Just How Clean Does It Need to Be?

[Bulldog]

I gave my Weber kettle grill its 'beginning of the season' cleaning today. Yes, I know, late start. I was truly impressed by how much 'stuff' came off the interior of the lid and bowl. They look a lot better now. (I bought a new grate for this year.) Still, there's a good amount of stuff still clinging to the interior, and I could probably spend hours on it and not get everything off. So here's my question: Just how clean do the interior of the lid and the bowl need to be?

[rickgregory]

So, people can do what they want of course but I don't get the drive to make a grill look like new. To me the questions are is it sanitary, is there rust or other structural stuff that needs to be removed and does the outside look good enough that it's not an eyesore.

[RonB]

+ 2

[ecowper]

Huskee …. Degrease? Never heard of it

[Dan Deter]

The only reason I clean as often as I do (2-4 months) is to avoid grease fires. It does keep it looking nicer as well. I've had one and I don't want another.

[DaveD]

Also not overly concerned with cosmetics. So long as stuff doesn't flake off the inside of the lid and fall on the food, I'm good

[Oak Smoke]

I don’t get too wound up about mine. In my kamados a good hot fire of about 800 degrees F for a couple of hours will turn everything to a grey ash that can be brushed out the next day. The external parts get a good scrubbing with hot soapy Dawn Ultra and a rinse about twice a year. The grates get cleaned every time I do a fire clean and are heated and brushed before each cook. They honestly get a black seasoned look between fire cleanings and are very nonstick.

[Sid P]

I gave my kettle a good scrubbing 4-5 years ago. I can’t say the food tasted any better afterwards 🤷♂️

[Jfrosty27]

My cookers are all pretty messy. First, I’m a lazy SOB. Second, I really don’t care how they look. Lastly, I will brush off the grates as needed, clean out the pellet burn pot and drip tray as needed, and keep that flaky junk from collecting and falling on my food in the kettles. That’s really about it. Seems to work for me. 🤷♂️

[ecowper]

I actually don’t worry too much about the gunk on the inside of the kettle. This is because the gunk build-up cuts way down on the metal reflecting, which increases heat. Also, the gunk helps seal the lid and body together. I find that when gunked up, I get much better temp control. Now, the grate, the drip pans, the side table, I make sure all that stuff is clean.

I did the Hasty-Bake and SnS Kettle yesterday :-)

[Michael_in_TX]

I use my kettle essentially weekly and always for direct grilling. My cleaning routine is quite minimal. I always clean out the ash catcher and scrape down the sides with a plastic putty knife before each cook. About twice a year I'll scrape down the interior of the lid.

I probably clean my grate more often than most, nearly prior to ever cook by soaking it in dawn and then using a SOS pad on it. It is the one part of the grill I really pay attention to.

I'll wipe down the exterior every-so-often if it starts looking a bad. I keep my grill under a cover when not in use.

If the lower bowl does seem to be getting some caked on grease, I clean it the easy and tasty way: use a vortex to get that thing ripping hot and do some chicken wings. Amazing how the vortex will incinerate that grease!

[Finster]

Do you have a container of some sort that you soak your grate in?
I usually clean mine with SOS in the kitchen sink. A bit of a pita...
Always looking for an easier way to do something..

[Michael_in_TX]

Finster I do! I use a circular 24" aluminum water heater drain pan: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt...5013/205680995 I just plug the hole with a PVC plug. It works fantastic!

[shify]

It is flaking on your food? Might it cause rust if left untouched? Might it cause a grease fire (more for gas grills)? If those are “no” it’s clean enough for me

[CandySueQ]

Flake test is mine too!

[Donw]

You can buy a small plastic scrapper/putty knife in any hardware store for cheap. When it bothers you just give a scraping to knock off the flakes and loose materials. Do make sure to clean your temperature probe if you use it to judge temperatures in your kettle. If the grates look like they need attention wad up some aluminum foil and give the grates on both sides a going over with the wad.

[Steve R.]

If you have the black flakes on the inside of the lid, a wadded up ball of foil will take care of that. Maybe not completely spotless, but good enough that you don't have to worry about it flaking off on your food.

As for everything below the cooking grate, an ounce of prevention goes a long way. I HATE having stuff drip and gunk up the charcoal grate and the bottom of the bowl, so I always line the bottom grate with heavy duty foil. That has the added benefit of forcing more air to go up through the SnS, if you have one of those.

[tamidw]

As long as they’re functional and I’m not risking health, then my cookers can look how they want. They’re all under cover on my deck so not in direct wet elements. I clean grates as often as needed and for my pellet smoker, I clean drip tray and burn pot every so often.

[DavidNorcross]

I skim over the inside and do what is needed. I try to keep the outside looking fairly clean.

[RonB]

I just run a wire brush over the interior of the lid every 4 - 5 years whether it needs it or not. I just don't want anything flaking off onto food.

I do check the lid every so often and will remove stuff that looks like it could fall off.

[BBQ Wiz]

I take a wire brush to take off any loose particles, followed by balled foil and a quick wipe with a towel very couple of weeks. I'm most concerned with the grate. Rancid fat is not good.

I have friends who never wash their coffee pot, saying it makes better coffee. A Brother In Law feels the same about his Weber. Never clean the inside. Anything that falls loose adds extra flavor to his cook. Of course, he also feels that charred is the best cook, so take for that what you will.