Many people mentioned that they like using this grate upside down as a flat top griddle. I am glad this grate makes someone happy. I tried the flat side for a few things and it was ok (still difficult to clean), BUT, there are better, cheaper flat top griddle solutions. I would want something I can do pancakes and eggs on. I would also want something that doesn't lose all the fat through the holes. I think Lodge makes a very affordable option, though I haven't tried it yet. I was just visiting family in CA and one of my relatives had a Blackstone propane griddle. It was incredible. Browns great and so easy to clean. I could do 20 eggs on it at once. Now I really want one :) I hear Costco sometimes carries it at a good price.
...I use these GrillGrates with my Weber 22" charcoal grill. Been using them for about 8 years now. Love them. I use my Slow 'n Sear to hold the charcoal. I like having a two zone cooking, so I can spin my grate to the no charcoal side. ...I mainly use the flat side. I will sear my beef steak or pork steak on the flat side to get the nice overall Maillard browning. Then spin my regular grate and finish cooking the meats directly above the coals to get the magic grill smoke flavor. I try my best to avoid any burnt black.(acrid and bitter tasting to me) I also like cooking my thin burgers on the flat side of the grates. About 1 1/2 to 2 minutes each side and done, a wonderful maillard crust forms.
...I like some juice dripping onto the coals, that's where the magic flavor smoke happens. Same when I do rotisserie, I have my hot coals below the rotisserie and cook with the lid off mostly. Self basting and a bit of juice drops onto the coals for the magic flavor smoke. ...For cleanup, I mainly use a towel or paper towel and some salt. Sometimes I need to run a brush across them, trying my best to let the seasoning remain on them.
I’ve purchased an inexpensive lodge cast iron flat griddle a few years back that I use constantly(on my gas grill) produces the best browning I could ask for, not as much surface area as I would like but it gets the job done.
Someone said to just call up a machine shop and have them mill some plate for you. You can get the exact size and shape you want it will be a fraction of a cost. If you want holes in it, I bet they can do that too.
“Blocked radiative heat”..these are anodized aluminum, their increased surface area does not “block” heat, it directly absorbs it, it captures more heat and transfers it much more effectively than the round stainless ones. She never even gets her grill to searing temps, she doesn’t coat the grills with a rubbed onion (sulfur compounds create nonstick surface) and why she’s trashing a tool that most bbq champions use is beyond me.
@@TonyGonzales except calling something science doesn’t make it so. You don’t “block” heat with these grates, they have more surface area, therefore absorb and transfer heat more effectively. I generally like her videos, but on this she’s very wrong. It’s sad because the ppl that believe this incorrect information will now never get to experience how wonderful these Grill Grates perform. Telling people not to “waste their money” on a superior product used by world class and champion grillers and pit masters seems..well, just wrong.
I bought some grill grates several years ago and my results are in line with yours for making grill marks and actual cooking. However, I no longer use them like this. I have them flipped them over to the smooth sides covering just one of the burners on my grill, and use them as a griddle. This gives me lots of different cooking areas on my grill, regular open grates, a griddle, and a searing station. Try them flipped over. Works for me!
Just retired and am thinking of taking the US's longest non-stop domestic flight, HNL to BOS. In addition to taking in historical sites, I'll be looking into Helen's cooking classes!
I been using Grill Grates for three years on both my LP grill and my Green Egg. I love how the grill grates sear the meat and keeps fire from kissing my meats. I used both sides of the grill grates for different types of cooking. I clean by either wiping with paper towel of a brush and then baptism by fire. This how I clean a standard grate too.
I have these on the exact same grill. I quite like them. I think there's a couple reasons I've had a different experience: 1. With the Grillgrates, you don't have to do all the prep you did. Like, I don't oil them. It's not necessary. Saving that prep is a major advantage of the grates (as well as less attention while grilling) 2. Higher heat. If you get the grates really hot, the grates themselves give radiant heat which helps with browning.
These are the ones that are used in grill competitions that always win, specifically with the PK Grill. She is not considering that they cover the grill and do exact timing depending on thickness. I run mine 500 F usually 2 to 3 min twice per side to make cross hatch (grill closed), the last part open with a fast temp probe on a pellet. Works perfect every time. th-cam.com/video/9f_0tmaBoM0/w-d-xo.html
Good to know I was not the only one lol. I bought one set that comes with 3 interconnected for my Webber five years ago. I used it a few times and just throw it under the storage. Thank You, always love your videos.
Interesting (but accurate) observation Helen. I've been using Grill Greates on my gas BBQ for several years. Using low heat, I agree with your assessment. When using higher heat the Grill Greats do perform much better, atomizing the juices and grease dripping from the protein being cooked. The lack of flair-ups and even heat distribution I find to be a bonus, and I have had good results. - Cheers!
Heat from the flames followed the path of least resistance through the open grates so the Grillgrates was a cooler cooking surface. Normally the fat burns off as soon as it lands on the bottom surface so it wasn't hot enough to cook the way it was designed for
My experience is they definitely give better grill marks and reduce flareups completely. I take my grill grates to the sand blaster every year and blast off all the crud. Works great! I don't do steaks without them now.
@@Luke.Cooking My wife and I are both SCA Judges as well as participants. My guess would be 90%. In SCA competitions, Appearance is one of the things judged. The others are Taste, Texture, Doneness and Overall Impression. Because Grill Grates are REALLY good at producing the favored "diamond" char pattern on the steaks, they are used a LOT.
Good video as always For many years I have been using a grill made by TEC. It is a grill om top of an infrared glass. The radiant heat heat is astounding.. And no flareups. Cheers, Peter
I think my parents had something like that when I was a kid in the 80's. I remember when they had to throw it out when it cracked. I just looked them up. More videos to watch...
I have a charcoal grill with actual fire and it came with the grates included. I've found these grill grates make cooking over fire more forgiving. Since it's not gas, I can't just set & forget the temp, so the grate gives me a larger "window" for cooking. I store them in the grill upside down and leave them upside down while preheating so they work kinda like the foil pans you use and it burns off any leftover grease or crumbs. I like mine a lot and use them regularly.
Long time subscriber, love your videos however I would advise using your GrillGrates on high heat for best efficiency. I have used them for over 15 years and am very impressed. My Chicken skin is very crispy, and I love the non-stick. I have never had any grease buildup or off-putting flavors when used like this. Best wishes! Gary
I use the flat side almost exclusively. Salmon cooked skin-side down and you end up with a nice crispy skin. Burgers: I make patty melts so the flat surface lets me cook a small pile of onions, and toast the bread for sandwich. I also like that there are small holes on the flat side so I don’t end up with puddles of grease as might happen with just a flat top.
