# What type of cooking grates are best?



## crankin (Apr 15, 2007)

I'm looking at buying a new grill and some I've seen say they have porcelain enamel cooking grates and another says stainless steel cooking grates. Which is better? Will one give me better grill marks?


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## bknox (Apr 30, 2007)

I am in the process of finding a purchasing a grill. Personally I am looking for an iron grate, mainly because I love my iron pans and the small grill I have been currently using has iron and it works very nicely, just really small. 

I am interested to see if anyone chimes in with some first hand knowledge of cooking grates befoe I make a purchase.


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## markgill (May 15, 2007)

Iron is the best,  wether  cast  or  bar. Needs to be  thick  to  take  and store heat to sear the food and give the marks you desire. Stainless and coated grills are not as good as a fully seasoned grill both for flavour and non sticking .


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## bowlingshirt (May 15, 2007)

markgill said:
			
		

> Iron is the best, wether cast or bar. Needs to be thick to take and store heat to sear the food and give the marks you desire. Stainless and coated grills are not as good as a fully seasoned grill both for flavour and non sticking .


 
+1
I have cast iron grates on my grill and love it.  That's all I'll use now.


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## Caine (May 15, 2007)

My current grill, which I just bought in the last couple of weeks, and my previous grill, which I had for 5 years, both have porcelain coated cast iron, and I like them better than both plain cast iron and stainless because the porcelain makes them extremely easy to clean, either with a brass brush in place, or if I remove them and toss them in the dishwasher.


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## Andy M. (May 15, 2007)

I have had porcelain coated stamped steel and coated cast iron but not stainless.  Some may be easier to clean than others but I'd bet there wouldn't be much difference in the cooking.  All will give you good grill marks if the grill gets hot.


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## Uncle Bob (May 16, 2007)

Stainless steel grates offer excellent rust resistance, they cool easily and meats have a tendencey to stick. If I had a choice I would choose cast iron. There are even porcelain ones available. Non-porcelainized cast iron does require curing in a manner similar to curing a cast iron post etc.


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## Paymaster (May 16, 2007)

All my grills and my smoker have porcelain grates. I have no problems with them. Clean-up is easy.


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