Don't clean my grill, food is starting to taste amazing

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S

spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
76
You know about seasoning a cast iron skillet. Some people rarely clean their smokers other than a grim build up. Some places the griddle has decades of flavor in it and their burgers are world famous because and only because of that griddle.

Well I've been doing the same to my trusty weber charcoal grill for at least two years. No cleaning and there is a nice build up of burnt stuff on the actual grill surface (grate), at least 3-4 mm. I am really starting to notice that the flavor of the crust on everything I cook has an unbelievable flavor to it. Made some burgers last night and the browning and grill marks on the outside were out of this world good.

I don't think I'll ever clean my grill unless it gets unusable. I remember going to a cook out at a pretty good chef's house years ago and when he opened his grill it was coated in blackness. I thought he was crazy/lazy and just asked "guess you haven't gotten around to scrubbing it down, eh"

His answer - "don't ever clean your grill". It didn't make any sense at the time and thought he was crazy, but I'm a believer now.
 
N

NetWareHead

THAT guy
Aug 10, 2002
5,847
154
106
lol @ tag

So you don't clean the food surface of the grill and let it accumulate burnt on "stuff"? Or do you mean the inside of the grill, the walls, surfaces etc... within?
 
Fritzo

Fritzo

Lifer
Jan 3, 2001
41,920
2,161
126
spidey07 said:
You know about seasoning a cast iron skillet. Some people rarely clean their smokers other than a grim build up. Some places the griddle has decades of flavor in it and their burgers are world famous because and only because of that griddle.

Well I've been doing the same to my trusty weber charcoal grill for at least two years. No cleaning and there is a nice build up of burnt stuff on the actual grill surface (grate), at least 3-4 mm. I am really starting to notice that the flavor of the crust on everything I cook has an unbelievable flavor to it. Made some burgers last night and the browning and grill marks on the outside were out of this world good.

I don't think I'll ever clean my grill unless it gets unusable. I remember going to a cook out at a pretty good chef's house years ago and when he opened his grill it was coated in blackness. I thought he was crazy/lazy and just asked "guess you haven't gotten around to scrubbing it down, eh"

His answer - "don't ever clean your grill". It didn't make any sense at the time and thought he was crazy, but I'm a believer now.
Click to expand...

I have cast iron grates that haven't been cleaned since 1995 :D
 
S

spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
76
Fritzo said:
I have cast iron grates that haven't been cleaned since 1995 :D
Click to expand...

I've googled some and I gotta tell Alton Brown he's full of shit. gimme a dirty grill and all that flavor. Show me a BBQ master that cleans his smoker...show me one.
 
X

xSauronx

Lifer
Jul 14, 2000
19,582
4
81
spidey07 said:
I've googled some and I gotta tell Alton Brown he's full of shit. gimme a dirty grill and all that flavor. Show me a BBQ master that cleans his smoker...show me one.
Click to expand...

i dont think ive cleaned my smoker

i do clean my little mini weber, but i dont really get it shiny new clean, i just clean the leftover gunk off the grate
 
B

BUTCH1

Lifer
Jul 15, 2000
20,433
1,769
126
I wire brush the grate to keep it down some, otherwise it can get so thick it starts to ignite. Weber gas grills run hot enough to burn off a lot on it's own..
 
B

BUTCH1

Lifer
Jul 15, 2000
20,433
1,769
126
spidey07 said:
I've googled some and I gotta tell Alton Brown he's full of shit. gimme a dirty grill and all that flavor. Show me a BBQ master that cleans his smoker...show me one.
Click to expand...

Well, smoking and grilling burgers are 2 different things..
 
HeXen

HeXen

Diamond Member
Dec 13, 2009
7,832
37
91
If i domt clean mine, food sticks so bad its unreal. I charcoal so it tastes good enough, i dont need to orgasm just to eat some food from a dirty grill. Smoker or not
 
S

spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
76
BUTCH1 said:
Well, smoking and grilling burgers are 2 different things..
Click to expand...

Not for me. Hear me, I fully understand the difference between smoking at 225-250 and grilling (not really wanting to go there...trust me). But what I do is a combination of both, med-high direct heat (grilling) and still plenty of smoke rolling in the grill from the fat and yummies of burgers and seasonings past.

Not the same, I know, but my grill has been rocking on the flavor lately.
 
S

spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
76
Uninvited- said:
If i domt clean mine, food sticks so bad its unreal. I charcoal so it tastes good enough, i dont need to orgasm just to eat some food from a dirty grill. Smoker or not
Click to expand...

Up your heat, won't stick. If it sticks, heat to low or you're too early.
 
M

mizzou

Diamond Member
Jan 2, 2008
9,734
54
91
where do you store the dirty griddles to avoid attracting cockroaches and bugs?
 
S

spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
76
mizzou said:
where do you store the dirty griddles to avoid attracting cockroaches and bugs?
Click to expand...

You close the restaurant properly. You do know what a griddle is, right? It's not like you can move it.

As far as the GRILL, I just let it burn off whatever is in there before and after I'm done cooking. Grill is still very hot from tonights strip steaks a few hours ago.
 
M

mizzou

Diamond Member
Jan 2, 2008
9,734
54
91
spidey07 said:
You close the restaurant properly. You do know what a griddle is, right? It's not like you can move it.

As far as the GRILL, I just let it burn off whatever is in there before and after I'm done cooking. Grill is still very hot from tonights strip steaks a few hours ago.
Click to expand...


Was thinking we were talking about these, except for the talk about BBQ joints

http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-LPGI3-16...8172729&sr=8-5


If you don't ever clean it or touch it up, I don't see how a cabinet will keep bugs off it
 
S

spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
76
mizzou said:
Was thinking we were talking about these, except for the talk about BBQ joints

http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-LPGI3-16...8172729&sr=8-5


If you don't ever clean it or touch it up, I don't see how a cabinet will keep bugs off it
Click to expand...

I'm talking flat top griddle at a resaurant, waffle house style. Oh, and I don't clean what you linked to either other than some water and salt. Don't want to take the flavor away.
 
mmntech

mmntech

Lifer
Sep 20, 2007
17,501
12
0
mizzou said:
where do you store the dirty griddles to avoid attracting cockroaches and bugs?
Click to expand...

The burnt roaches are the secret ingredient.

As for sticking, if it's sticks, your gill isn't hot enough or your turning it over too soon. Food shrinks when it cooks so it will pull away from the grill by itself. A light coating of oil applied with a rag helps too.
 
B

BUTCH1

Lifer
Jul 15, 2000
20,433
1,769
126
mizzou said:
Was thinking we were talking about these, except for the talk about BBQ joints

http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-LPGI3-16...8172729&sr=8-5


If you don't ever clean it or touch it up, I don't see how a cabinet will keep bugs off it
Click to expand...

I have one of those, my favorite thing to do with it is to use it with my turkey-fryer-burner and heat it super hot and make killer sliders!. I clean mine with blue dawn and hot water, I cant let it sit with hamburger grease all over it. Target carries 'em that's where I got mine..
 
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