Advice needed. Mouse invaded griddle.
Hi All,
I have a Char Griller griddle that I picked up from Menards a few years ago during the griddle craze. I agree with Meathead's sentiments on griddles: I love the Oklahoma onion burgers, cleaning it is a pain, and I still prefer charcoal for cooking most food. I do use the griddle throughout the year here in Michigan, especially with the mild winter. A few weeks ago I saw a mouse on my deck where all my grills are. The deck is connected to the house and elevated six feet above the ground (house is on a slope). I have never seen mice around the house before as I try to keep everything clean. Unfortunately, I would soon discover mouse droppings on the actual griddle top itself despite the lid and cover being on (I have no idea how it would have gotten on to the griddle with how tight the lid seals over). No signs of it having made a nest inside of other parts of the grill. I subsequently killed the mouse in a trap, and thoroughly cleaned the griddle. You aren't supposed to use harsh chemicals on the cast iron, so I used extreme heat, water, and some vinegar to clean it. However, I have not cooked on it since, and I did not tell my wife about the mouse on the griddle (she would immediately make me throw it out). I am also a germophobe and am still having a hard time stomaching the idea of cooking on it again. As I wipe the griddle the clean it, some areas of the griddle still have a yellow residue come off on the paper towel. I want to believe its just oil, but part of me also thinks its caked-on mouse urine since it appears in the same areas of the griddle that I found the mouse droppings.
I am wondering what you all would advise doing. I am not quite comfortable with simply cleaning the surface of the griddle as I have already done, but I have seen some others use a method for cleaning rusty griddles that might be able to take the entire top coating off, then start over with a new seasoning (as seen here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1mjGqkzySU&t=3s). Would this method work? I am also open to just junking the griddle altogether given the aforementioned drawbacks and the odds that I'm not going to be able to keep mice out off that griddle in the future. I could also use a stovetop griddle inside or out on the charcoal grills when needed. I've also had MCS lately that is also drawing me to the PK GO with the hibachi set up. I currently have a PK TX charcoal grill, but I need something smaller and more portable when I go on the road as we have a kid now and my wife is giving me a hard time about the amount of trunk space the PK takes up when we go somewhere. My one complaint with the PK TX is also that I have found it is hard to get an elite sear on a steak (thinking the Weber or Slow n Sear kettle with cold grate technique may be the best way to do this). So currently leaning towards trashing the griddle, selling the PK TX, buying a PK Go and a Kettle. Thanks in advance for any advice.
I have a Char Griller griddle that I picked up from Menards a few years ago during the griddle craze. I agree with Meathead's sentiments on griddles: I love the Oklahoma onion burgers, cleaning it is a pain, and I still prefer charcoal for cooking most food. I do use the griddle throughout the year here in Michigan, especially with the mild winter. A few weeks ago I saw a mouse on my deck where all my grills are. The deck is connected to the house and elevated six feet above the ground (house is on a slope). I have never seen mice around the house before as I try to keep everything clean. Unfortunately, I would soon discover mouse droppings on the actual griddle top itself despite the lid and cover being on (I have no idea how it would have gotten on to the griddle with how tight the lid seals over). No signs of it having made a nest inside of other parts of the grill. I subsequently killed the mouse in a trap, and thoroughly cleaned the griddle. You aren't supposed to use harsh chemicals on the cast iron, so I used extreme heat, water, and some vinegar to clean it. However, I have not cooked on it since, and I did not tell my wife about the mouse on the griddle (she would immediately make me throw it out). I am also a germophobe and am still having a hard time stomaching the idea of cooking on it again. As I wipe the griddle the clean it, some areas of the griddle still have a yellow residue come off on the paper towel. I want to believe its just oil, but part of me also thinks its caked-on mouse urine since it appears in the same areas of the griddle that I found the mouse droppings.
I am wondering what you all would advise doing. I am not quite comfortable with simply cleaning the surface of the griddle as I have already done, but I have seen some others use a method for cleaning rusty griddles that might be able to take the entire top coating off, then start over with a new seasoning (as seen here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1mjGqkzySU&t=3s). Would this method work? I am also open to just junking the griddle altogether given the aforementioned drawbacks and the odds that I'm not going to be able to keep mice out off that griddle in the future. I could also use a stovetop griddle inside or out on the charcoal grills when needed. I've also had MCS lately that is also drawing me to the PK GO with the hibachi set up. I currently have a PK TX charcoal grill, but I need something smaller and more portable when I go on the road as we have a kid now and my wife is giving me a hard time about the amount of trunk space the PK takes up when we go somewhere. My one complaint with the PK TX is also that I have found it is hard to get an elite sear on a steak (thinking the Weber or Slow n Sear kettle with cold grate technique may be the best way to do this). So currently leaning towards trashing the griddle, selling the PK TX, buying a PK Go and a Kettle. Thanks in advance for any advice.
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