GREASY LID? How To Clean The Lid of Your Weber Q Grill

[@MJHiteshew]

The pain I felt as you were scrubbing the lid on the concrete sidewalk will stay with me forever.😮😮😮

[@kevinbrennan9894]

Spot on !!

[@markb3146]

yup. he has to repaint the lid now

[@fetmen1]

🤦🏼‍♂️ Haha

[@marcopolo0064]

Mask, gloves, the loved ones away... and then he kept the lid on the grates spraying chemicals inside - priceless

[@dabneyoffermein595]

@@marcopolo0064 what chemicals, Easy Off is food grade, cleaning agent. It won't poison the food.

[@brianogrady39]

As others have mentioned, Easy Off eats aluminum although you may not notice it much on the inside of the Q lid. I happen to have a high-pressure washer that does the trick with little effort. Cleaning the lid more often also helps to keep the grime from becoming baked on and even harder to remove. And don't put lid upside down on a hard or rough service as it will scratch the paint off. Just put some old towels or even disposable cardboard under it.

[@dabneyoffermein595]

Mine has about 6 to 7 years of baked-on suet, it's black as coal and layered pretty thick and looks very sticky perhaps. It would certainly ruin every rag that I would try to use on it. I don't have a high-pressure washer device and I doubt that would do anything. What agent (cleaning food-grade agent) can I use to break that up and then allow the black nasty 6 to 7 years of cooking suet to get cleaned out? HELP!!!! What do I do? Mine is not a "Q" grill , it's a Weber Spirit 2 E-210 made in 2017 or 2016

[@stoolie10]

Same technique I use to clean Q grills. I’ve cleaned up and sold several of them. Gotta love Weber for high quality grills.

[@ChicagoGriller]

Thanks Brad! Yup very effective. I’ve not flipped any Qs yet but I might move one of them to make room for a Traveler if I can find a good deal.

[@jameskemp6314]

Please make a video on respraying the lid after scratching on concrete during cleaning. You could call it part 2 !

[@samjobe9148]

How did the plqnts like the chemical water?

[@ernestpaul2484]

My Q 1200 is in the shape of your 2200 lid I hate to admit. Here in the southeastern portion of NC we have a lot of good grilling weather and even when it does get dicey it is still grilling weather. That being said, I use my 1200 a lot. The lower portion and the grates get cleaned regularly, but the top not so much. Which is funny because I do clean off any caked on grease on the thermometer body so I get an "accurate" reading. I need a nap for about a hour then I am going outside and clean the lid. Thanks for the peer pressure. I don't know how I missed this for almost a year, I have the bell set for "full" notifications.

[@williamcornelison4721]

I am so glad to see this... I love my Q 2 I will be doing this tomorrow...

[@MMaukas]

My wife recently bought us Q3000 and it'll be nice try your recipes and read these tips for maintenance.

[@ChicagoGriller]

Enjoy your new family Q!

[@tommasoberto3652]

You have such a beautiful dog, I've never noticed it!

[@ChicagoGriller]

He is a shiba inu - getting quite popular these days! That is Huey and he makes a cameo in a number of videos. He may have to show up in more!!!

[@heavenlywanderer]

I see your dog looking ...soooo precious

[@WeberEnthusiast]

Nice Job Jerry , the only thing with oven cleaner is not recommended for aluminium as it eats into it . You have to make sure all the flammable fumes have gone out of the aluminium before you relight your q. Other wise it can cause over heating issues. Had to have a family Q replaced due to this issue .

[@ChicagoGriller]

Interesting - I did not know that about oven cleaner & aluminum. The person who I bought this Q1200 said he cleaned it with oven cleaner before getting it to me. I looked into it more just now and yes, it does appear oven cleaner is rough on aluminum. But yes, a thorough rinse and airing out process should be fine. I guess I'll do a follow up to this video if I encounter long term problems.

[@ThomasBrisco]

Thanks! Great idea and approach. I'm putting away my grill for the winter soon, and are going to be using your tips for sure!

[@ChicagoGriller]

Thanks for watching Thomas! Your grill is going to miss you!

[@mixedvisions360]

I appreciate your attention to detail bro.

[@fmcg5364]

You explain things so well

[@ChicagoGriller]

Thank you, I'm glad!

[@liljemark1]

Good tip for the lid removal!

[@michael88keys66]

Thanks grill king I got my second weber q today :)

[@ChicagoGriller]

Nice! Which two do you have now?

[@michael88keys66]

@@ChicagoGriller i got rhe baby q and a bunch of attachments for it about a month ago which is great for moving around and travelling etc. And i got the q yesterday which i am fully restoring and painting this week just for something to do

[@perplane]

Hi Jerry, love your videos and have been jotting down your recipes for the Japanese dishes. When you're cleaning your grill with caustic cleaners, please don't forget your eye pro when you're masking and gloving up. Those nozzles on spray cans can be unpredictable. Thanks again for your content.

