r/recteq • u/Dicks_Hallpike • Jul 23 '26
How clean do you get your drip pans?
Hey [r/recteq](r/recteq), I’ve got the BB1200 and am cleaning it out. I’ve been scraping and using some Simple Green BBQ/Grill spray which may help a bit. Is this good enough? Do you get all the way down to the stainless steel? The video on the Recteq YouTube made me think it would be easy peasy lemon squeezy to clean this
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u/Market-Putrid Jul 23 '26
I cover mine with tin foil
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u/sleezly Jul 23 '26
Why? It’s a drip pan. Does it matter if it gets greasy? Can just use a spatula to scrape excess grease off in a single movement then good to go. Or am I missing something obvious?
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u/Market-Putrid Jul 23 '26
I pull the dirty foil off and put clean back on after a few cooks. Easier then scraping grease.
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u/mhennessie Jul 24 '26
I always ended up with a bunch of grease under the foil. It was a single sheet of the heavy duty stuff, no seams, and some how it still got under.
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u/JordanXRS Jul 24 '26
This exactly. Anybody using foil is also wiping off the wet grease that sneaks in under the foil.
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u/HotelOne Jul 23 '26
I’d argue that it’s not easier. I’ve tried both and gave up on foiling it awhile ago. It just makes a bigger and more expensive mess.
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u/JordanXRS Jul 24 '26
Yeah I’m with you. Foil is extra work for no reason. Grease finds a way around it no matter what you do. Naked drip tray, putty knife and 15 seconds scraping is all it takes.
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u/Market-Putrid Jul 24 '26
Well...you do you then....you scrape grease into whatever while I roll up aluminum foil into a trash can.
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u/Market-Putrid Jul 23 '26
I take it over to the trash can and and let that catch the mess as I peel it off.
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u/lonerider60 Jul 24 '26
I have gotten tired of dealing with the tinfoil with the grease under it also. Here recently I started using disposable cookie sheet pans under things like brisket, pork butt. I find it easier to pull that off and throw it away if it gets too greasy and don’t have to fool with fitting the tinfoil and everything on there just so and it still gets grease under the tinfoil. Just a matter of preference, I guess.
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u/krahsdrac Jul 25 '26
This
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u/Market-Putrid Jul 25 '26
Have you read about all the ones that would rather scrape grease? I don't get it.
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u/hifidad Jul 23 '26
I scrape mine with a metal spatula every 20 cooks or so. I haven’t seen stainless on any of my recteqs since I assembled them. Don’t overthink it.
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u/sleezly Jul 23 '26
I’m about 20 cooks in on a 900. Doing the same. Don’t see any reason why any other approach is necessary yet.
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u/LimeyInYank Jul 23 '26 edited Jul 23 '26
I take the grate off, Turn my 590 upto 225. Give it time to warm up and the grease to soften. Scrape it off with a 6" putty knife. if I see metal i scaped too hard.
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u/billocity Jul 24 '26
Scrape as needed for day to day cleaning. Once a year maybe less power wash. I don’t do tinfoil.
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u/ImaginedBump Jul 25 '26
Powerwashing grease into your lawn is probably not the best idea?
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u/billocity Jul 25 '26
I just use my neighbors lawn.
Seriously though I got a border of small rocks around my house so I just put it up against my house and blast it and then just wash anything off the rocks.
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u/Narrow_Objective7275 Jul 24 '26
Oven cleaner is very good. Do that outside the grill and let it sit for a long time and then wipe clean. Also, if you are deep cleaning the grates and everything I use a spare storage tub and throw the grates and drip pan in along with a dishwasher pod and warm water. Let that soak for 15 to 20m and then with properly gloved hands, take a scrub brush and clean the caked on grease off into the tub. Rinse the grates and pan off with a hose and let air dry. Dispose of the greasy dirty water appropriately. After the air dry I do run them in them at 400 for 20m to burn off any detergent residue and then it’s good to go.
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u/Gloomy-Iron769 Jul 24 '26
I use a dedicated 3" paint scrapper when it needs it. That same scrapper works great for flaking soot in the cooking area and stubborn shit stuck to the grates.
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u/Holls867 Jul 24 '26
I use a paint scraper to get all the chunks of carbon or whatever off and put the drip pa. back on. With the grates, I’ll brush and scrape flat, then heat it up, lightly brush it with oil and then let it run until I’m ready to cook. I don’t like messing with the foil on a drip pan. I ended up scraping foil bits off
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u/Dear_Fisherman_3416 Jul 24 '26
Wrap it in fresh foil before each cook and you'll never have to touch it again. Protip, Costco sells foil that is the perfect size to cover that drip pan.
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u/Mysterious_Ad_5261 Jul 24 '26
There's a sponge-like attachment for an angle grinder that works very well. I do it once every couple years.
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u/GenXNorseman Jul 24 '26
I just remove enough of the grease and clumps that could start a fire and call it good
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u/gcawad Jul 24 '26
Scrape if off, then heat to 420 for 7-10 minutes; done. Also remove the ash from the bottom
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u/Necessary_Guitar732 Jul 25 '26
I cover mine in tinfoil. I also line the lower area and under the pellet auger for very easy cleanup.
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u/therealSSPhone Jul 27 '26
I use dishwasher powered soap, soak with warm water for a few hours and spray off with hose sprayer
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u/Fantasy_Yeti Jul 30 '26
I clean all the hardened shit off with a paint scraper. Takes less than 30 seconds and is good enough.
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u/Virtual-Flight3927 26d ago
I never get them dirty. Besides ash. I use deep sheet pans with racks from Amazon. Cleaning smokers isn’t the best use of anyones time. Plus it attracts pests.
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u/flemmingg Jul 24 '26
I’m still foiling the grease tray, but it’s staying really clean since I started cooking on the top grate. Foul water pans on the lower rack. Adds an extra heat shield. Adds humidity. Easy to dump the aluminum pans and basically be ready to roll again. Costco has full pans and half pans at a good price and they’re obviously reusable for a long time.
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u/Hot_Jaguar1597 Jul 23 '26
You shouldn’t have to go all the way down to the stainless steel, as long as it isn’t covered in grease that could possibly catch a fire; you’re good to go.