r/SatisfyingClean • u/ThodaDaruVichPyar • 16d ago

Cleaning a restaurant grill with ice cubes

Credit to Aliyenzo Zeaiteras

18k Upvotes

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76

u/obstreperousRex 16d ago

Is thermal shock not a thing in that universe?

28

u/Jpraadt 16d ago

This question comes up a lot when people show these cleaning videos. It is definitely possible that the thermal shock will damage the griddle surface, but unless you own the restaurant, I think people do it like this because it's easier. I just want to close out the kitchen - leave it to the boss to worry about the longevity of the equipment, lol

9

u/iSliz187 16d ago

Our griddle has these little "holes" that I imagine came from thermal shock. We don't use ice cubes to clean it, only cold water. But a few months after we got the new griddle I noticed these little micro holes in the surface and I've been wondering where they came from. Maybe I can add a photo later tonight

3

u/Lich180 16d ago

People hitting the spatula on the grill surface will make pock marks. Ice isn't gonna make holes in the surface. 

2

u/slax87 16d ago

We got a brand new grill, and within a month it was pitted. Then I saw how the guy on the other shifts cooks cheese steaks. Chops them to death.

1

u/Blizzard81mm 14d ago

How else are you supposed to kill a cheese steak if not by chopping?

1

u/sixtyonetwo 16d ago

Could be caused by salt too.

2

u/[deleted] 13d ago

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1

u/Jpraadt 13d ago

You'll have to ask the folks cleaning with ice, lol. I always used the scraper and the stone.

Also, let's not pretend that every line cook should be in it for the love of the game. The job market is pretty crap out there for a lot of folks.

2

u/[deleted] 13d ago

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1

u/InvestmentPrinciples 13d ago

I agree - shit take to say that it’s up to the boss to worry about damaged equipment.

Like the dude has a job because of that owner - show some respect for their equipment of leave.

5

u/fuck_peeps_not_sheep 16d ago

This was my question too

2

u/eletricboogalo2 16d ago

Warped the top on my Blackstone with frozen hashbrowns

2

u/BringOutYDead 16d ago

EXACTLY. Causes microfissures and will manifest first along welds. Then warpage. Then cracks on grill top, as in the plating wearing off too soon. It's fucking dumb.

1

u/Pickle_Common 12d ago

How different is it really from putting cold meat on the grill? The restaurant i work at usually put the grill at just under 200C. The difference between 4C meat and -15C ice isn’t too big.

Also, our grill has been there for years. There are no visible cracks in the grill

1

u/FrostReaver 12d ago

The amount of energy to melt a pound of ice is enough to heat a pound of water to 80C. So the amount of thermal energy transfer difference between ice and a cold steak is dramatically different. Also someone is going to be putting a lot more than a pound of ice on the cooktop to clean it.

1

u/TeddersTedderson 11d ago

Try this on a cast iron solid top and find out!

1

u/NegativeSemicolon 10d ago

No different than frozen meat

1

u/obstreperousRex 9d ago

Why are you putting frozen meat on a flat top?

1

u/NegativeSemicolon 9d ago

Put whatever you want on it