[@ChicagoGriller]

Good point. If I’m going through the trouble of masking and gloving up, I might as well put on some goggles too. Fortunately this was a pretty calm day as far as wind goes so I was pretty confident I’d be all right. But yeah, definitely don’t want this stuff in your eyes!

[@lesgillard1508]

Great presentation as usual Gerry :-)

[@ChicagoGriller]

Thanks. Rumor has it vegemite is a good degreaser too ;-)

[@lesgillard1508]

@@ChicagoGriller Gerry, mate you can use it for any thing ;-)

[@Howard2006]

Thank you that is very helpful !

[@orenben4096]

Thanks for the tips. When I make pizza there is still a smell of the grill. How do you recommend cleaning the grill (Q) from the smell of the meat before I make a pizza?

[@Dianaa]

Thanks Jerry do you know which tool I can use to scrape off the gunk on the inside?

[@ChicagoGriller]

Hi Diana - anything with a flat surface will do. A plastic spatula is best, but I use a putty knife. If you use something with a metal surface, just be gentle so you don't etch the cook box.

[@Dianaa]

@@ChicagoGriller great, thank you

[@dirkriley3004]

Great video . Thanks ! I'm from south suburbs 😁 Chicago Love 👍

[@ChicagoGriller]

Great to see another Chicagoan here! Thanks for watching!

[@brianwalsh1844]

Another great video

[@ChicagoGriller]

Thank you Brian!

[@magic888ball]

How do you keep the lid exterior clean, free of smoke stains?

[@ChicagoGriller]

I don't actually do any maintenance to my lid's exterior. I just keep a cover on it when not in use and that seems to keep any weather stains off. As for smoke stains, you do get a little on the edges. Maybe it's less visible with the blue lid vs the off-white lid.

[@robertfuchs2049]

Do all your tips, tricks and recommendations work on a Weber electric Q also?

[@ChicagoGriller]

I've unfortunately not had any experience with the electric versions. I would assume that the heating and cooking times will be different than the gas ones, and certainly the cleaning procedures (particularly the deep cleaning ones) may have to be adjusted as well because of the electrical components. That said, hope the recipes I share on the channel can still help inspire your cooking on the electric Q. Thanks for watching!

[@ray_c_yuen]

I would have put an old towel or t-shirt on the concrete, to prevent the colour on the lid getting scratched. Great videos.

[@rogerdc7279]

Hi Jerry I have a 2010 Q300 Weber grill. The orifices were completelly clogged up, and I bought some blancks to replace the 2 orifice, pieces. Now I have to drill them, but I don't know the size of the orifice. Does anybody has this information ? I think the orifices will be either a 3/64" or a #55 but I am not sure.

[@karenlewkowitz5858]

Any suggestions/ comments on using oven cleaner on the lower part with the tube removed?

[@ChicagoGriller]

I've seen other KZbinrs use oven cleaner on the lower part with tube removed, but I have not done so myself. As other commenters have noted, oven cleaner can be pretty harsh on the metal. If not used regularly it's probably ok. The reason why I have used grill cleaner on the lid, is the grease in the lid can get so caked on, that regular kitchen or grill cleaner that is sprayed on won't even take it off.

[@icemanknobby]

I enjoy watching your videos:-) question I use the smoke pouches but I can’t seam to taste any smokiness in the food, any tips?

[@ChicagoGriller]

Thanks for watching! I guess the tip I have is that make sure your heat is up high enough, and that the smoke pouch is pre-heated as well. I think if you cook on low or even medium the wood chips might not get hot enough in the foil to smoke. The second thing to note, is you really can’t get great smoke infusion on gas. I think at best you may get hints of smoke flavor. It’s really just a workaround if you don’t have charcoal grill or a smoker. Hope that helps.

[@icemanknobby]

@@ChicagoGriller just ordered a stainless steel tube for smoking on the grill, can only try but I take your tip of preheating the wood, probably use a vitamin burner to get things started , thanks for replying:-)

[@mackames1603]

Hey Jerry, I was wondering if you could make a video of grilling baby back ribs. Great content as usual 👍🏻

[@ChicagoGriller]

Thanks for watching Mack! There are several methods to do baby back ribs on the grill and I’ve tested them with success. I will definitely do a video about it soon!

[@michaelturnipseed3541]

Great job! You were wearing too nice of a jacket for that messy task. LOL. I have the traditional titanium lid on my Q. Do you recommend Easy Off for the exterior??

[@ChicagoGriller]

Should have waited a few days until today… no jacket needed today in the high 60s 😉

[@ChicagoGriller]

Just soap and water for the exterior!

