The Cleaning Secret: Pyrolysis for Your Grill! Surely, you’ve often been annoyed by the state of your grill after a big barbecue party. A heavily soiled grill grate can momentarily dampen the joy of grilling, but luckily, only momentarily. We have a great tip for removing dirt and residue from your grill grate: Pyrolysis! Interested? We’re happy to provide you with more information on effectively cleaning your grill grate – all without environmentally harmful cleaning agents.

Pyrolysis (pyrolytic decomposition) refers to the self-cleaning ability of a grill or oven. The trick is to achieve a breakdown of organic compounds through high temperatures. As a result of grill pyrolysis, food residues on the grill grate are converted to ash. Unlike combustion or gasification, only the high temperature development is responsible for this. Afterwards, cleaning the grill, for example with a grill brush for the grate or a cloth, is easy. Grill pyrolysis is particularly suitable for gas grills. The required high temperatures (380-400°C) can be easily achieved with the foldable lid and the rapid heat development in good grills. It’s important not to heat the grill too quickly. Many grills tend to chip protective coatings in this process.

The energy required for a gas grill remains manageable. However, the grill grates must withstand the high temperatures, which is the case with stainless steel and cast iron. Chrome-plated or enameled grates are not suitable. Owners of modern ovens with a pyrolysis self-cleaning function can place the grill grate in the oven, provided they do not have a grill with a lid. However, do not use a grill grate with a heat-sensitive coating (such as chrome plating).

Depending on the temperature reached, grill pyrolysis in a gas grill takes approximately 20-30 minutes. Then, let the grill grate cool down and remove the ash with a grill brush or a damp cloth. For stubborn stains, grill pyrolysis simplifies the cleaning process, which is also gentler on the material than vigorous brushing with a grill brush. Vigorous brushing with a grill brush creates fine, barely visible grooves on the surface of the grill grate. In contrast to a smooth surface, these grooves accumulate dirt more quickly, leading to more stubborn stains.