Your grill is designed to run themselves automatically but there is no setting for self-cleaning.
Some folks never consider cleaning their entire grill.
But cleaning your grill is an important step to cooking the best tasting food and also for health reasons too.
If you are an avid BBQer, your Rec Tec grill grates often need a good cleaning.
Many of you think that cleaning the grill is a tedious task.
But let me tell you, regular cleaning of your grill makes the cleaning process faster and easier so that you don’t have to spend long hours scrubbing years of smoke and grease off of it.
Why is Cleaning OF Rec Tec Grill Grates Important?
Prevent food Contamination
You don’t prefer to cook food on a pan that you haven’t washed, so why would you make a meal on a grill grates you haven’t cleaned?
A dirty grill grate is a breeding ground for germs and bacteria.
They can get onto your food and possibly make you sick.
It is important to clean your grill grates regularly to avoid diseases.
So that you can enjoy your food and be happy.
Better tasting food
Nothing can beat the taste of freshly grilled meat.
But it tastes best only when your grill grate is clean thoroughly.
Cleaning your grill grate will make your food taste better.
If your grill has leftover food, oils, greases, sauce residue, etc., will get into your food. And this will affect the taste of your food.
Proper cleaning of your grill eliminates the chance that your meals will come with weird tastes or smells.
Avoid Flare Ups
While grilling, the most important safety tip is to avoid flare ups, which could burn you or even lead to a serious fire.
If your grill is not clean, it could cause excess grease build-up, which in turn, results in a flare up later on.
Prevent Rust
Rust is not just unappealing on grill grates, but it can also be unsafe for you if it gets into your food.
Regular grate cleaning will prevent the chemical reactions that can cause your grates to rust.
It also helps to keep your BBQ grill grate clean, looking nice and shiny.
Extend the life of your Rec Tec grill
A pellet grill is a hefty investment, and if you fail to clean your grill regularly on regular basis, you could end up buying a replacement sooner.
Regular cleaning your grill will keep it in topnotch condition.
It helps to last years longer than you think.
Cleaning your Rec Tec grill will get rid of rust, sauces, food particles, oils, etc., and will let you cook on your grill for a longer time.
Regular cleaning helps your grill work smoothly and consistently.
What Material the Rec Tec Grill Grates are Made of?
Before going to clean the grill grates, you should know the material the grill grates are made up of.
You should know whether your grill grates are made of porcelain, cast iron, or stainless steel.
The process of cleaning and products you used for cleaning entirely depends upon what material the grates are made of.
Let me tell you Rec Tec grill grates are made up of stainless steel.
So that you can choose the cleaning products and apply process accordingly.
Stainless Steel grates are so much durable.
They don’t need as much special care as porcelain or cast-iron grates.
But that doesn’t mean they aren’t going to rust.
So, dry the grates thoroughly after cleaning.
What Do You Need to Clean Your Rec Tec Grates?
As Rec Tec grates are made of stainless steel, you want to make sure that you’re not damaging them.
So, before going to clean your grill, you should choose wisely the right tools to clean them.
Nylon grill brush
Use a nylon brush to clean your cooking grates after every cook.
The Char-Broil standard Nylon Bristle Grill Brush is the best option for hassle free cleaning as it has dual cleaning heads for deep cleaning.
Its Rugged, grit-infused bristles help for increased cleaning ability without the safety concerns of wire bristles.
The angled bristles can clean more effectively between and under grates.
So, you can use it on Rec Tec stainless steel grill grates without any hassle. It cleans the cold surfaces with great end results.
Wood scraper
Wood scraper is another amazing cleaning tool for grill grates.
This Oak wood scraper is made with 100% natural red oak.
It is finished with top quality food grade mineral oil.
This scraper is specifically designed for cleaning the top and in between grates.
Scouring pad
You can get a scouring pad from your kitchen.
It can be used for fast and easy cleanup of grill grates.
Aluminum Foil
You can use a handful of aluminum foil for cleaning our grill grates.
For cleaning the grates, you have to make a ball and use grill tongs to hold it while scrubbing.
A cleaning spray
For cleaning your grill grates you can use a cleaning spray.
You can use this CitruSafe Grill Cleaner which is specifically made for cleaning a barbecue grill’s cooking grates.
It also works great on smokers, ovens, microwaves, etc.
https://amzn.to/3q95tYP
Grill Stone
You can gently rub the grill stone back and forth direction on your grill grates.
Then, wipe down the area and clean with a soft cloth or water. Isn’t it easy?
White vinegar
You might have been using vinegar for cleaning many things in your house. Vinegar is food safe cleaning agent. So, yes you can use Vinegar for cleaning grill grates.
Baking Soda
There is another a good cleaning agent might lurking in the back of our fridge.
yes, its baking soda!
Baking soda is one of the best natural cleaning agent which is definitely safe to clean your grill grates.
Simplified Cleaning Process of Grill Grates with Four Easy Steps
1.Scrape off the stuck-on food to grill grates.