[@LeenieVibes]

As us Girl Scouts learned, just coat the inside of the lid with dishwashing soap, and it will clean up easily.

[@IowaKim]

Yes! I remember doing that too-when cooking in the fire. When time to wash, wipes right off!

[@blacksheepev4519]

Does it work on the outside of the lid too? Mine is blue and is full of grease. I just got it for free from a friend

[@ChicagoGriller]

I think the oven cleaner on the outside of the lid would be a bit too harsh and will likely strip the paint and coating. I would use just warm soapy water on the outside.

[@brianwalsh1844]

Got a new regulator and no I'm really cooking. Lesson learned - when you buy a new BBQ don't use the reg from the old one - invest in a new one. The Q is firing on all cylinders now - thanks for your help.

[@darrenhurrell]

Why would you remove the seasoning?

[@ChicagoGriller]

Ha yeah, many people may say all that grease and caked on fat = flavor. Probably so, but at a certain point too much build up does impact the grill's performance. Don't worry, it doesn't take that many cooks to build up a nice healthy layer again haha.

[@sammas2959]

Bought a used weber grill. The cover is caked in. Some can be peeled but the rest very stubborn. Oven offed, and 2-3 soaked....doesn't seem to work.

[@ChicagoGriller]

Yikes. That must be some seriously caked on grease. It may take multiple treatments or a lot of elbow grease!

[@dabneyoffermein595]

mine is about 7 years old and it's caked in - baked in on the inside of the lid. It's a grimy black sticky suet that is just nasty,, but looks like it would be impossible to get off. We might have to just let it go because we waited so very long to clean it off. Im afraid it's a lost cause. If I clean it out in the grass, my dog will be licking the yard all summer long and that sticky black crap will get coated on everything.. What a mess I've created .. that's years of cooking all summer long. Also, it seems like if I start to try to clean it and it starts chipping off but is impossible fully get off, the chips of black may start falling onto cooking food since it would heat up and get more liquidy from the attempt to clean it off of the inside ceiling of the Grill lid. It's a wicked dilemma, anyone experienced this before, please chime in.

[@JaneDoe-vi5yc]

I'm going to try the pressure washer. Sounds easier.

[@ChicagoGriller]

Depends on how caked on the grease is. If the grill has been neglected for a while, the pressure washer might not be enough to blast it off and you'll need the degreaser / cleaner to loosen things up for you first.

[@JaneDoe-vi5yc]

@@ChicagoGriller You are right. I tried the pressure washer yesterday and it got some off, but not a lot. Ugh.

[@dabneyoffermein595]

@@ChicagoGriller Good Call, I don't think I'm even going to try a pressure washer, it is so caked on, it's about 7 to 8 years of caked on suet, it's black as coal, and looks gummy, I can see that it is leaking off onto the front edge of the new grill grates I bought , ...i had to heat up the grill to "burn-in" the new grates and notice that sticky black crap on the front edge of the new grates. I wonder if the lid drips that sludge onto my grilled food? UGH, I hope not, that stuff is so black and nasty sticky looking, I really want to get it off of there. I'll get some EASY-OFF OVEN CLEANER (as you pointed out) or some brand of grill cleaner that is safe for a food cooking application. Any other tips would be helpful. Mine has about 6 to 7 years of baked-on suet, it's black as coal and layered pretty thick and looks very sticky perhaps. It would certainly ruin every rag that I would try to use on it. I don't have a high-pressure washer device and I doubt that would do anything. What agent (cleaning food-grade agent) can I use to break that up and then allow the black nasty 6 to 7 years of cooking suet to get cleaned out? HELP!!!! What do I do? Mine is not a "Q" grill , it's a Weber Spirit 2 E-210 made in 2017 or 2016

[@jameswhite1692]

Hope you didn't get any oven cleaner on the sweet Arcteryx jacket!

[@michaelmurray5578]

Good idea! Have you ever tried this on the bottom portion of the grill after removing the burner tube of course? Also if you accidentally get some oven cleaner on the outside finish of the grill will it harm it?

[@ChicagoGriller]

I’ve not had the grease caked on inside the cookbox so bad that I had to use oven cleaner. I clean the bottom half with enough frequency that it usually scrapes off quite easily. That said, I have seen other YT videos use this same product on the inside (burner tube removed). I don’t believe the cleaner will affect the finish but I don’t know for sure. If you get some on the outside probably best to wipe it off just in case.

[@IowaKim]

I believe the 2 formulations of Easy Off: regular & fume free, are actually different chemicals. The regular I know uses sodium hydroxide (think Lye), and is not good for aluminum and creates hydrogen gas, which no paper/cloth mask will make you safe. Not sure about the fume free formula-I would read the can carefully before attempting. I use sodium hydroxide to make soap and it is a very base (opposed to acidic) chemical. Conclusion: don't just buy "any" Easy Off spray until doing your homework.

