Bull GrillGrates ignite bacon grease - Twice

[kennethk]

I use foil on top of the diffuser and replace it often. Currently I have the original grates on the left and the GrillGrates on the right. Last Friday I cooked salmon on both. Saturday morning I cooked bacon at 400 and after 10 minutes had a big grease fire. I thought it was the bacon fat on top of the salmon. Interior cleaned up well. Exterior no so much. Lid paint had some bubbling. Front of SS bottom stained a bunch. Permanent stains. Today the inside was all clean. Started a batch of bacon on the grill mat on the left and after 10 minutes had a big grease fire.

Pretty sure its the GrillGrates that are 500-600 when the grill is 400 that ignited the bacon fat.
Lesson learned.

 

[mooncusser2k]

I started a grease fire by cooking a load of bacon on racks on two half sheet pans, and a drip pan that hadn't been cleaned yet. My guess is that heat was trapped between the drip pan and sheet pans, igniting grease & debris on the drip pan. Lesson was to only use 1 sheet pan at a time, or skip it.

You might have had something similar with the GrillGrates - just a guess.

 

[chadinsc]

if your stainless has a blueish rainbow color. white vinegar will actually take that off. its a surface stain not deep. sorry to hear about your lid. that sucks bud

 

[ol' stonebreaker]

I use a piece 1/4" window screen to cook the bacon on. 375* works for me. I was doing 1 lb but found the right side is hotter than the left and would cook the right side to char so now I just do 1/2 lb on the left side. We like it crispy but it was way beyond crispy.

 

[chadinsc]

I use a piece 1/4" window screen to cook the bacon on. 375* works for me. I was doing 1 lb but found the right side is hotter than the left and would cook the right side to char so now I just do 1/2 lb on the left side. We like it crispy but it was way beyond crispy.

i have thought about using aluminum window screen as large grill matts. glad to hear it works. i do bacon at 325 on the rack. never had a problem but i can see how the grill grates could cause a fire

 

[kennethk]

I've cooked bacon maybe 12 times with the mat and without the GrillGrates with no issues.
Will try again in a few days.
I tried vinegar also, no help.

 

[C. Keeper]

I started a grease fire by cooking a load of bacon on racks on two half sheet pans, and a drip pan that hadn't been cleaned yet. My guess is that heat was trapped between the drip pan and sheet pans, igniting grease & debris on the drip pan. Lesson was to only use 1 sheet pan at a time, or skip it.

You might have had something similar with the GrillGrates - just a guess.

My recent fire was burgers and GrillGrates.

IMHO it's not the GrillGrates as much as the Bullseye design.

With a Weber if you have a fire you place the lid on and the fire goes out. The Bullseye is forcing combustion air constantly, lid open or closed.

 

[Greg Jones]

I have the original grates on the left and the GrillGrates on the right...

If you are using the GrillGrates full length, front to back, the drip pan will not catch all the grease from the drain slots in the GrillGrates. For really fatty foods on the GrillGrates, it’s best to use two of them on top of the stock grates and turn them 90* so the drip pan catches everything. And yes, the GrillGrates will get between 100*-150* hotter than the stock grates.