I have GrillGrates and a Kamado Joe Classic 3. My cooks are always nice and brown with well pronounced grill marks. I really admire the approach you have but I don't have the same results. Could it be that charcoal is much hotter and therefore gives the better results that I experience? You also showed how you have to preheat your gas grill stating that it is not hot enough. I see the difference as you showed the GrillGrates covered in grease as mine show a dark brown residue. I then use the provided scraper to clean the areas between the grates. By the way, GrillGrates can be put in the dishwasher without any damage to them. In my case I don't have to do that. Instead, when they are very dirty I turn them upside down and burn them clean. After many years they are as good as new. I am very happy with my GrillGrates
It's not the grill marks that bother me. GrillGrates produce very dark grill marks. it's the lack of browning between grill marks. The huge amount of grease is from chicken thighs. If you aren't grilling chicken with skin, you won't have that much grease.
Interesting video. I thinks a good example of a product solving a 'problem' at a superficial level without fully understanding all the dynamics involved (I certainly wouldn't). I'm sure all of the major grill manufacturers have tinkered with similar designs over the years and encountered these flaws as well. A good example of why seemingly obvious solutions aren't often as obvious as we'd all think.
Where you use an oiled paper towel, I was taught to use the end of an onion (or potato, or apple) on the end of a large bbq fork. That way if it shreads on the grill, I'm cooking vegetable parts instead of paper towel shreads. Plus doing it with an onion makes the yard smell great. Usually after all the food prep, I have an onion end laying around.
No flare ups ever. No sticking. With few hacks my grill go to 300F in 90 sec. Up to 650F for searing. Grill grate is best spent money ever. I got it for more than 15 years. I'm grilling 100 times a year. Half flat, half rail or any combination.
I prefer the grill grates that are just like the ones that come with the grill but have thicker iron bars as opposed to the holes. A little bit of a flare up can be a good thing if properly addressed.
To me flares are absolutely essential for some grilling, its about keeping them under control. A simple squirt bottle of water control flares and provides a splash of steam heat helping things not dry out as badly.
@@jamestaylor3805 My mom used to use the squirt bottle method, I just move stuff kind of away from the coals if the flames get too intense. I also don't own a gas grill so there is that.
@@fiveminutezen every two years I buy one of those cheap canister fueled walmart grills for $25. It takes a little over a year of use for the burners to clog up, then I tear out thr guts and it becomes next summers charcoal grill. So I have one of each for $12.50 per summer. Works for me.
thank you Helen your video was very informative and the comparison you gave was perfect plus the extra tips for helping to get even more heat out of the grill tops was very helpful, perfect explanation of people bother to slow down , pay attention and listen !
One alternative is to use it as a defrosting tray. When turned upside down, the grate is like a giant heatsink and will defrost frozen foods quickly. Sometimes I'll put a food weight on top to speed up the process even more.
Helen, I've used grill grates for a number of years, but on charcoal, not a gas grill. The fact that you had standing oil and lightly cooked areas between the grill marks after cooking, suggests to me that the grill grate just never got hot enough . I get mine up to 350° to 450° before I put the protein on. Since you've paid for them, try another cook using your infrared thermometer, and see if your gas grill can get the grates up into that temp range.
I have the grill grates for several years and I like them. No disrespect to your analysis. They need to be heated up longer than regular grates. Once you get the hang of it you’ll never go back. Although I do think they are expensive.
After the inverted foil method, it seems like the temp would just go back to what it would be anyway after the time it takes to clean and reseason it with the lid up.
It is SO nice to see a product review that doesn't come from a fangirl/fanboy. There is (in my opinion) a lot of junk out there being bought solely on the vapid hype from some well-paid "influencer".
as a Texas pit master I agree just season your grates and watch your temps. you could also place a cedar plank under the salmon great flavor and deflect the direct heat. love your content.
She's aces. Bobby Flay had a grilling show on Food Network for a decade and nobody learned a thing. Helen Rennie does one 8-minute video and we can grill bare fish without leaving any of it stuck on the grate. Game over.
These grates look very similar to the grates I have on my Recteq Bullseye pellet grill/smoker. They are reversible, and the other side is more like a griddle. They are terrible for using as a normal grill grate, but work perfectly on my pellet grill, but I only put them over half the grill. Makes amazing pork chops. I start out on the normal grill grates cooking them low and slow at 225F and getting a nice smokey flavor. I pull them at 135F and then crank the gill up to 550F which get the griddle side of these grates nice and hot as the fire box on this pellet smoker directly below the grates instead of offset. The best way I have found to cook a pork chop, but it's great for all sorts of meats I would normally grill.
I’ve used these exclusively for years. They are the best grates available, superior results. Grill grates live up to every claim they make. I use charcoal of high quality. Treat the grates with an onion..this creates a nonstick surface. Surprising that Helen doesn’t know this..she’s using low temps, you can’t even see smoke in most of this video. When doing steaks at high sear temps (600+F) grill grates shine the brightest. There’s a reason the bbq champions use them. Somehow I don’t see Helen Rennie grilling much, and her “science” of heat transfer is way, way off. These grates actually absorb and thus transfer more heat (when your grill is actually hot) from the fire below due to their increased surface area, and moderate the flames’ ability to create burning and flareups. I don't know why she’s trashing Grill Grates, but, I guess when you need clickbait views, you can create whatever truth you desire.
Agreed. Didn’t think the heat was high enough if grease is pooling up. With GG, u have to adjust the heat bc it does run hotter (there by saving fuel in the process). This is her opinion and I do respect it. I’ve just found that my findings are not the same. It’s not a black stone so no you’re not cooking pancakes on it. Blackstones are the above ground pools of the grilling world.
