Just ordered these Cast Iron Grates
Anything I should know before I use them. I like a good Sear on steaks. I cannot get the SS to retain the high heat for steaks. My Green Egg Thank you in advance.

cA

Several people here have them and really like them! Just don't pry them up when they get stuck like some dummy here did........

Its on the top of my wish list.

the only down side I have is the stock grill can fold up to drop charcoal into the baskets for indirect heat.

the grate is easier to remove it all then dump charcoal and replace.

with my performer the grill needs to be removed no matter what since you start the charcoal in baskets then either slide them to the sides for indirect or dump it out.

regardless of this I hated it so much I bought a second one for my second 22.5. The handle they sell for moving hot grates works very well too. worth the price.

they hold heat better, so that first "flop" of the steak on the grill REALLY sizzles

When my son moves into his first house I plan on giving him a brand new OTG 22 and the grate too.

yeah I love it and think it is worth getting

Thank you all. Yes i purchased the handle for moving the grates as well. Can't you just remove one of the four sections for the indirect issue?same as hinge SS grate just have to use the handle for removing the grate
take care. cA

With the 22" Weber you don't need or even want cast iron grates to provide a "char rare" sear on your steak. The infrared heat from the charcoal provides the sear directly, not the grate. The reverse is true of any gas grill. Propane just doesn't get hot enough to sear so you must have a hot heat conductive grate to sear. With charcoal it's important to get the charcoal close enough to the surface of the food you're grilling. In addition cast iron grates must be porcelein coated to keep them rust free. Keeping a grate seasoned to avoid rust is a royal pain, and is always at some point unsuccessful. Again, with charcoal properly used you just don't need it. A cast iron grate makes it more difficult to add charcoal, and more difficult to grill or smoke indirectly. Finally, $85 is overpriced for that product.

quote:

Originally posted by Carl Anthony:
Can't you just remove one of the four sections for the indirect issue?

Sure, you can remove as many as you like. I have the grates and like them very much. My method is to remove two of the grates, put unlit on the open side of the kettle, use a couple of starter cubes to get the fire going, replace the grates and heat up the grill. Then brush off all the grates, spray with a little Pam and cook. But, what ever works for you is good too.

quote:

Originally posted by Larry Wolfe:
Several people here have them and really like them! Just don't pry them up when they get stuck like some dummy here did........

I haven't done the Karachi wings yet, so I haven't had that problem. Karachi wings are not so good for diabetics. Of course, neither are lots of things I eat so i might be doing the wings in the near future.

quote:

Originally posted by Kent:
In addition cast iron grates must be porcelein coated to keep them rust free. Keeping a grate seasoned to avoid rust is a royal pain, and is always at some point unsuccessful. Again, with charcoal properly used you just don't need it. A cast iron grate makes it more difficult to add charcoal, and more difficult to grill or smoke indirectly. Finally, $85 is overpriced for that product.

Sorry Kent, I disagree... I have these grates and I'd buy them again in a minute. The minor rust that does show, is easily removable and adding coal is NOT difficult. and the price.... well, you get what you pay for. And to me (and it seems many others also) the 85 bucks is worth it.

Again I must say that with "glowing charcoal" close enough to the grates you don't need cast iron grates. The infrared heat from charcoal is what sears. This is not true of propane grills as they are produced today. They need the heat that is conducted by cast iron. I can see that your cast iron grates work for you. I would say to others, however, think twice before you invest $90 in cast iron grates for the 22" Weber. As well, cast iron grates should be porcelein coated. My grates are rusted.

great idea if you take care fo the grates and dont leave em outside and keep them greased up with lard.

im too lazy for that i leave my kettle outside year round snows and rains on it and i repalce the grates about every 2 or 3 years when they finally rust out.

I bought the grates and they really don't work well for my particular needs....I've used them a few times for charring grill marks into ribeyes, porterhouses, filets etc...works well for that & looks good too.....just very inconvienient. I use a chimney to light charcoal for both the performer & wsm.... I do this by placing the chimney over the performers gas lighter... only leave the gas on for 2-3 mins then let the chimney do its thing...terriffic!! No newspaper ashes, no matches, no lighter stick....and your gas cylinder lasts a loooong time! by the time I fuel& water the wsm the coals are ready. ....this ritual makes the grate rather a pain for my use with its required routine total removal. I do think the grate is a good product and I still pull it out of the shed when I grill steaks....however if I had thought this through b4 I probably wouldn't have ordered on :-)

well now Ron... what are you gonna do with those CIGs? you can't toss em out...

DIBS
Ha! I called it first Jim.