What can I use to clean metal?

[javeryh]

Specifically, the metal grills in my ... grill.  There is about two years worth of burger and stuff caked on.  I'm thinking it might involve the power of oranges?  Oh yeah, I'm going to use it to cook delicious burgers while playing arcade games to stay on topic or something...

[ideft]

really clean.....sand blasting, but that may destroy them.  I doubt you will ever get them sparkling clean again, but for caked on stuff I just use a wire brush and elbow grease.

[TelcoLou]

After they're cleaned up, rub some olive oil via a wad of paper towels before using it; it will make in-between use cleanings easier (and the meat won't stick as much).

... err, and don't grill food near your arcade machine!

[DaOld Man]

Has anyone made an arcade with a grill on the CP?

[SirPeale]

You should have been cleaning the grill after each use.  At the very least, every few times.  You're putting food on it, you know.  Bleaugh!

Remove the grills, and bring them to your sink.  Remove as much as you can with soaking them in hot soapy water and a stiff brush and / or one of those sponges with the scrubbing surface.

Likely there will still be more on there.  Put it under your broiler and burn the rest off.  Wash the burned remains away.

When you go to use it, make sure you have oiled the grill slightly.  It helps keep the food from sticking and forms a protective barrier.

[Kevin Mullins]

Soak the grill down with a can of oven cleaner, place it inside a plastic garbage bag and let it set for a couple hours or even overnight. Then just wash with regular hot soapy water.

Do this outside, wear rubber gloves and don't breath the oven cleaner fumes.

[Ed_McCarron]

You should have been cleaning the grill after each use.  At the very least, every few times.  You're putting food on it, you know.  Bleaugh!

Or, just give the grill some Cipro.

Toss it and order a new grill (not the whole thing, just the metal grate...).  Then, follow up with proper maintenance.  I spray mine with olive oil before cooking - the food scrapes right off afterwards.

[shmokes]

I used to use a little hibachi (no idea if that's spelled right) grill, and after cooling I'd turn it to high, close the lid, and set a timer for 10 minutes, to burn everything into easy-to-clean ash.

I got a cool new grill for Christmas, though, from the in-laws and the grill has a ceramic coating on it.  Instead of burning everything into easy-to-clean ash, it seems to just fuse the stuff to the grill and make it near-impossible to clean.  Too bad.  But if you've just got a metal grill, my method takes all the work out of cleanup.

[Jdurg]

Some 80% fuming Nitric Acid will get rid of the gunk, possibly nitrating some of the organic matter, and removing the metal grill quite quickly.   

[IA1NY]

Simple Green neat. Get or make a pan and let the grate sit in it overnight, then scrub with a green  Scotchbrite pad or steel wool.  Repeat if necessary.  Simple Green is "non-toxic" so be sure to burn in the grate before the next time you use it.

Much luck!

[SirPeale]

Meat sticks to the metal because the metal isn't properly prepared.  You *must* oil it.

[shmokes]

I often just put foil under fish before putting it on the grill.  Maybe that goes against some grilling gospel somewhere, but I get pretty good results.

I typically put some canola oil down (cooks hotter than olive oil without burning) before cooking, but I haven't got my technique down entirely for my new ceramic-coated grill.  My food sometimes sticks to that, and it's definitely not too cold.  A #1, I live in Miami, so it starts out fairly warm.  But I always turn the flame on at least ten or fifteen minutes before putting on the food.  It's a fairly new grill, so it'll just take me a while to figure out best practices for it.

[ablizno]

Um my Girlfriend puts them in the oven on the [clean] setting, but that aways just seems dangerous.

[SirPeale]

2 - I've never oiled grills in my life and I've never had a problem with meat sticking.  If your meat is sticking, your grill is too cold or you're grilling fish.  Given that you're from New England it may be that we have very different ideas over what's fit to put on a grill.

Well, if you're using grade F meats (circus animals, 70% fat content) then sure, you don't need to oil your grill.  But hey, to each their own.  You don't want to oil your grilling surface, that's fine.  Me, I'll put the odds in my favor that my meat won't stick.

I bet you also squish your burgers with the spatula when they're cooking, don'tya?

