How is the built in Prestige Pro 500 RB grease pan supposed to work?

[Daverich4]

I recently got the built in Prestige Pro 500 RB to supplement my XL Big Green Egg. I mostly want to use the Rotisserie and use the grill for reverse searing in a cast iron pan but occasionly I'd like to use it as a grill. After a few cooks I pulled the grease pan out and I'm not sure I'm using it right. There is an inverted V shaped stainless tray sitting in the slide out tray below it. As I'm using it, solid chunks of food land on top of the insert and bake onto the stainless. Liquid grease runs off of the insert and collects in in a gloppy pool in the pull out tray. I carefully carried the two pieces into the kitchen to clean them, making sure I didn't spill anything which wouldn't be hard to do as both pieces are quite flexible. The simple solution for me would be to remove the insert and replace it with a disposable aluminum foil pan but the grill is designed to be used as is and I'd like to find out if I'm doing something wrong. Can anyone tell if that's so or give me some tips on how not to make a big mess when working with the grease tray. Thanks.

[jfmorris]

I think that is by design. Here is what they show in the manual:



So it sure LOOKS like you have it right. And here is what they have to say:

Cleaning Inside The Gas Grill: Remove the cooking grids. Use a brass wire brush to clean loose debris from the casting sides and underneath the lid. Scrape the sear plates with a putty knife or scraper, and use a wire brush to remove the ash. Remove the sear plates and brush debris from the burners with the brass wire brush. Sweep all debris from inside the gas grill into the drip pan.

Drip Pan: Accumulated grease is a fire hazard. Clean the drip pan after each use to avoid grease buildup. Grease and excess drippings pass through to the drip pan, located beneath the gas grill. To clean the drip pan, slide the drip pan free of the grill. Never line the drip pan with aluminum foil, sand or any other material as this could prevent the grease from flowing properly. The pan should be scraped out with a putty knife or scraper.

<emphasis in bold/italic above is mine>

So based on that - it sounds like they EXPECT debris to end up in the pan. Sorry it is flimsy and floppy. I guess the key will be to dump it after each cook and don't let excess grease build up. I think the heat shield is there above the grease to help prevent ignition from the heat of the burners. I.e. it blocks the line of sight radiant heat from the flames to the grease in the bottom of the pan.

I sure get a lot of debris in the bottom of my Weber Genesis, if using the regular grates instead of Grillgrates. It just falls past the flavorizer bars / heat shields, and ends up in the slide out tray that funnels it in my case to a disposable aluminum grease pan that hangs under a hole in the center. I scrape that slide out assembly once or twice a year when cleaning the grill.

EDIT:

I will add that the manual for the standalone version of this grill, instead of the built-in version like you bought, indicates that it uses a more conventional design with that slide in tray being sloped DOWN and a disposable grease catch pan under the a hole in the middle. I think for built in purposes, they wanted to make the bottom of the grill flat for the built in area, without a grease cup dangling underneath. So they changed the design to what you have with a big flat grease tray at the bottom.

[Daverich4]

I think that is by design. Here is what they show in the manual:



So it sure LOOKS like you have it right. And here is what they have to say:

Cleaning Inside The Gas Grill: Remove the cooking grids. Use a brass wire brush to clean loose debris from the casting sides and underneath the lid. Scrape the sear plates with a putty knife or scraper, and use a wire brush to remove the ash. Remove the sear plates and brush debris from the burners with the brass wire brush. Sweep all debris from inside the gas grill into the drip pan.

Drip Pan: Accumulated grease is a fire hazard. Clean the drip pan after each use to avoid grease buildup. Grease and excess drippings pass through to the drip pan, located beneath the gas grill. To clean the drip pan, slide the drip pan free of the grill. Never line the drip pan with aluminum foil, sand or any other material as this could prevent the grease from flowing properly. The pan should be scraped out with a putty knife or scraper.

<emphasis in bold/italic above is mine>

So based on that - it sounds like they EXPECT debris to end up in the pan. Sorry it is flimsy and floppy. I guess the key will be to dump it after each cook and don't let excess grease build up. I think the heat shield is there above the grease to help prevent ignition from the heat of the burners. I.e. it blocks the line of sight radiant heat from the flames to the grease in the bottom of the pan.

I sure get a lot of debris in the bottom of my Weber Genesis, if using the regular grates instead of Grillgrates. It just falls past the flavorizer bars / heat shields, and ends up in the slide out tray that funnels it in my case to a disposable aluminum grease pan that hangs under a hole in the center. I scrape that slide out assembly once or twice a year when cleaning the grill.

EDIT:

I will add that the manual for the standalone version of this grill, instead of the built-in version like you bought, indicates that it uses a more conventional design with that slide in tray being sloped DOWN and a disposable grease catch pan under the a hole in the middle. I think for built in purposes, they wanted to make the bottom of the grill flat for the built in area, without a grease cup dangling underneath. So they changed the design to what you have with a big flat grease tray at the bottom.

Thanks for your help. It does sound like my idea of removing the heat shield wasn't all that great. I did look inside the grill and unlike any other gas grill I've ever owned, there is nothing between the bottom of the burners and the grease pan. I guess I'll just have to use it as designed. Thanks again for your help.