The Sabre brand barbecue has a unique grill system with 2 layers with a grill on top and a grease grill collector that burns off like a regular grill and collects and burns drippings from the cook. This Sabre grill cooks like a regular barbecue and doesn’t burn the food and is easy to clean. Cheers
Helen, I love your videos. I love even more your accent. I've enjoyed so many of your recipes and tips. As far as I'm concerned I have a grill grate for my grill but I don't use it to cook on it. I use it to sear the grill marks on whatever I'm cooking that need grill marks. For example, I cook a steak on indirect heat but when it reaches just short of medium rare by a temp gage, I'll put them on the grill grate above the hot coals to get the grill marks, let them rest for 15 minutes and serve. Whatever you are grilling, go by the internal temperature of the food and not by any recipe by time. Eight minutes on a side for half inch steak may get you a well done steak but eight minutes on a side for a one inch steak may bet you medium to medium rare (which is my preference). So is a tip. Regardless of the thickness of the steak, cook it on one side for 8 minutes. Then flip it and cook it less than eight minutes for how you prefer your steak. It will take a couple of tries before you get it the way you want, but if you are like me, I can eat steak between well to medium rare. If you have an Air Fryer, it's even easier because you have more control over the temperature and time.
I worked for the largest distributor of gas grills in the world back in the day. Been preheating with aluminum foil for 45 years. Never had a problem. Never saw a problem.
Good video and information.I`m saving my money,will "stick" ha ha to my cast iron grates that came with my gas Webber.Gonna try that foil pan trick as well.
I have been using the grill grates for 2 years, they are nicely seasoned and produce very good results. The downside is having to clean the slots frequently. One thing to note for your video is that all grills have hot spots and the weber ge sis in particular has much better output on the left side. I have the same grill so just my 2 cents.
I see the main use case for a Grill Grate as being for a pellet grill. Pellet grills tend to have difficulty getting super hot, and they rely less on radiative heat than gas or charcoal, so their is both more upside to the extra good searing and less downside due to loss of radiative heat.
I've seen other reviews with the same conclusion. Try putting your pizza steel on top of your grill grates. It works for me for so many things, and since I use charcoal or wood in my Weber, I get the smokiness as well.
The better way to do it is to cover half your grill with the aluminum grill grate and use it only for getting your grill lines then move the food over to the other side of the grill to finish
after you use the grill grate a few times and understand how it works and you adjust your cooking style they work great.... flip them over to the flat side and get them hot... they will create the best smash burgers you have ever cooked... you can't do that on a standard grate...
I've been interested in getting grill grates but only for using the other side (flat side). I don't really like grill marks and would rather have a more even sear all the way around.
Years of grilling experience and I will say it has 1 singular advantage... it is great for 'seasoned smoking'. What that means is sprinkling various seasonings not on the food itself but onto the hot metal, creating an insanely flavorful smoke. In every other regard the hassle of cleaning and maintenance outweighs any perceived benefits.
Excellent report! I sprung the extra cash for grill grates as an accessory and have always felt like I wasted my money. I used them only a few times and was fairly well dissatisfied. I wasn't sure why the food cooked on the grill grates didn't live up to the hype but it just didn't, and now I understand why. The grill grates will be banished to the large box of other useless gadgets I've wasted money on as space for accessories is limited. Thanks for the great video!
I have had these on my weber for over ten years. Yes the do not cook the same as the stainless grates which I was not satisfied with coming from a grill that had heavy cast stainless grates. Never clean off the grease between grilling just burn it off before starting. Maybe that is why I get a charred flavor, mine are black with carbon build up. You have to learn how to cook with them. I do not try and cook chicken thighs quickly, but slower at at little bit lower temp. That gives me the browning and crispness I desire.I also have a Green Egg, Recteq Pellet and a pizza oven. Different tools for different jobs.
I've had my Grill Grates for several years now. I like mine for the evenness of the heat over the non Grill Grate side. Maybe my Weber grill gets hotter because I get radiant heat browning of chicken, steaks, and burgers. My biggest complaint is the price. These are just aluminum extrusions and hard anodized but stupid expensive. I don't get why they cost so much.
Got to agree. I have the same BBQ and used those same grates for awhile. Grill marks were not improved, and they were more difficult to clean. Eventually got rid of them. BTW, the best thing I ever did for my Webber was upgrade to stainless burners and flavor shields. Expensive, but much longer lasting.
Also one of the sources of grill flavor profiles comes from the drips being vaporized when they touch the flavorizing plates and turn to smoke and goes up back to the meat. Basically the same thing that happens with charcoal, this new grate prevents this from happening.
Wow! This was extremely valuable information, Helen! Thank you for doing this experiment and sharing the details with us! BTW, do you really grill chicken right after fish w/o taking any extra steps to insure that "fish taste" and "fish smell" do not combine with the chicken tastes and smells? Happy Cooking, Helen! Have a great July 4th Holiday! Wherever you are!
They were filmed on different days ;) even if I was doing them on the same day, I would put the grill through the whole preheating procudure again (15 min with pans) to burn everything off.
@helen rennie I use and love them my sulution is half my grill has them flipped over I do proteins that brown anyway on the flat side=maximum browning and great flavor Because I covered my whole grill they trap a lot of heat underneath and get hot enough to give slightly grilled/chared flaver without making fires... I do vegetables on the grill marks side as they can easily put browning even on the wettest vegetables Definitely worth it for my standard natural gas underpowered grill
i have the same weber grill and tried the grill grate. i came to the same conclusions. ended up putting the weber grates back on after just a couple cooks.
Guess I am a bit of a fossil, but when it comes to grilling I do it the way my parents did it, always charcoal and various sized grilling baskets. the baskets made it easy to move all the protein at once, so you didn't have to fuss with each individual piece, and you could reposition quickly if a flair up occurred
It would be great to keep both the stainless steel and grill grates upside down, side by side. Grill over the traditional grates, then move over the grill grates for a better sear. I'd rather get maximum sear rather than sear marks, specially for beef.
After your review I dont think grillgrates look great. One thing - my older weber genesis - said to turn off the middle burner when cooking things like chicken thighs. I dont know if the design is the same but it works well to get crispy skin but really limits the cooking area. I was hoping grillgrates would give that finished product while avoiding flareups and skin stuck to the grill. After thinking about it though, I think flareups could probably by avoided by a thorough grill cleaning.
That's what I was afraid of looking at these things -- sort of a grill pan that might let a little grease drip out to make some smoke, most of which will never reach the meat because it's deflected away. I have a cast iron griddle for the outdoor stove (that's what I call it) that's good for some things like smash burgers, but you really want grates. Interesting comment about radiative heat *from flame* -- I have a layer of ceramic pucks between the flame and the grill. Maybe I should try taking about half of them out. Hmmm.
