Winter smoking Grates?

[RiverJeff]

This winter I plan to using my Gridiron smoker a lot more than last year. Last year I would use my wire racks to cook on so I could put the meat on the smoker and return back in on the same rack, this lead to scrubbing the racks of residue in to the kitchen sink a real "pita". So this year I want to cook on the expanded metal shelves them selves no extra rack to clean. My plan is to start with clean foil wrapped base plate in the bottom of the smoker at the end or the beginning of my cooks push off the residue on to a foil drip pan and remove, So now the grates are some what clean, My question is how hot and for how long will I need to heat the grates to sanitize the surface for the next cook? Summer months I wash my grates in my outside sinks after every cook removing all residue. Neighbor thinks I am nuts, he asks why am I washing off the seasoning each time I cook? Clean freak I guess. I do have 3 shelves so I can have 1 shelf with hanging seasoning that I leave alone and clean the others to use when I catch drippings. Am I right in thinking this way or am I headed for disaster?
Thanks!
Jeff

[Washblue]

I too wash between cooks… and I use brushes, soap and water on grills and pressure washer on the pit hardware…

I don’t go for big buildup on any surface and I want my food touching nothing but hot, clean steel…

My surfaces are easier to clean because they have minimum spoilage and there’s nothing flaking off in my food…

I say, cook and clean like grandma taught us to do…

[Jerod Broussard]

You can just run a handheld torch over the grate. I'll blast off excess "residue" then torch real quick. Friend of mine from high school runs a BBQ joint and they hit their grates every 3-4 days with the power washer.

[RiverJeff]

Thanks Washblue and Jerod Broussard for your input I guess the car wash is not out of the question.

[Old Glory]

I don't wash the grates. I pre-heat to 350 and let it run then lower to 225. If gunky I just scrape the surface. I will do a deep clean 2-3 times a year.

[RiverJeff]

DogFaced PonySoldier Define (schmutz)

[DogFaced PonySoldier]

dirt, filth, grunge, grime, baked on blackened grease, etc. It's Yiddish - sounds like "puts."

[RiverJeff]

DogFaced PonySoldier Got-It Not a chance in the world I would allow that much nastiness to happen. Thanks for your help!

[Timbo54]

I use a propane weed burner to burn off any residue then brush and finally wipe off with wet paper towels. Grills come out spotless and sanitized.

[RiverJeff]

Timbo54 Do you remove the grates out of your smoker or just do it where they lay?

[Timbo54]

RiverJeff I leave the grates in the SmokyJoe and my Weber 22. This also doubles in starting the briquettes. The Kamado and Traeger grates gets laid on the 22 for a platform to work on. I'm afraid the Kamado would crack with the sudden heat change. KBQ gets put in the dishwasher and the Weber genisus just gets turned up to warp 10.

[RiverJeff]

@ timbo54 I also just crank up the heat on my weber to clean my cast iron grates. I'm 1 1/2 years in on my smoker and have washed the grate each time after use, gettin old. Thanks for your input!

[RiverJeff]

Hoping to see many more opinions Thanks to all who did help!

[WayneT]

I have a Weber gasser, an SNS kettle and Pit Boss vertical smoker. I leave the gasser grates in place, use Weber spray cleaner, steel brush followed by a scrubby sponge to clean them after a cook. I wipe them down again just before a cook with a scrubby sponge. I remove the grates on my kettle and smoker and clean them in the sink using Dawn and Bartender’s Friend and a scrubby sponge.

[RiverJeff]

WayneT Thanks for your help!

[Starsky]

You're supposed to clean 'em? I guess mine are well seasoned

[RiverJeff]

Starsky Well ya know I thought I was just wasting soap and water