How to Clean Rec Tec Drip Tray?: Complete Guide

how to clean Rec Tec drip tray
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As the weather gets warmer, every BBQ Pitmaster dreams about mouth-watering spiced and smoked barbecue recipes.

If you own a pellet grill like Rec Tec, summer time is high time for endless cookouts.

However, before firing up the grill and grabbing your tongs and spatula, you need to get your Rec Tec grill ready with some essential cleaning.

Cleaning of your pellet grill ensures great tasting food and proper grill operation.

Every time you use your Rec Tec grill, it collects grease.

Grease build-up can impact your pellet grill functions and may shorten the life of your grill.

So, cleaning of drip pan is always essential.

In this article, we will show you the best way to clean the drip pan on your Rec Tec pellet grill and some maintenance and cleaning tips.

So that your Rec Tec operates smoothly throughout all season long.

You need to know how to clean Rec Tec drip pan with the right cleaning tools.

The best method to do it is by removing all grill grates first and then cleaning the drip pan.

You can scrape off the grease on the drip pan with a scraper.

If you want deep cleaning of the drip pan, clean the drip pan with a non-toxic cleaner.

We highly recommend you to read this article till the end to understand the whole cleaning process of the Rec Tec Drip pan.

What is the Drip Pan On Rec Tec Pellet Grill?

The main purpose of a drip pan is to gather the flavourful juices that come out from the meat.

These juices can be used in a sauce or stock.

A drip pan also helps keep the juices off the flame and prevent flare-ups.

It keeps the oil from coating the water in the water pan preventing evaporation.

If filled with water, a drip pan can also absorb heat from the fire underneath.

It reduces the grill temp and levels off fluctuations.

It ultimately helps smoke to stick to the meat.

Regular cleaning of the drip pan prevents the grease fire within the grill.

Where You Can Find the Drip Pan on the Rec Tec Grill?

Now you decided to clean the drip tray of your Rec Tec grill.

But did you know where is the drip pan in your Rec Tec grill?

Locating a drip pan is simply easy!

The fire-pot in the pellet grill is covered with a heat baffle to produce convection of heat within the smoke chamber.

A drip pan is typically located above the baffle.

It is slanted to deposit grease and other foodstuffs inside a container.

The drip pan is located beneath the cooking grates and above the heat baffle.

So, when you open the lid, you can easily locate the drip tray under the grill grates inside your Rec tec pellet grill.

When Do You Need to Clean the Drip Pan On Rec Tec Grill?

You Should clean your Rec Tec drip pan about every three to five times you grill.

For easy clean up, you can place heavy duty aluminum foil or a pellet grill drip pan liner on your drip tray.

The drip pan cleaning frequency also depends on how many times you use your grill every day.

The more you cook, there is more grease builds up.

On the other hand, if your Rec Tec pellet grill has not been cleaned precisely for a few days, then it will accumulate more grease and oil on the drip pan.

This, later on, leads to more build-up of the grease and it will fill your grease trap entirely.

How To Clean Rec Tec Drip Tray? (Step By Step Process)

You can clean the drip tray by following way:

1.Once the grill grates are removed from the grill, the drip pan is exposed.

To clean the grease drip tray, first, remove the main grill grates and any extra cooking grates.

2. Take a griddle scraper to scrub the grease on the drip tray.

We highly recommend using Cuisinart Multi-Purpose Griddle Scraper CCB-999 as we found it delivers the best results.

It is a versatile scraper and the multi-use griddle tool perfect for chopping, serving, and scraping the griddle.

It can easily remove burnt, caked-on residue from the grill cooking surface or drip pan.

Once the cleaning is done, season the griddle top with vegetable oil.

Remove the scrubbed grease with a paper towel.

Discard the grease into a trash can or plastic grocery bag.

3.Wipe off the grease drip tray with a cloth or a paper towel.

4.If your drip tray needs deep cleaning with soapy water or cleaner, you have to take out the drip tray from the grill.

5. Clean the drip tray with cleaner thoroughly.

We highly recommend using Simple Green Bbq Cleaner as it is non-toxic and solvent free. It also makes a breeze in cleaning.

6. Allow it to dry completely before putting back into your Rec Tec grill.

Recommended Cleaners to Deep Clean the Rec Tec Drip Tray

Barkeepers’ friend

If you are not using foil on drip pan to collect the grease, you can use bar keepers friend and a small putty knife for cleaning. A mild Scott’s scouring pad also works well.

Barkeepers’ friend is one of the best cleaners to remove stubborn grease and grime and restore the shine on a surface.

It is Safe to Use on Glass Ceramic Cooking Surfaces, Copper, Brass, Chrome, and Stainless Steel, and Porcelain.

This cleaner can also clean the stains and residue on other parts of the Rec Tec grill.

Spic n’ Span

You can take a tub that can accommodate a drip pan. Soak the drip pan in the tub.

Use dry Spic n’ Span cleaner which is available only online.

You can use it to clean smoke and soot on your grill.

Instead of using it on a grill, you can use it for other cleaning purposes such as walls, kitchen surfaces, concrete, brick, outdoor furniture, etc.

It also cleans up mildew very well.

Spic n’ Span is Made in USA product that contains no phosphate.

Simple Green Bbq Cleaner

Simple green bbq cleaner is all purpose cleaner and degreaser that can remove stains and odors.

This is a non toxic cleaner, so it is safe to use inside your grill area. It ensures no any toxic elements go into your food.

It is a solvent free cleaner safe for all washable surfaces.

This cleaner makes your drip pan grease free and shiny effortlessly.

Additional Tips for Keeping Drip Tray Clean

1.Line your drip tray with 3 or 4 sheets of foil on it.

Then you can peel off one after each use, till you reach the last. Once they finished, then add more.

2. Clean the drip tray often for better grilling performance.

How To Change Foil on Drip pan?

Some folks prefer using a foil on a drip tray whereas some are not.

But Rec Tec strongly recommends using a heavy duty  foil on the drip pan.

For best grill performance and grilling results, you need to change foil on drip often especially after high temperature cook.

It makes sense to foil so that grease doesn’t build up too much and start a grease fire. So, it won’t need much elbow grease for drip pan cleaning too.

This process of changing foil is very quick and easy.

First of all, wear hand gloves as the grill grates are seasoned and greasy, gloves make their handling easier.

Take grill grate out of the grill. Then you can access your drip pan and take them out as well.

Remove the old greasy foil from your drip pan.

Take a new piece of foil. Instead of keeping up and over the edges of the drip pan, fold them inside the edges of two large sides of the drip pan.

If it is going over the edges, it may restrict the airflow within the grill.

Place back drip pan inside the grill.

But be careful while installing a drip pan as you may damage the temperature sensor while installing a drip pan.

Then put back grill grates and you have done. Isn’t it easy!

Final Thoughts

Now you know how to clean the drip tray of your Rec Tec grill.

Cleaning of drip tray is essential for best grilling performance.

It also prevents grease fire within the grill.

Cleaning of drip pan also important for our health reason.

Uncleaned oil and grease get trapped in our cooked food on the grill.

If we consume such food on a regular basis, then later on it can cause health complications.

So, clean the drip tray on regular basis or as and when needed not only for smooth functioning of the grill but also for your health purpose.

 

Sources:

https://www.recteqforum.com/threads/cleaning-drip-tray.2071/

https://www.recteqforum.com/threads/keeping-drip-pan-clean.2746/

 

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