I think I mislead you a bit here. The things over your flame are actually useful. They distribute radiative heat. Without them everything would burn instantly. There is such a thing as too much of a good thing ;)
@@helenrennie Thanks! The pucks do make the cast iron griddle evenly hot. My theory about the "cast iron heats evenly" myth has to do with this -- in the old days of wood or coal fires, the *fire itself* was even and you didn't rely on conduction in the metal to get even heating. The ceramic pucks do that for the propane grill, although even these have cold spots you can notice when grilling.
She never gets her grill hot. She says “blocked radiative heat.” ? Where does she think it goes? Deflected by asbestos? Of course not..the grill grates increased surface area absorbs more heat and transfers it far more effectively. I don’t know why she’s trashing these, I’ve used them to make the most amazing steaks I’ve ever eaten, far better than most restaurants…I don’t see this lady in front of a grill..she has some nice other vids, but this one is so, so wrong…
This is a great channel and I’ve learned quite a few things here. Don’t give up on Helen. But as a grilling channel, there are better options certainly. Not incorporating a digital thermometer gun in the testing was disappointing. Should have also compared the 2 zones at max-min temps.
@@johncspine2787 radiative heat is definitely a thing, which will be blocked by anything that impedes light. But, like I assume you meant, there really is no radiative heat in a gas grill as it's simply a combustion, it's convective heating. But I am genuinely curious, how do these grates help a steak? Grill marks in the first place is something not desirable on a steak, an even sear is, and I feel like that's impossible with these grates.
Yeah only reason you should buy these is if you are entering in a steak competition and you need those grill marks. Or you never want to clean your grill and reduce flare ups.
Helen, I like your videos, but you missed critical information and it seems like you don’t really understand the principle behind GrillGrates. First, they are made of anodized aluminum, so they amplify the heat-no need for the aluminum tray or foil trick. I have cooked salmon countless times on GrillGrates, and the surface between the grill marks gets plenty of color and flavor-I’d be happy to send you photos. Also, the valleys between the raised surfaces creates smoke and adds flavor, instead of going into the grill interior. Also, the skin gets plenty crisped. In your video the skin on the stainless steel grates links charred, which you don’t want. In my experience, it’s all about knowing your grill and regulating the heat, and GrillGrates have been a “great” addition to my grill. I encourage you to do more experimentation and see what results you get.
Why did my better judgement say not to buy them before I watched the video. Oh i love all that heat coming from underneath the grill and honestly a little spray bottle will handle any big flare ups and moving them just make me watch my grill better. I tend to use time and smell/scent in cooking even if I grill. So the thought of a flare up is a good thing for me 😂 . But as for those grill grates , you would think they'd create a grill that has larger or more holes and a better way of dispersing the fat away from the fire. Slant the base away from the center to drain the fat off 🤔, idk. Sorry but I start thinking about the end result and cost (I love saving money) and I get this way . I start designing stuff in my head . If it's something I am into like cooking .... I do enjoy cooking. The fat buildup on that grill is yucky. That would have to be a thought when designing a better grill grate. Good luck with the clean up on that , Ewww I love cooking but hate major cleaning like that would bring !
Nope..just let them burn off. These are great, if you actually use high quality charcoal and your grill is actually hot, which hers never is, you’ll see why bbq champs use them.
@@johncspine2787bingo. In the video, temp was never high enough. Just turn the burners up on high, let it smoke and burn off and wipe with the Grate tool. No more grease. Done.
I don't know why anyone would be interested in this product when they could get a hold of the Norm Macdonald-approved Mangrate. It's made of cast eye-run.
Helen! i have loved your youtube channel for a few years now. I have recently gotten into a relationship with a Ukrainian-Armenian boy. He's VERY curious about your ethnic background. Where are you from? please ignore this if you don't want to answer love you ❤❤
Helen, don't use that metal grill brush. Too many stories of people ingesting tiny pieces of metal. I imagine you've not had issues because of the wiping with the oiled rag afterwards, but that's not infallible. Thank you for sharing about this type of tool. It's been informative.
Feel like I was just slapped in the face with a fish, a grilling common sense fish. Also, shout out to the CI tip from 20 years ago, they're certainly not putting out tips and tricks like they used to.
Many people mentioned that they like using this grate upside down as a flat top griddle. I am glad this grate makes someone happy. I tried the flat side for a few things and it was ok (still difficult to clean), BUT, there are better, cheaper flat top griddle solutions. I would want something I can do pancakes and eggs on. I would also want something that doesn't lose all the fat through the holes. I think Lodge makes a very affordable option, though I haven't tried it yet. I was just visiting family in CA and one of my relatives had a Blackstone propane griddle. It was incredible. Browns great and so easy to clean. I could do 20 eggs on it at once. Now I really want one :) I hear Costco sometimes carries it at a good price.
...I use these GrillGrates with my Weber 22" charcoal grill. Been using them for about 8 years now. Love them. I use my Slow 'n Sear to hold the charcoal. I like having a two zone cooking, so I can spin my grate to the no charcoal side.
...I mainly use the flat side. I will sear my beef steak or pork steak on the flat side to get the nice overall Maillard browning. Then spin my regular grate and finish cooking the meats directly above the coals to get the magic grill smoke flavor. I try my best to avoid any burnt black.(acrid and bitter tasting to me) I also like cooking my thin burgers on the flat side of the grates. About 1 1/2 to 2 minutes each side and done, a wonderful maillard crust forms.
...I like some juice dripping onto the coals, that's where the magic flavor smoke happens. Same when I do rotisserie, I have my hot coals below the rotisserie and cook with the lid off mostly. Self basting and a bit of juice drops onto the coals for the magic flavor smoke.
...For cleanup, I mainly use a towel or paper towel and some salt. Sometimes I need to run a brush across them, trying my best to let the seasoning remain on them.
I’ve purchased an inexpensive lodge cast iron flat griddle a few years back that I use constantly(on my gas grill) produces the best browning I could ask for, not as much surface area as I would like but it gets the job done.
Someone said to just call up a machine shop and have them mill some plate for you. You can get the exact size and shape you want it will be a fraction of a cost. If you want holes in it, I bet they can do that too.
Yes, I was going to mention that. I got a cast iron griddle for my similar Weber, works better and makes great smash burgers.
Helen continues to impress with an evidence-based approach to cooking techniques and equipment. Never mind that I could listen to her talk for days..
