Are you planning to purchase a porcelain grill grate and are wondering if they rust? Porcelain grill grates are a popular choice for grilling because they can hold heat well. On the other hand, cleaning a porcelain grill grate can be tricky because they easily chip especially if a hard grill brush is used for scrubbing. A lot of manufacturers claim that grill grates are rust-resistant, how true is this? We will find out the answer below.
Do porcelain grill grates rust? While a lot of manufacturers claim that porcelain grill grates are rust-resistant, they can still rust. The main cause of rust for porcelain grill grates are the scrapes and chips that are exposed underneath the metal which allows water to seep in. Hence, it is important to keep them clean all the time.
When it comes to cleaning porcelain grill grates, you need to take extra precautions to make sure that you do not the porcelain coating on the grill grates and prevent it from rusting. Porcelain grill grates can last for a long time with proper maintenance and care. Read the rest of the article below for more tips and information.
What Causes Rust on Porcelain Grill Grates?
As long as the finish is intact, porcelain grill grates are rust-resistant. Be careful when using the grill grate to avoid any chip and damage that can cause water to seep in as it can lead to rusting. Another reason why rust occurs is that the grates have not been seasoned properly or the seasoning has been burned off. To solve this problem, use a heavy brush to clean the grill grate, re-apply vegetable shortening, and heat the grill grate to re-season it. You can also check out this article that discusses what kind of grill does not rust. We have shared an in-depth discussion about the topic.
How to Get Rust off Porcelain Grill Grates?
To get rid of rust from a porcelain grill grate, make sure that you properly clean it. Cleaning the grill grate helps achieve distinct grilling marks and also makes grilling safer. Use a nylon grill brush to clean porcelain grill grates. Be careful in cleaning to avoid damaging the finish of the grill grate. Below are some steps that you can to keep your porcelain grill grates rust-free.
Step 1: Use a Soft Bristle Brush and Scouring Pad
When cleaning porcelain grill grates, it is recommended that you use a soft bristle brush and a scouring pad. Do not use metal or wire-bristle brushes because they can cause the porcelain grill grates to chip. Use a brush that is made with nylon bristles to avoid the risk of damaging the grill grates as you clean it.
Step 2: Heat Up the Grill
The next step that you need to do is to heat the grill. It will be easier to clean the porcelain grill grate when it is warm. This is because the heat will burn off any food residue on the grill grates. After a few minutes, turn off the grill and let it cool so that the brush bristles that you are using will not melt in the heat.
Step 3: Clean the Grates
Start cleaning the grill grate by running the brush diagonally along with the grates. Make sure to do this in smooth and fluid motions from the bottom to the top of the grates. Running the brush diagonally over the grates will make it easier to remove food residue and grease. See to it that you keep the brush flat to avoid the heat from damaging the grates.
Step 4: Clean Grill after Every Use
It is important to clean the grill grate after every use. This will make it easier to remove any grease and food residue that gets stuck on the grate. Remove the food from the grate and turn off the heat. Clean the grates using a soft brush while it is still warm. After cleaning, apply a light cooking oil or grease to the grates to a season which also helps to prevent rusting. You can also check out the article that we have shared that discusses why a grill is rusting. We have shared different factors that cause a grill to rust.
✅ Video – How to Clean Porcelain Coated Grill Grates
4theGrill shared the video below on YouTube. It demonstrates how to clean porcelain-coated grates. The steps and precautions that you need to take in cleaning this type of grill grate are also discussed. Watch the video below for more information.
How to Season Porcelain Coated Grill Grates
To season porcelain coated grill grates, use a solid vegetable shortening for the initial seasoning. With the use of a paper towel or a cooking brush, carefully spread a thin coating of solid vegetable shortening into the grate making sure that every surface is covered. Avoid using salted fats such as margarine or butter for the seasoning. The next step is to preheat the grill grates for 15 minutes and turn the burners to low with the lid closed. Let the grill grates heat for one to one and a half hours. After that, turn the burners off and leave cooking grates in the grill until they are cool.
How to Prevent Porcelain Grill Grates from Rusting?
Prevent porcelain grill grates from rusting by cleaning them after every use. If you are using a marinade, make sure that you remove as much liquid off as possible before you place the food on the grill. On the other hand, if you are using a BBQ sauce, you need to wait until the last five minutes of grilling before you apply the sauce into the food. Take note that using too much BBQ sauce or marinade early in the grilling process can make the sugar burn which causes a dark color and can also affect the taste of the food. This also means that all that extra marinade and sauce that drips into the grill can make it hard to clean. We have also shared this article titled, how do you keep the bottom of a grill from rusting? Check out the article for an in-depth discussion about the topic.
Porcelain Coated Grill Grates
Porcelain coating is a good choice because it helps protect the core stainless steel body of the grill from heat damage. As compared to stainless steel, porcelain is a better insulator and can help the grill retain more heat. An ideal option would be porcelain-coated steel or cast iron. On the other hand, the downside to porcelain coated grill grates is that the coating can chip away. When this happens, the metal underneath will be exposed to moisture and can result in a rusty surface. This is especially true for porcelain-coated cast iron.
Because porcelain coating can chip, you must choose a quality porcelain grate. Do not sacrifice the quality of the product over the price. While it can be tempting to purchase an affordable grill grate, it can have cheap porcelain coatings which can cause a lot of problems down the road. If you have a porcelain-coated grill grate, make sure that you do not use hard metal scrapers and tools when using and cleaning it. This is a simple step that can help prolong the life of your grill grate.
What are Porcelain Grill Grates?
Porcelain grill grates are metal grill grates that are coated with heavy porcelain. The metal core of the grill grate can be made of iron or steel. Iron is the preferred material because it heats up faster and is also hotter as compared to steel. As a result, it offers an ideal cooking surface when coated with porcelain. Some manufacturers are using steel for less expensive grills. The metal is coated with a heavy layer of porcelain. Porcelain grill grates are easy to heat and clean. On the other hand, you need to take extra precautions when cleaning because the porcelain can chip away.
Advantages of Porcelain Grill Grates
One of the advantages that you can get from porcelain coated grill grates is that they are an affordable choice as compared to solid cast iron grill grates. Moreover, porcelain grill grates are easier to heat and are also non-stick. When compared to steel grills, you do not have to worry about food sticking to your porcelain grates.
Disadvantages of Porcelain Grill Grates
Porcelain grill grates also come with disadvantages. You also need to be careful when cleaning the porcelain grill grates because they can easily chip off. Avoid using hard metal cleaning or cooking tools.
Conclusion
You have reached the end of this article that discusses if porcelain grill grates rust. We have found out that these types of grill grates are only rust-resistant if their finish is intact. Once the finish or coating is chipped off, water and moisture can seep into the metal and cause rusting. We have also shared the advantages and disadvantages of using porcelain-coated grill grates as well as how to prevent the grill grate from rusting. We hope that the information that we have shared in this article has helped you learn more about porcelain grill grates and if they are the best choice for your grilling needs. Thank you for reading!