Don't have to rub real hard. Go once over the grill. Then once more and rinse off. Jack learned to do that with nasty griddles in a kitchen. It seems safe to me and I think it might be kinder than soaking here in the Land O Rust.
Peggy

My grills were down to the copper in less than a year. All that I have ever use to clean them is Joy dishwashing liquid. I scrub them with a nylon bristle brush. I wish stainless ones were available.

quote:

Originally posted by TheBear:
[qb] My grills were down to the copper in less than a year. All that I have ever use to clean them is Joy dishwashing liquid. I scrub them with a nylon bristle brush. I wish stainless ones were available. [/qb]

That's all I use.. Joy.. maybe that's the culpret. Eight more months to go before I'm to copper..

Called CS and the tech said they don't use chrome.. they use a different plating and said it is harmless (???) He said that once scratched it will deteriorate. Don't know what I scratched it with.. but guess I did.

Same problem here. Haven't had my Smokette for a year and the grills are down to copper.

Does it hurt to cook on the copper ??
I hope not I've been doin it for weeks,,lol
I do keep it very clean,,,any thought's ?

cooking on copper is fine for high sugar content foods. just look at all the bourget copper jam and sauce pans. copper however for storing highly acidic foods however is not and that is why you see tin plated copper pans.
myself i wouldn't worry.
but if you wanted to be really cool you could find a place that re-tins copper saute pans and see if the would do a grill.
man you would be one up on every one!!!!
jack
ps and for all you cheap skates please dont use solder it has lead in it!!!!!

I assumed that my model 55 was stainless steel all over - is that NOT the case????

HAS ANYONE ASKED CS IF THEY ARE PLANING ON OFFERING A STAINLESS GRILL AS AN ADD ON?

I've had the racks in in the Smokette for over five years and I use Greased Lightning on them and a green scrubber.

Yes,they showed a little copper on them after a few months.

My dishwasher seems to do them the most harm?

They have not gotten any worse,or become anymore difficult to clean up.

I spray them with Pam,before using and cook.

I suppose I'm just used to all my past cookers,and never worried about it.

Just a couple of thoughts.

I just fill the sink with hot water and some Dawn dishwashing liquid, soak for a few hours and everything come right off with a light scrubbing with a plastic dobbie. I have also not noticed any loss of crome yet but maybe I am noy looking for it. With have to check and see.

I called CS yesterday and they said:
1. It ain't chrome.. it's some other alloy.. forgot what. but he said it's not harmful.. ??
2. Said it is too expensive to do stainless.. ??

Maybe it's no biggy.. I won't worry any more about it..

I don't know what oven grates are made of but I've never had a problem with them.. and I scrub them with either with steel wool or Scotchbrites.

Bill

Doesn't SmokinTex have stainless grills? It doesn't make sense to make the entire unit out of stainless steel and then say it's too expensive to use for the grills??

I must state that I am disappointed. I thought stainless steel models were stainless steel - period. Why no answer as to the question of an extra cost item or any statement from Cookshack?

I found that if you wipe the racks with a little vegetable oil or peanut oil before you put the meat on them the cleanup is a lot easer. Then all I do is use a little dawn dish soap and a scotch bright pad and that seems to make the cleaning time minimal.

The folks at the plant don't monitor the forum much.

Stuart has been on the road the last couple of weeks and tied up hosting the pellet burner course.

You might email him with your specific question.

He'll either answer or call you with the answer.

Hope this helps a little.

You mean you guys clean your grills?

Just kidding!

GeiyserQ,
yep embarressed to admit it.
no presoak
no fancy dan cleaners
just a green scrubbie and the cheapest lemon juice i can get.
got mine cleaned (all 4 of them) in 30 mins after cooking on them for 16 hours last saturday
jack

Mine go to work and get pressure washed every now and then. I use 12 ga 1/4inch stainless steel mesh for my racks when i do jerky or fish....

The guy I gave my smokette to, after I ordered my 55,made 5 rack side rack's for it and we're thinking of making stainless rack's for both of them. Try looking in the phone book for a weld or fence,wrought iron,place to see if they could whip a few up.

Forgot to mention we also made chile grills, will hold twenty of the little gem's.

I soak the grills in hot soapy water, then brush off the sticky stuff with a non-wire bruch. Then into the dish washer.

No one mentioned the dishwasher---is this not recommended? Only one rack shows any pitting and they are five years old. I live near the water in Florida and all metals corrode or rust down here.

Dishwasher does a fine job.

I just ordered my CS and it hasn't arrived yet so I have no practical experience with this issue but...

Why not take the same approach as the sides - let the racks season and only knock off the big crap with a scraper?

My BGE grill rack is basically self cleaning and I only occasionally give it a quick pass with a grill brush.

Love the forum - anxious for the CS!
Jon E.

JonE,

You must clean the racks and rack holder for on a slow smoke it will leave non-carbon, potential germ laden food. On my ceramic Grill Dome I open up the vents top and bottom and it does burn off, but not in my Cookshack 55.

Clean racks and rack holder, new foil on the fire box and bottom and I am ready to smoke at the drop of a hat.

smokemullet