“Blocked radiative heat”..these are anodized aluminum, their increased surface area does not “block” heat, it directly absorbs it, it captures more heat and transfers it much more effectively than the round stainless ones. She never even gets her grill to searing temps, she doesn’t coat the grills with a rubbed onion (sulfur compounds create nonstick surface) and why she’s trashing a tool that most bbq champions use is beyond me.
Appeal to authority aside, I think she outlined her reasoning very plainly.
@@TonyGonzales except calling something science doesn’t make it so. You don’t “block” heat with these grates, they have more surface area, therefore absorb and transfer heat more effectively. I generally like her videos, but on this she’s very wrong. It’s sad because the ppl that believe this incorrect information will now never get to experience how wonderful these Grill Grates perform. Telling people not to “waste their money” on a superior product used by world class and champion grillers and pit masters seems..well, just wrong.
..good thing no one called it science then. 🤷♂️
@@TonyGonzales yes..she did.
I bought some grill grates several years ago and my results are in line with yours for making grill marks and actual cooking. However, I no longer use them like this. I have them flipped them over to the smooth sides covering just one of the burners on my grill, and use them as a griddle. This gives me lots of different cooking areas on my grill, regular open grates, a griddle, and a searing station. Try them flipped over. Works for me!
Just retired and am thinking of taking the US's longest non-stop domestic flight, HNL to BOS. In addition to taking in historical sites, I'll be looking into Helen's cooking classes!
How cool -- I'd love to cook with you.
I been using Grill Grates for three years on both my LP grill and my Green Egg. I love how the grill grates sear the meat and keeps fire from kissing my meats. I used both sides of the grill grates for different types of cooking. I clean by either wiping with paper towel of a brush and then baptism by fire. This how I clean a standard grate too.
Same here. Love my Grill Grates!
I have these on the exact same grill. I quite like them. I think there's a couple reasons I've had a different experience:
1. With the Grillgrates, you don't have to do all the prep you did. Like, I don't oil them. It's not necessary. Saving that prep is a major advantage of the grates (as well as less attention while grilling)
2. Higher heat. If you get the grates really hot, the grates themselves give radiant heat which helps with browning.
These are the ones that are used in grill competitions that always win, specifically with the PK Grill. She is not considering that they cover the grill and do exact timing depending on thickness. I run mine 500 F usually 2 to 3 min twice per side to make cross hatch (grill closed), the last part open with a fast temp probe on a pellet. Works perfect every time. th-cam.com/video/9f_0tmaBoM0/w-d-xo.html
Good to know I was not the only one lol.
I bought one set that comes with 3 interconnected for my Webber five years ago. I used it a few times and just throw it under the storage.
Thank You, always love your videos.
Yeah, I got rid of my grill grates after a few months. Thanks for the video.
Thanks for the grilling tips, especially the foil pans!
Interesting (but accurate) observation Helen. I've been using Grill Greates on my gas BBQ for several years.
Using low heat, I agree with your assessment.
When using higher heat the Grill Greats do perform much better, atomizing the juices and grease dripping from the protein being cooked.
The lack of flair-ups and even heat distribution I find to be a bonus, and I have had good results. - Cheers!
Heat from the flames followed the path of least resistance through the open grates so the Grillgrates was a cooler cooking surface. Normally the fat burns off as soon as it lands on the bottom surface so it wasn't hot enough to cook the way it was designed for
My experience is they definitely give better grill marks and reduce flareups completely. I take my grill grates to the sand blaster every year and blast off all the crud. Works great! I don't do steaks without them now.
I started using Grill Grates in SCA steak competitions. They work GREAT for that and also for any weekend steaks at home. Worth every penny.
What percentage of SCA participants do you think use grillgrates?
@@Luke.Cooking My wife and I are both SCA Judges as well as participants. My guess would be 90%. In SCA competitions, Appearance is one of the things judged. The others are Taste, Texture, Doneness and Overall Impression. Because Grill Grates are REALLY good at producing the favored "diamond" char pattern on the steaks, they are used a LOT.
@@tomomeara7083 Appreciate the feedback sir. Any suggestions for someone like Helen who found them to be not beneficial?
@@Luke.Cooking Nope. You either learn to use them right or you don't.
@@tomomeara7083 sound advice. Happy 4th and happy grilling!
Good video as always For many years I have been using a grill made by TEC. It is a grill om top of an infrared glass. The radiant heat heat is astounding.. And no flareups. Cheers, Peter
I think my parents had something like that when I was a kid in the 80's. I remember when they had to throw it out when it cracked. I just looked them up. More videos to watch...
Well done. After reading many comments describing better results at higher temps, maybe Helen will do an addendum at some point using higher temps.
I have a charcoal grill with actual fire and it came with the grates included. I've found these grill grates make cooking over fire more forgiving. Since it's not gas, I can't just set & forget the temp, so the grate gives me a larger "window" for cooking. I store them in the grill upside down and leave them upside down while preheating so they work kinda like the foil pans you use and it burns off any leftover grease or crumbs. I like mine a lot and use them regularly.
Long time subscriber, love your videos however I would advise using your GrillGrates on high heat for best efficiency. I have used them for over 15 years and am very impressed. My Chicken skin is very crispy, and I love the non-stick. I have never had any grease buildup or off-putting flavors when used like this. Best wishes! Gary
I use the flat side almost exclusively. Salmon cooked skin-side down and you end up with a nice crispy skin. Burgers: I make patty melts so the flat surface lets me cook a small pile of onions, and toast the bread for sandwich. I also like that there are small holes on the flat side so I don’t end up with puddles of grease as might happen with just a flat top.
I have GrillGrates and a Kamado Joe Classic 3. My cooks are always nice and brown with well pronounced grill marks. I really admire the approach you have but I don't have the same results. Could it be that charcoal is much hotter and therefore gives the better results that I experience?
You also showed how you have to preheat your gas grill stating that it is not hot enough.
I see the difference as you showed the GrillGrates covered in grease as mine show a dark brown residue. I then use the provided scraper to clean the areas between the grates.
By the way, GrillGrates can be put in the dishwasher without any damage to them.
In my case I don't have to do that. Instead, when they are very dirty I turn them upside down and burn them clean.
After many years they are as good as new.
I am very happy with my GrillGrates
It's not the grill marks that bother me. GrillGrates produce very dark grill marks. it's the lack of browning between grill marks. The huge amount of grease is from chicken thighs. If you aren't grilling chicken with skin, you won't have that much grease.
