Cleaning Rusty Barbecue Grate

[paniced]

Last week I asked a question about a dirty barbecue grate, and I got good suggestions to heat it and to use ammonia to clean it. I didn`t specify that most of the problem was rust. I was getting ready to clean the grate today, and I am not sure if the same advice would apply to rust. Will ammonia or heat get rid of the rust? If not, how should I get rid of the rust.

[emasdeo]

Chemically, the rust won`t hurt you, BUT it would possibly change the taste, and you surely don`t want to bite down on a chunk.
Take a wire brush, or similar, and remove any and all of the loose rust particles from the grate. Just dropping the grate flat on some concrete will make this job easier, but if the grate is greasy, it can stain the concrete.
After all the really loose rust is removed, just start the fire like you are going to cook. With the grill in place and heated, again brush or scrape the cooking surface of the grate. A long handled brass grill brush works fine, or some people have suggested wadded up aluminum foil, held with tongs.
Next, you need to coat the grate with some sort of fat. I have a pump up sprayer that I use. DON"T use aerosol over the fire. You can use a paper towel, soaked with oil, held by the tongs. After the oil,fat has cooked in (burnt off?), go ahead and cook.
Rust is one of the reasons that I don`t clean the grates very much. The fat from the previous cook keeps the grates from rusting (even in the high humidity and air salt content in Florida).
When it is time to replace your grates, see if you can find stainless, or just season the grates from the start and keep `em coated with grease and or oil.

[emasdeo]

"Monroe, of course..." wrote...

[counterpt]

In article , "BOB" cook on it until it`s greased over. Iron in the diet is a good thing.... Ammonia makes me gag anyhoo - talk about chemical warfare. monroe(no soap ever non not nein nyet)

[emasdeo]

wings didn`t get wet, but *I* did)

[fatboy321]

A greasy grill is a happy grill.

[clubbabyseals]

Jack

[emasdeo]

(LOL)

[royslist]

moderately effective against rust. To be honest, I`ve never tried it on a grill. I don`t see how it could hurt much.
Note: Spam-resistant e-mail address

[Surge_Dvinith]

and scrape the rusted area to break away any rust/food particles. Next put some vegetable oil in a spray bottle (Note: don`t use a aerosol oil like Pam! Gettin to close to the fire with that stuff can mean you go without a hand for the rest of your life) and mist where the rust was several times. Now cook something in your cooker and enjoy the food. Last and most important, don`t clean your grill so often or thorough. You gotta treat the grate like it`s a cast iron skillet.
So, now if for some reason you have rust in the future, you know how to fix it.