2. Soak the dirty grates.
3. Scrub it with hot soapy water.
4. Rinse the soapy solution to get a clean grate.
3 Techniques to Clean Grill Grates
Cleaning your grill grates may seem you daunting job but it won’t take much time to get sparkle clean.
Following are some easy methods to clean the grill grates.
Soaking method
If you want a more thorough cleaning of your grill grates, scrub your grill grates with hot, soapy water.
We recommend this method for every month’s cleaning.
It will help you to avoid any lingering build-up on your grates.
This method also helps you to clean grates that are also sanitized by the heat.
Soaking grates in a soapy solution before scrubbing works amazingly to get rid of baked-on food, food residue, or any tough stain.
Unfortunately, grill grates are not small as dishes.
So, you’ll have to find a big enough sink or container to soak them properly.
After done soaking, go with a scouring pad to remove any food build up from burnt-on food.
So, it ensures cleaning as well as sanitization of your grill grates.
1.Gently scrub your grill grates.
2.Soak them in soapy water for at least an hour.
We suggest soaking them overnight for the best results.
3. Rinse the grates properly.
4. Put back the grates to your grill. Close the grill lid and warm it up.
5. Once it is got warmed, use your grill brush to scrub any extra residue off the grates.
6. You can also remove gunk with a scotch brite.
7. Once scrubbing is done, rinse the grill grates off with warm water or hot water, and your grill grates are ready for cooking once again.
Alternative to soapy water – vinegar and baking soda.
1. Place the grates into a tub.
2. Add 2 cups white vinegar to 1 cup of baking soda.
Pour the mixture directly over them.
You will see the mixture will foam instantly.
3. Soak the grates for between an hour to overnight to that solution.
4. Scrub and rinse the grates as mentioned above.
Burn off method
This is one of the quick and easy methods for cleaning grill grates.
If a soaking method doesn’t work, and still you are struggling with stubborn food remnants and, then burn off method is something that you should definitely try out.
After you’re done grilling, to get rid of modest deposits on your grill grates, heat the grates up for carbonization.
It helps to remove the leftover food or grease.
As aforementioned, Rec Tec grill grates are constructed of Stainless steel.
These grill grates tolerate intense heat and are fairly rust resistant.
You can clean these stainless steel grates with the help of aluminum foil.
Wrap your Rec Tec grill grates in extra heavy-duty foil and put them back on the grill.
Make sure that the heat should exceed 520°F.
Place the grill cover on top. Leave it to ‘cook’ for 15 to 20 minutes.
The aluminum foil will help to concentrate the heat on the grates to burn off the leftover food.
Once the process is done, remove the aluminum foil.
scrape off the burnt food remnants.
You can use a grill brush or stainless steel BBQ scraper for this job.
After that, you need to wash the burnt residue with hot water and dish washing soap.
Once you have finished the grates cleaning, you clean the grill lid.
You can see how much grime gathers on it.
Spray Method
Some folks use soapy water for cleaning grill grates but some prefer using vinegar or a grill spray.
You can clean grill grates with spray method by following ways:
1.Mix two cups of water with two cups of vinegar in a spray bottle. Or you can use commercial spray.
2. Spray your grill grates allow them to sit for 10 minutes.
3. After 10 minutes, brush your grates clean with a grill brush. You don’t need to rinse them.
If you’re using a grill spray, follow the manufacturer’s instructions mentioned on the bottle.
Are Grill Brushes Really Hazardous to Your Health?
Yes, grill brushes can be hazardous for your health.
The brush with nylon or synthetic bristles isn’t too bad.
The brush with metal bristles is almost lethal.
The bristles of these metal brushes incline to fall after a couple of uses.
It goes on your grills which ultimately come into contact with your food.
If you use a wire grill brush to clean your grill grates, there is a possibility that you might ingest one of those metal bristles.
It is so deadly to consume this metal.
So, grill brush can be hazardous for your health.
It’s always a safe practice to use a BBQ scraper or a stiff nylon scrub brush to clean your grill grates.
If you use a grill brush, choose a brush that comes with a solid head. Always check the brush whether the bristles are tightly packed before and after each use.
If you notice any missing bristles, throw away that brush immediately.
When one bristle falls out, there is less pressure to hold the leftover bristles in, and it begins to fall off other bristles.
Use the brush only after you are finished cooking on a grill.
So that you can rinse or inspect the grate before cooking again.
How to Care for Your Stainless Steel Grill Grates?
It is essential that you should care for your Rec Tec grill grates.
You should prevent your food from sticking to the grill in the first place to avoid a heavy clean-up process.
Some folks recommend wiping oil on the grates, it can lead to faster build up.
But you should not apply vegetable oil on your stainless steel grill grates after each use.
Instead, you can oil your food to prevent them from sticking to the stainless steel grates.
Final Thoughts
We hope that our guide to cleaning Red Tec grill grates has helped you.
Always keep your Rec Tec grill grates clean.
So that you can enjoy those outdoor barbecue sessions at its best!
References:
https://www.recteqforum.com/threads/how-do-you-clean-your-grates.189/
https://www.manualslib.com/manual/729770/Rec-Tec-Grill-Rt-680.html?page=18#manual
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