Just about every participant in the SCA cookoffs uses Grillgrates. Think those chefs know what’s up.
Love my Grill Grates. I finish on an infrared for the perfect char flavor.
Thanks for the heads up to all the people that might have purchased one of these things.❤😊
Interesting video. I thinks a good example of a product solving a 'problem' at a superficial level without fully understanding all the dynamics involved (I certainly wouldn't). I'm sure all of the major grill manufacturers have tinkered with similar designs over the years and encountered these flaws as well. A good example of why seemingly obvious solutions aren't often as obvious as we'd all think.
She never gets her grill hot enough first of all..see my comment above, although she will likely remove it.
Where you use an oiled paper towel, I was taught to use the end of an onion (or potato, or apple) on the end of a large bbq fork. That way if it shreads on the grill, I'm cooking vegetable parts instead of paper towel shreads. Plus doing it with an onion makes the yard smell great. Usually after all the food prep, I have an onion end laying around.
I appreciate this honest review! Thank you so much!
No flare ups ever. No sticking. With few hacks my grill go to 300F in 90 sec. Up to 650F for searing. Grill grate is best spent money ever. I got it for more than 15 years. I'm grilling 100 times a year. Half flat, half rail or any combination.
I prefer the grill grates that are just like the ones that come with the grill but have thicker iron bars as opposed to the holes. A little bit of a flare up can be a good thing if properly addressed.
The angle irons under the grate are called flavorizer bars for exactly that reason. Fire = friend.
To me flares are absolutely essential for some grilling, its about keeping them under control. A simple squirt bottle of water control flares and provides a splash of steam heat helping things not dry out as badly.
@@jamestaylor3805 My mom used to use the squirt bottle method, I just move stuff kind of away from the coals if the flames get too intense. I also don't own a gas grill so there is that.
@@fiveminutezen every two years I buy one of those cheap canister fueled walmart grills for $25. It takes a little over a year of use for the burners to clog up, then I tear out thr guts and it becomes next summers charcoal grill. So I have one of each for $12.50 per summer. Works for me.
@@jamestaylor3805 Couldn't you just clean the gunk out of the ports?
thank you Helen your video was very informative and the comparison you gave was perfect plus the extra tips for helping to get even more heat out of the grill tops was very helpful, perfect explanation of people bother to slow down , pay attention and listen !
One alternative is to use it as a defrosting tray. When turned upside down, the grate is like a giant heatsink and will defrost frozen foods quickly. Sometimes I'll put a food weight on top to speed up the process even more.
I use my half sheet baking trays. Much better heat transfer than irons or steels. I don't weight it. I flip them once if I need to.
Helen, I've used grill grates for a number of years, but on charcoal, not a gas grill. The fact that you had standing oil and lightly cooked areas between the grill marks after cooking, suggests to me that the grill grate just never got hot enough . I get mine up to 350° to 450° before I put the protein on. Since you've paid for them, try another cook using your infrared thermometer, and see if your gas grill can get the grates up into that temp range.
I have the grill grates for several years and I like them. No disrespect to your analysis. They need to be heated up longer than regular grates. Once you get the hang of it you’ll never go back. Although I do think they are expensive.
After the inverted foil method, it seems like the temp would just go back to what it would be anyway after the time it takes to clean and reseason it with the lid up.
Thanks for this video! I was thinking about buying the grill grates, but now I won't have to needlessly spend the money.
It is SO nice to see a product review that doesn't come from a fangirl/fanboy. There is (in my opinion) a lot of junk out there being bought solely on the vapid hype from some well-paid "influencer".
as a Texas pit master I agree just season your grates and watch your temps. you could also place a cedar plank under the salmon great flavor and deflect the direct heat. love your content.
What a treat. A culinary scientist.
She's aces. Bobby Flay had a grilling show on Food Network for a decade and nobody learned a thing. Helen Rennie does one 8-minute video and we can grill bare fish without leaving any of it stuck on the grate. Game over.
@@blairhoughton7918 when you never get a grill hot, you won’t have sticking. Her “science” is anything but..she couldn’t be more wrong on this one..
@@johncspine2787 See what Bobby Flay did to you?
These grates look very similar to the grates I have on my Recteq Bullseye pellet grill/smoker. They are reversible, and the other side is more like a griddle. They are terrible for using as a normal grill grate, but work perfectly on my pellet grill, but I only put them over half the grill. Makes amazing pork chops. I start out on the normal grill grates cooking them low and slow at 225F and getting a nice smokey flavor. I pull them at 135F and then crank the gill up to 550F which get the griddle side of these grates nice and hot as the fire box on this pellet smoker directly below the grates instead of offset. The best way I have found to cook a pork chop, but it's great for all sorts of meats I would normally grill.
I’ve used these exclusively for years. They are the best grates available, superior results. Grill grates live up to every claim they make. I use charcoal of high quality. Treat the grates with an onion..this creates a nonstick surface. Surprising that Helen doesn’t know this..she’s using low temps, you can’t even see smoke in most of this video. When doing steaks at high sear temps (600+F) grill grates shine the brightest. There’s a reason the bbq champions use them. Somehow I don’t see Helen Rennie grilling much, and her “science” of heat transfer is way, way off. These grates actually absorb and thus transfer more heat (when your grill is actually hot) from the fire below due to their increased surface area, and moderate the flames’ ability to create burning and flareups. I don't know why she’s trashing Grill Grates, but, I guess when you need clickbait views, you can create whatever truth you desire.
Agreed. Didn’t think the heat was high enough if grease is pooling up. With GG, u have to adjust the heat bc it does run hotter (there by saving fuel in the process).
This is her opinion and I do respect it. I’ve just found that my findings are not the same. It’s not a black stone so no you’re not cooking pancakes on it. Blackstones are the above ground pools of the grilling world.
Agree 100 % , I have used my grill grates for years..great for searing steaks at high temp, would not grill without them😊
The Sabre brand barbecue has a unique grill system with 2 layers with a grill on top and a grease grill collector that burns off like a regular grill and collects and burns drippings from the cook. This Sabre grill cooks like a regular barbecue and doesn’t burn the food and is easy to clean. Cheers
Helen, I love your videos. I love even more your accent. I've enjoyed so many of your recipes and tips.
As far as I'm concerned I have a grill grate for my grill but I don't use it to cook on it. I use it to sear the grill marks on whatever I'm cooking that need grill marks.
