Cast iron grills are some of the best grills around. They hold heat much better, leading to an excellent cooking experience. You'll also get those professional sear marks on your food when you cook on cast iron so they're the best choice for the perfectionist.
As a perfectionist, you also want to ensure you're cleaning your cast iron grate properly, too. They need a little more care than other styles of grill, so you need to ensure you have the best grill brush for cast iron. Which kind works best for your grill?
The Importance Of Cleaning Your Grill
Firstly, you already know this, but it's vital that you keep your grill clean. It's like any kitchen equipment, in that you'll need to keep it as clean as possible so it's safe to cook on. This is one of the reasons why it's so important for you to season a grill, as this helps make the cleaning process easier every time. If your cast iron is porcelain plated though, you may not need to season it.
You should clean your grill when you bring it out for grilling season initially, and then every time you use it. It's important to do because burnt on food affects any future food you cook on the grill. You want to get the best results every time, so you need to get that food off the grill once it has been used.
Grill Brushes For Your Cast Iron Grates
There are several types of grill brushes out there, so which one is the best for your cast iron grill? A cast iron grate has different needs to other styles, such as stainless steel grates. Let's look at what's available to you.
Nylon brushes: This is a favorite of many grillers. They're easy to use and are quite hardy. They're used by those who don't want to scratch the surface of their grills, especially if they have porcelain-coated cast iron. Other types of grill brush are harder, and so will scratch if you use them with force.
Another benefit of nylon brushes is that they're easily cleaned. You can simply throw them in the dishwasher once you're done scrubbing, and it'll be clean for the next time you fire up the grill. It makes cleaning the grill brush out a whole lot easier.
The problem with nylon brushes is that, unlike other brushes, they're not designed to withstand heat. Many cast iron grill owners like to clean their grills when they're hot, but a nylon brush's bristles will simply melt if you try and do this. It makes them less than ideal for a cast iron grill if you want to clean yours this way.
Brass brushes: These are a staple of many grillers' toolsets. These brushes are harder than a nylon brush, so you can really get into your grill and give it a good scrubbing. They're also a good option if you have a porcelain coated grill, as they're not as hard as other metal bristles. You can use them to clean down a grill without worrying about them scratching the surface of the grill itself.
Brass brushes are usually designed for use on stainless steel or porcelain grills, thanks to its hard-working bristles and non-scratch design. Some don't like using them on their cast iron grills though, as they feel don't give them enough scrubbing power to get their kind of grill clean.
Stainless steel brushes: These are another grill brush staple, as they are used by so many people. A stainless steel grill brush is hard wearing and can be cleaned just like a nylon or brass brush, by putting it into the dishwasher. They're the most common brush type used for cleaning grills.
They're the perfect brush for cleaning a cast iron grate, as they're able to get into the tiny pores in your cast iron. If you try and clean cast iron with other brush types, you'll often see they're too soft to really get in and give the grates a deep clean. With stainless steel brushes though, it isn't a problem. If you have a cast iron grill, this is the brush type to use.
Manual vs. Automated Brushes
Now you know that stainless steel brushes are the way to go for your grill, you now need to think about how you'll use them. Traditionally, the best way to clean a grill was to do it manually. This takes time and a lot of effort, but it helps to get the grill sparkling clean after a cook out. Many times though, you just don't want to do that. It's especially true when you want to spend time with the loved ones you've cooked for. Who wants to be slaving over cleaning the grill when you could be enjoying yourself?
That's why grill cleaning robots, such as the Grillbot, are becoming so popular. These robots function very much in the same way as a Roomba vacuum cleaner. You set them down on the grill, push the button, and they get to cleaning. Rotating brushes on the bottom of the robot scrub the grill down for you, so you don't have to.
The great thing about these robots is that you can choose the kind of brushes that you put on them, too. Taking Grillbot again as an example, you can put brass, nylon, or stainless steel brushes on them. You can customize the way your grill cleaning robot works dependent on the type of grill you have.
As you own a cast iron grill, the best option for you is the stainless steel brushes. Attach these to your cleaning robot, set it, and walk away. You won't have to do all the hard work, but your grill will still get sparkling clean with it.
Now you know just what kind of brush to use when you need to clean your cast iron grill. Get yourself some stainless steel brushes, and you'll never have to worry about your grill being clean again.