Cleaning the inside of a Kettle

[MarshallW]

Hey guys, what do you use to clean the area under the charcoal grate? (besides removing ash) would an SOS pad suffice?

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[MacEggs]

Hey guys, what do you use to clean the area under the charcoal grate? (besides removing ash) would an SOS pad suffice?

Removing ash …. That's pretty much all I do.

I use a balled-up piece of newspaper to wipe the ashes down. 
Learned that from MrHoss.  Then use that to start the chimney for the next cook.

Maybe every one or two years, I remove the sweepers and clean them up good.

Over time, the kettle builds up some wonderful seasoning on the inside … top to bottom.
I never want to mess with that, aside from the sweeper blades, and occasionally wiping down the flakes from the inside of the lid.

YMMV

[CharliefromLI]

Over the years I've gotten many of those bbq tool sets with giant useless utensils. Those long handled sauces brushes that are terrible for sauce are great for ash sweeping the dead zones that the one touch blades don't get;

[DirectDrive]

Hey guys, what do you use to clean the area under the charcoal grate? (besides removing ash) would an SOS pad suffice?

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I don't worry too much about that part of the kettle.
It's the "hot section" and it's going to get dirty.

Most of the time, all I do is sweep the ash out with an old paintbrush.
I also run a Weber 9x12 pan and foil under that at charcoal grate level.
This forces airflow to my baskets and keeps the center section from getting hosed with grease.

I just did a major clean on a CL kettle today to get the OPC (other people's cooties) off of the thing.
Dish detergent, warm water and a long bristle nylon brush did most of the heavy lifting.
A sponge with the 3M pad on one side did the fine work.

[AZ Monsoon]

I only clean the inside of my main cooker about once or twice a year. I go the toxic route with oven cleaner, then every once in a while throw the grate in a campfire.

[varekai]

@DirectDrive, OPC, love it...Still laughing!

[Jon]

Razor scraper. Gets 99% of the crud, completely non-toxic, and cheap. I use it for basic periodic maintenance of the kettles.

http://weberkettleclub.com/weber-grill-restoration-interior-and-exterior-kettle-cleaning/

[Filibuster]

   The razor method before every cook keeps the buildup under control.

[WNC]

I also do a complete cleaning like DirectDrive when I first get a "new" kettle, for the same reason OPC.

After that, let it build up and get gunky, it will seal and cook better, I just like to know where the gunk has come from.

For three wheelers, ones without the one touch system, I just brush the ash out the vent holes.

[fljoemon]

I use a polypropylene putty knife from Home Depot and scrape out all the stuck-on charcoal residue. I then spray a 1 part vinegar to 3 part water solution and let it soak for a while. Then use a pressure cleaner and hose out the rest of the gunk. I do this once every 3 months and grill still looks like new.

[Travis]

Razor scraper, 0000 steel wool and beer!


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[jeffrackmo]

Razor scraper, 0000 steel wool and beer!


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Beer.  Before, during or after?   or all of the above?

[MrHoss]

I use the piece of newspaper I use to start my chimney of charcoal. Before I light it I run it around the interior bowl and lid of the Kettle I am cooking on. This way any loose crap from the lid that might fall on the food plus the loose ash and grease get hit....and the little bit of grease makes the newspaper burn longer.

Cleaning the inside past that removes hard earned seasoning.

[Darko]

Razor scraper, 0000 steel wool and beer!


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Beer.  Before, during or after?   or all of the above?

All of the above!

[DarrenC]

Many years ago during a particularly active competition season I actually thought it would be a good idea to take my way-too-grungy WSMs to the car wash and use the pressure washer on them...that ballistic stream hit the bottom bowl and in a matter of seconds had me awash with a tsunami of the foulest wet ash slop you can imagine.  I had to strip down to my skivvies right there in the bay before I could even get back in the car to drive home.