For example, I cook a steak on indirect heat but when it reaches just short of medium rare by a temp gage, I'll put them on the grill grate above the hot coals to get the grill marks, let them rest for 15 minutes and serve.
Whatever you are grilling, go by the internal temperature of the food and not by any recipe by time. Eight minutes on a side for half inch steak may get you a well done steak but eight minutes on a side for a one inch steak may bet you medium to medium rare (which is my preference).
So is a tip. Regardless of the thickness of the steak, cook it on one side for 8 minutes. Then flip it and cook it less than eight minutes for how you prefer your steak. It will take a couple of tries before you get it the way you want, but if you are like me, I can eat steak between well to medium rare.
If you have an Air Fryer, it's even easier because you have more control over the temperature and time.
I worked for the largest distributor of gas grills in the world back in the day. Been preheating with aluminum foil for 45 years. Never had a problem. Never saw a problem.
Thank you, Helen another of your wonderful videos.
Good video and information.I`m saving my money,will "stick" ha ha to my cast iron grates that came with my gas Webber.Gonna try that foil pan trick as well.
Thnx H, I had been wondering about this… inverted foil pan is a trick I shall try!
I have been using the grill grates for 2 years, they are nicely seasoned and produce very good results. The downside is having to clean the slots frequently. One thing to note for your video is that all grills have hot spots and the weber ge sis in particular has much better output on the left side. I have the same grill so just my 2 cents.
Excellent comments, as always!
I see the main use case for a Grill Grate as being for a pellet grill. Pellet grills tend to have difficulty getting super hot, and they rely less on radiative heat than gas or charcoal, so their is both more upside to the extra good searing and less downside due to loss of radiative heat.
I've seen other reviews with the same conclusion. Try putting your pizza steel on top of your grill grates. It works for me for so many things, and since I use charcoal or wood in my Weber, I get the smokiness as well.
The better way to do it is to cover half your grill with the aluminum grill grate and use it only for getting your grill lines then move the food over to the other side of the grill to finish
after you use the grill grate a few times and understand how it works and you adjust your cooking style they work great.... flip them over to the flat side and get them hot... they will create the best smash burgers you have ever cooked... you can't do that on a standard grate...
I've been interested in getting grill grates but only for using the other side (flat side). I don't really like grill marks and would rather have a more even sear all the way around.
❤great info. You saved me from a bad and costly decision. Thank you
Fantastic video, you really deserve more views
What an honest review!!
Years of grilling experience and I will say it has 1 singular advantage... it is great for 'seasoned smoking'. What that means is sprinkling various seasonings not on the food itself but onto the hot metal, creating an insanely flavorful smoke.
In every other regard the hassle of cleaning and maintenance outweighs any perceived benefits.
Excellent report! I sprung the extra cash for grill grates as an accessory and have always felt like I wasted my money. I used them only a few times and was fairly well dissatisfied. I wasn't sure why the food cooked on the grill grates didn't live up to the hype but it just didn't, and now I understand why. The grill grates will be banished to the large box of other useless gadgets I've wasted money on as space for accessories is limited. Thanks for the great video!
thx for honest review
I have had these on my weber for over ten years. Yes the do not cook the same as the stainless grates which I was not satisfied with coming from a grill that had heavy cast stainless grates. Never clean off the grease between grilling just burn it off before starting. Maybe that is why I get a charred flavor, mine are black with carbon build up. You have to learn how to cook with them. I do not try and cook chicken thighs quickly, but slower at at little bit lower temp. That gives me the browning and crispness I desire.I also have a Green Egg, Recteq Pellet and a pizza oven. Different tools for different jobs.
Amazing that you were reading Cooks Illustrated at 10 years old. No wonder you know so much ....... 🙂
I've had my Grill Grates for several years now. I like mine for the evenness of the heat over the non Grill Grate side. Maybe my Weber grill gets hotter because I get radiant heat browning of chicken, steaks, and burgers. My biggest complaint is the price. These are just aluminum extrusions and hard anodized but stupid expensive. I don't get why they cost so much.
Got to agree. I have the same BBQ and used those same grates for awhile. Grill marks were not improved, and they were more difficult to clean. Eventually got rid of them. BTW, the best thing I ever did for my Webber was upgrade to stainless burners and flavor shields. Expensive, but much longer lasting.
Also one of the sources of grill flavor profiles comes from the drips being vaporized when they touch the flavorizing plates and turn to smoke and goes up back to the meat. Basically the same thing that happens with charcoal, this new grate prevents this from happening.
Thank you 🎉❤
flat side works great for "presmashed" hamburgers as I do not have a griddle
Excellent analysis. Thank you.
Wow! This was extremely valuable information, Helen! Thank you for doing this experiment and sharing the details with us!
BTW, do you really grill chicken right after fish w/o taking any extra steps to insure that "fish taste" and "fish smell" do not combine with the chicken tastes and smells?
Happy Cooking, Helen! Have a great July 4th Holiday! Wherever you are!
They were filmed on different days ;) even if I was doing them on the same day, I would put the grill through the whole preheating procudure again (15 min with pans) to burn everything off.
Another excellent lesson! Thank You!
Excellent video, thank you very much!
I wonder how those fancy smancy grill grated would be with charcoal or wood as fuel in the grill?
@helen rennie
I use and love them my sulution is half my grill has them flipped over
I do proteins that brown anyway on the flat side=maximum browning and great flavor
Because I covered my whole grill they trap a lot of heat underneath and get hot enough to give slightly grilled/chared flaver without making fires...
I do vegetables on the grill marks side as they can easily put browning even on the wettest vegetables
Definitely worth it for my standard natural gas underpowered grill
i have the same weber grill and tried the grill grate. i came to the same conclusions. ended up putting the weber grates back on after just a couple cooks.
Guess I am a bit of a fossil, but when it comes to grilling I do it the way my parents did it, always charcoal and various sized grilling baskets. the baskets made it easy to move all the protein at once, so you didn't have to fuss with each individual piece, and you could reposition quickly if a flair up occurred
She’s wrong..she never even gets her grill to sear temps..these grill grates are fantastic..I’ve used them for years..
Another trick for cleaning the grill is to wipe them down with an onion before the oiling.
It would be great to keep both the stainless steel and grill grates upside down, side by side. Grill over the traditional grates, then move over the grill grates for a better sear. I'd rather get maximum sear rather than sear marks, specially for beef.
No more dry meat.
