help: porcelain-enameled cast-iron cooking grate.
 

I just bought a weber Q100 which uses a porcelain-enameled cast-iron cooking grate (whatever this means).

In the manual, it teaches me how to maintain every part of the grill except for the grate

so here are my questions:

1) for my first time use, do I have to 'season' the grate with vegetable shortening and then preheat it for 1 hour? Also, what kind of cheap season would you suggest.

2) how often should I perform a major cleaning of the grate using light dish detergent(?) with warm water and a brush?

3) after every use, do I have to brush and season the grill?

4) before every use, do I have to brush and season the grill?

5) for the 'brush', what kind of brushes should it be and where can I get it cheap locally? I think the manual says I should use a brass bristle brush. Is this the same as the Wide Stainless Steel Bristle Grill Brush (see link below) found at home depot.
http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/s...k=P_PartNumber

1, you don't really have to since your grate will get seasoned over time. But if you want put vegetable oil on it and put it in the oven at 100-150f for a couple hrs with reapplying a bit of oil with a paper towl every 45min to a hr.

2, if you use soap to clean your your grate you will ruin your seasoning. What you should do once it is a bit dirty and still hot use a paper towl and wipe down with more oil to remove the crap on it.

3, I always brush the grill after use so I don't have to clean it when I first use it. You don't have to season it every time because the more you use it the more it is seasoned and as long as you don't use soap it will be fine.

for the brush honestly any one works, of course you want SS since the bristle's won't rust and also remember Oil is flammable so be careful when seasoning it you don't want to start a oil fire.


Best way to start off get some prawns with the shell on, toss them in olive oil and toss them on the grill on low heat. cook until pink take off and toss in the butter, garlic and franks hot sauce and so fricken good.

k.. seasoning it seems like a lot of work. I guess I won't be doing it.

So for my first time use, I don't need to clean the grate or scrub it down? Seems kinda dirty if you ask me. There may be chemical and dust on the grate from the factory.

"porcelain-enameled cast-iron cooking grate"

I've never played with a Baby Q, but from that description, it sounds like something similar to a dutch oven where it's ceramic glazed over cast iron. It shouldn't need seasoning.


But if it's exposed, then yes, you should be season it just as a rust prevention issue. Just scrape it down after you use it and make sure it's oily. I don't think it's super hard to do that. My cast iron pan on my stove is perpetually dirty and just covered in salt and oil. I just give it a quick wipe with paper towels before I start using it.

First use just keep your Q on high for about 45mins then brush on some oil and high for another 30mins. Thats the lazy mans way and works great

so what exactly is the point of this? that's a lot of propane being wasted and I am cheap. lol

do I need to give the grate a quick rinse with only water before this?

It's to burn off all the chemicals and garbage in the bbq when they built it. Don't need to put anything on just need to burn the shit off.

I've got a webber Q as well. What I'd suggest is NOT using your standard scraper, but pick up a wooden one. Still has the bristles on it, but the scraper is wood and will not damage your coating.

Why is there a coating on cast iron?
Isn't that counter productive?

crap.. I used the standard stainless steam scrapper with the bristles on it.

um.. do you know where I can get pick up a wooden scraper locally?

Johnstone's BBQ's in West Van is where I got mine from.

http://maps.google.ca/maps/place?um=...16827984615445

Don't worry too much about it. I had used a traditional scraper for 3 years before I learned that I was hurting the coating.