[SirPeale]

You realize, I hope, that your olive oil is burning off the instant you put a flame under it.  You know that residue it leaves behind?  That's what keeps your meat from sticking.  That's also the same residue meat leaves on the grill.

Olive oil is expensive.  I wouldn't use that, but I'd use canola or soybean.  Heck, maybe even bacon fat, I always keep some in the fridge.  And no, it doesn't burn away that quickly.

And that residue?  It goes rancid.  Rancid oil is not a valid flavoring agent.

[shardian]

My grill has a cast iron grilling surface. It is far superior to the stainless steel/ceramic crap.I keep a can of non-stick grill spray handy that I occasionally use. It is canola oil, I think. Usually I don't need it though. The only thing I cook on the grill is steaks and they never stick.

I hit the grill with a wire grill cleaner occasionally. Nothing fancy.

[Hoopz]

To clean your grill grates, put them in coca cola for an hour.  That ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- will clean anything.  Seriously.

[shardian]

Nothing like a thread featuring men arguing about how to grill.   

Discussing the finer points of grilling is one of the manliest things men can chat about. 

[RayB]

To clean your grill grates, put them in coca cola for an hour.  That ---Cleveland steamer--- will clean anything.  Seriously.

Hot water and soap does a much better job, and no sticky coca cola residue.

[SirPeale]

My grill has a cast iron grilling surface. It is far superior to the stainless steel/ceramic crap.  I keep a can of non-stick grill spray handy that I occasionally use. It is canola oil, I think. Usually I don't need it though. The only thing I cook on the grill is steaks and they never stick.

Cast iron FTW!

[Jdurg]

But, if either spend their time discussing stupid throwaway crap like burgers or sausage, then you know you're wasting your time.

I'm guessing you haven't had a good hamburger, or a properly cooked sausage then, have you?  Making your own burgers by grinding your own meats and adding your own spices to it can result in a grilling session that produces the best food you will ever have. 

The same with home-made sausages that are properly grilled and served with grilled onions, mushrooms and peppers.  Burgers and sausages most certainly aren't "throwaway crap".  If you cook it on a griddle, then yes, it is.  If you actually take the time to grill it properly, then it is just as good, if not better, than a fancy steak which is usually charcoaled into oblivion.

[Jdurg]

Sooooooooooooooo I guess I misread your post that I quoted?     I thought you were just bashing hamburgers and sausages.   

Damnit.  I'm hungry now.   

[Jdurg]

A pet peeve of mine is when someone is cooking steaks and burgers and says they're having a "Barbeque".  That just sends me off the edge.  "YOU'RE ---smurfing--- GRILLING MEAT, YOU AREN'T BARBEQUE-ING ANYTHING YOU DOLT!!!!!!!!!!" 

If I put butter on a steak, I spread it on while the meat is still raw and it's usually an herb or garlic butter.  Definitely not plain butter.  I will also only do this on the steaks that I purchase while at the grocery store.  When I got to a butcher's shop and get the high quality cuts of steak, there's no need for extra flavoring.

I've also grown quite fond of grilling pizzas.  The way the dough cooks over the high heat of the fire gives the pizza a nice crispness to it.








(You guys are a messageboard equivalent to pot.  I've now got the munchies!       )

[javeryh]

To clean your grill grates, put them in coca cola for an hour.  That ---Cleveland steamer--- will clean anything.  Seriously.

Hot water and soap does a much better job, and no sticky coca cola residue.

I'm thinking I might have to try the coca-cola idea - I'm WAY beyond soap and water doing the trick - I need some sort of active chemical/ingredient to do some serious cleaning.  I've tried heating the grill and using the metal brush to clean the grates but it's not that effective - scraping works a little better. 

[ahofle]

Have you considered just replacing the metal grate as mentioned above?  They sell them at the hardware store.  It sounds like yours is bad enough that simply replacing it would be the easiest option.

[javeryh]

Have you considered just replacing the metal grate as mentioned above?  They sell them at the hardware store.  It sounds like yours is bad enough that simply replacing it would be the easiest option.

Yeah... replacements are only $30 but if there's an easy way to clean them I'd like to try that first!