Cooking on the flat top.

[KitchenGardener]

Hi all,
Just curious about a guy at my new job who uses lemon (not real) and water to clean the flat top.This seems wrong,any thoughts?
Thanks,
Muriel

[katbalou]

used that and 7-up, and vinegar+water. always wiped down with oil afterwards. oh and used ice+water also. little free facial action. seemed to work, never cracked a flat top in 20+ yrs. no chemical residue. just don't forget to empty the grease well.
kathee

[bwhit]

I have used lemon juice when I don't have vinegar, but a few of my eggs go grey and I don't know why.

[Salliem]

We use the lemon and water method most of the time, also have used ice + water..does a great job, never any problems.

[KitchenGardener]

Thanks for your replies,up to now I have only ever used oil to clean the metal surface ,I would have thought that acid (lemon juice) would strip and pit the flat top.

[even stephen]

Won't really pit it....it won't build up a well seasoned surface though....the
lemon or vinegar is used because of the acidity....gets it real pretty...I am a
fan of just using a brick and oil....one word of caution....ice and cold water will eventually start to bow it a little bit....if not the actual grittle surface...some of the thinner metal encasing the grittle top....as they said above....always oil it down....it will oxidize if cleaned well and left unoiled.

[RAS1187]

We use one of those special bricks for the flat top now. Apply a little oil, scrape the debris off with the brick, wipe it down, and finish it with pan spray.

At my old job we used to hit it with ice, degreaser, and finally lemon juice. I was told the lemon juice neutralizes the chemicals in the degreaser.

[Blueicus]

Was taught to use ice water, scrape down, use the oil and brick and more water. Nothing fancy and seemed to work fine.

[deltadoc]

We always scraped the oil and gunk off into the oil drip pan with a spatula, then wiped the surface with a clean rag. Then the 'ol volcanic sulfide brick until the top was shiny steel again. Removed the drip pan and carried it out to the refuse bin, and then wiped with a clean dry rag.

Next morning, they oiled the flat top and brought it up to high temperature and we were ready for another day of cooking.

doc

[thetincook]

I've always preferred the griddle screen over the brick. No nasty grit to clean up.

[Cat Man]

Surprised to see Luc H hasn't chimed in on this yet.

I've used every technique out there over the years and I've found each one has good and bad attributes. The chemical cleaners are effective and quick, but not neutralzing with vinegar afterwards can be very dangerous.
For me, it's just too big a liability.

The bricks work good, but are very labor intensives and quite messy.

A good, sharp (and very straight) scraper is quite effective but only works if you use it religiously during the shift.

Lemon Juice all by itself, though?
I'm not sure what that would acheive, unless the guys father owns a lemon orchard

[greyeaglem]

Depends on what the grill is made of. I had a Keeting that was chrome plated and required only water to clean it (loved that grill). One place I work I use chemical and finish with vinegar. Looks like a new nickel when I'm done. I worked in another place that had what I thought was the same type of grill surface, but when i hit it with the vinegar after the chemical, it immediately started to rust. Had to clean it again and finish with oil. We also used to use pickle juice to finish. Other people have told me they used pineapple juice. I like the chemical because a brick never gets the corners clean. Spic and Span makes a sodium based cleaner that I believe is non-toxic as they use it in hospitals and nursing homes where you are limited to certain cleaners.

[chef.ESG.73]

I've always used margarine and grill screens while grill is hot..When finished I take a paper towel and wipe it it with a thin coat of oil, to make it shine...I have never had a problem this way with any grill I used in 23 years...

[durangojo]

i always use club soda and elbow grease with a screen, then finish with oil..when i worked with mexicans they used oil and a griddle screen..my flat top never looks as beautiful as theirs..i think the bricks probably do a better job, but they tend to cut my hands to shreds...yes, i have used gloves but the brick is nasty and rips right through the vinyl..haven't tried the huge black heavy duty ones however..they don't make a small enough size to fit me..never heard of lemon juice, but it sure seems to be an expensive cleaner.

[chubyalaskagriz]

that vinegar was THE best thing for cleaning the flat top. I cooked at a tavern as a teen and it was when grilling sauerkraut for Rueben Sandwiches! Now I'm a vinegar man- vinegar and screens- NO BRICKS! I can't stand the grit OR the stench!