[@nikominglis8974]

great video, thanks! but wearing an Arc'teryx jacket...oh no !

[@ChicagoGriller]

I actually got that vest for free from an event that I worked. First time I had heard of Arc'teryx (and was pretty shocked to see how expensive it was when I looked up the retail price), but now I see it everywhere. What's wrong with the brand?

[@nikominglis8974]

@Chicago Griller nothing wrong with the brand - ITS EXCELLENT!!! just pls don't get any grease on it!!!! I've wanted one for 20 years but could never really afford it - look after it and enjoy it !

[@ChicagoGriller]

Haha well the “oh no” threw me off. Yeah it’s definitely holds up well. Thanks for watching!

[@djmerlin2]

or use steam cleaner those eat up that grill greas.

[@alexvids9232]

for a smoker, the caked on grease is good for flavor. not sure about grills.

[@paul.tuttle]

please be careful putting your lid on a concrete surface - I had damage to my lid just by opening it on my balcony hitting the concrete wall behind it - because that's not removable without respraying... never the less: Your the man

[@ChicagoGriller]

Thanks! I got a comment from someone else as well. Doing it right on that little sidewalk was convenient because that's where my building's hose is, but maybe I'll pull it out to softer terrain in the future.

[@paul.tuttle]

@@ChicagoGriller well the spot seems to be very convenient, just lay something soft underneath. You seam to be very neat - like me - I promise you'll regret those scatches till the end of your or BBQ's life :-)

[@marybooher9018]

Don’t dump that water on you garden plants. The oven spray will kill plants and shouldn’t go into the storm water system. Take it inside and dump it into you sink/sewer system.

[@wrf8245]

Next time try the heavy duty easy off, I think it’s the yellow can. Let it sit for a good 4-6 hours and it’ll get everything off with a wet paper towel, no scrubbing needed.

[@ChicagoGriller]

It was pointed out to me that oven cleaner can be harsh on on the cast aluminum lid. Personally, I’ve not used the heavy duty version nor do I let any oven cleaner work for more than an hour. No matter what we use though, be sure to give it all a thorough rinse when done.

[@IowaKim]

That is a different formulation from the fume free and will create hydrogen gas and it really hard on aluminum. Do a little reading on the cans before attempting. The regular formulation used sodium hydroxide (think Lye), whereas the the fume free does not.

[@threeohm]

Thanks for the videos. As people have noted below oven cleaner and aluminum isn't a good combo. It shouldn't be hard to find a safe cleaner. The other thing is a surgical procedure ,ask is going to have no impact on your inhalation of toxic fumes. If that's something you are worried about you can get a mask at the hardware store with the correct filters for that application, but the one you are wearing isn't helpful.

[@ChicagoGriller]

Thanks for the tips! Yeah you're right, the mask in itself - plus no eye protection means I really didn't give myself that much protection... all cosmetic I guess. Fortunately the Easy-Off technically says glove and eyewear not needed so it's probably not that toxic. That said, I'll look into an alternative cleaner.

[@civic2323]

break cleaner works better!

[@Rockinrobbyboy]

It looks like you are scratching the outside of the lid. I would be more concerned with the beautiful blue paint, than a bit of grease on the inside 😀

[@ChicagoGriller]

Oh you mean because I have the lid upside down on the sidewalk? Yeah it may have put a few nicks in it. Would be better to do it in the grass next time.

[@yulmuz9622]

The idea to clean is creat. But the way you do it but wrong. Need something to put between concrete and lid to protect beautiful blue surface from grinding…

[@ChicagoGriller]

Yeah I got a number of comments saying this too. Will lay down a rag or old towel or something going forward.

[@simplysourdough5444]

Why o earth would you do this? Just remove, soak in hot water in it then rinse off. The underneath of the lid isn't going to change performance so don't need the big guns, just grease & smell removal.

[@batomatovic6286]

😂

[@rosearie7664]

Anyone else thinking the same thing? Please put on an old sweatshirt so you don't ruin that very expensive Acrterex jacket 😬

[@jennamont6618]

I would not have allowed the over cleaner to be rinsed on the ground, forcing the chemicals over the soil and absorbed into the ground. Bad decision. Wipe it out with a damp cloth.I can’t believe after protecting your loved ones by asking them to stay inside, you wouldn’t want to protect your environment too.

[@user9b2]

That mask will not block you from breathing it all in!

[@maximiliaanmartens8149]

this is not clean. DO a beter job

[@jcfc8197]

Way to kill the plants in the bed.

[@BigAndraze]

Nice. Dump the grease on concrete and plantation lol... this guy

[@JohnnySilverfoot]

I dont mind the discoloring. Literally want that on my cast iron, lol. As long as crap isnt falling into my food, Im good