After your review I dont think grillgrates look great. One thing - my older weber genesis - said to turn off the middle burner when cooking things like chicken thighs. I dont know if the design is the same but it works well to get crispy skin but really limits the cooking area. I was hoping grillgrates would give that finished product while avoiding flareups and skin stuck to the grill. After thinking about it though, I think flareups could probably by avoided by a thorough grill cleaning.
Might be well suited for grilling vegetables since you dont want to much direct heat on them. 🤔
That's what I was afraid of looking at these things -- sort of a grill pan that might let a little grease drip out to make some smoke, most of which will never reach the meat because it's deflected away.
I have a cast iron griddle for the outdoor stove (that's what I call it) that's good for some things like smash burgers, but you really want grates.
Interesting comment about radiative heat *from flame* -- I have a layer of ceramic pucks between the flame and the grill. Maybe I should try taking about half of them out. Hmmm.
I think I mislead you a bit here. The things over your flame are actually useful. They distribute radiative heat. Without them everything would burn instantly. There is such a thing as too much of a good thing ;)
@@helenrennie Thanks!
The pucks do make the cast iron griddle evenly hot. My theory about the "cast iron heats evenly" myth has to do with this -- in the old days of wood or coal fires, the *fire itself* was even and you didn't rely on conduction in the metal to get even heating. The ceramic pucks do that for the propane grill, although even these have cold spots you can notice when grilling.
My gas Weber gets up to 650 degrees in less than 15 minutes without covering the grates,
Good enough for me to cook whatever I want .
If you don't understand radiative heat I 100% 100% 100% try putting on sunshades next time you are at a campfire. it's insane.
You should have got the ManGrate. What is the ManGrate, you ask? It has heavy-duty cast eye-run grilling grates! Whadda you thinka that, Adam Eget?
I have them and found the opposite results. I think they’re a game changer in the grilling game.
She never gets her grill hot. She says “blocked radiative heat.” ? Where does she think it goes? Deflected by asbestos? Of course not..the grill grates increased surface area absorbs more heat and transfers it far more effectively. I don’t know why she’s trashing these, I’ve used them to make the most amazing steaks I’ve ever eaten, far better than most restaurants…I don’t see this lady in front of a grill..she has some nice other vids, but this one is so, so wrong…
This is a great channel and I’ve learned quite a few things here. Don’t give up on Helen. But as a grilling channel, there are better options certainly. Not incorporating a digital thermometer gun in the testing was disappointing. Should have also compared the 2 zones at max-min temps.
@@johncspine2787 radiative heat is definitely a thing, which will be blocked by anything that impedes light. But, like I assume you meant, there really is no radiative heat in a gas grill as it's simply a combustion, it's convective heating. But I am genuinely curious, how do these grates help a steak? Grill marks in the first place is something not desirable on a steak, an even sear is, and I feel like that's impossible with these grates.
Thanks, helen. At least with the business write-off it only cost you $100!
Thank you, Chef. With the $120 you saved me, I’ll buy some delicious steaks and grill them up in your honor 😻
Always great content. Super geek wins again!
Yeah only reason you should buy these is if you are entering in a steak competition and you need those grill marks. Or you never want to clean your grill and reduce flare ups.
Fire is flavor.
Helen, I like your videos, but you missed critical information and it seems like you don’t really understand the principle behind GrillGrates. First, they are made of anodized aluminum, so they amplify the heat-no need for the aluminum tray or foil trick. I have cooked salmon countless times on GrillGrates, and the surface between the grill marks gets plenty of color and flavor-I’d be happy to send you photos. Also, the valleys between the raised surfaces creates smoke and adds flavor, instead of going into the grill interior. Also, the skin gets plenty crisped. In your video the skin on the stainless steel grates links charred, which you don’t want. In my experience, it’s all about knowing your grill and regulating the heat, and GrillGrates have been a “great” addition to my grill. I encourage you to do more experimentation and see what results you get.
Flare up my pretties, I love the smoky flavors that the burning fat adds
Why did my better judgement say not to buy them before I watched the video. Oh i love all that heat coming from underneath the grill and honestly a little spray bottle will handle any big flare ups and moving them just make me watch my grill better. I tend to use time and smell/scent in cooking even if I grill. So the thought of a flare up is a good thing for me 😂 . But as for those grill grates , you would think they'd create a grill that has larger or more holes and a better way of dispersing the fat away from the fire. Slant the base away from the center to drain the fat off 🤔, idk. Sorry but I start thinking about the end result and cost (I love saving money) and I get this way . I start designing stuff in my head . If it's something I am into like cooking .... I do enjoy cooking.
The fat buildup on that grill is yucky. That would have to be a thought when designing a better grill grate. Good luck with the clean up on that , Ewww I love cooking but hate major cleaning like that would bring !
Nope..just let them burn off. These are great, if you actually use high quality charcoal and your grill is actually hot, which hers never is, you’ll see why bbq champs use them.
@@johncspine2787bingo. In the video, temp was never high enough. Just turn the burners up on high, let it smoke and burn off and wipe with the Grate tool. No more grease. Done.
So why do all the steak champions use grillgrates and why do they win?
I’m pretty sure I saw the same thing sold in Asian grocery stores for just a fraction of the price.
Thanks for the review. You did indeed save many thousands of your subscribers and untold TH-camrs surfing cooking channels $120. ♥
I don't know why anyone would be interested in this product when they could get a hold of the Norm Macdonald-approved Mangrate. It's made of cast eye-run.
Helen! i have loved your youtube channel for a few years now. I have recently gotten into a relationship with a Ukrainian-Armenian boy. He's VERY curious about your ethnic background. Where are you from? please ignore this if you don't want to answer love you ❤❤
I was born in Moscow. My family immigrated to the US when I was 13.
I love my GrillGrates but they are impossible to clean…
Helen, don't use that metal grill brush. Too many stories of people ingesting tiny pieces of metal. I imagine you've not had issues because of the wiping with the oiled rag afterwards, but that's not infallible. Thank you for sharing about this type of tool. It's been informative.
Just my opinion but I think the Grill Grate are primarily intended for Grilling Steaks
Grill marks are very overrated
Another "grate" vid Helen! :P
Feel like I was just slapped in the face with a fish, a grilling common sense fish.
Also, shout out to the CI tip from 20 years ago, they're certainly not putting out tips and tricks like they used to.
I suppose it was a less than grate experience.