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Grease Build Up Issue

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Rauchbier
Rauchbier Posts: 24
edited November 2011 in EggHead Forum
I'm wondering if others have experienced the same problem that I have and if so how they've dealt with it.  I've had my XL BGE for a bit over 6 months and have used it heavily ever since.  Over that period of time a heavy layer of grease has accumulated on the top of the chimney in the dome as well as on the DSFT.  The grease has gotten so thick that it both securely bonds the DSFT to the chimney, and it makes it impossible to slide the daisy to the side of the DSFT or turn the daisy wheel.  The only way to get the thing to budge is to get a good fire going, lower the dome and wait for the heat to loosen everything up.

Any advice would be most appreciated!

Jim
Purcellville, VA
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Comments

  • gerhardk
    gerhardk Posts: 942
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    Probably a good hot long burn would clean things nicely, I would not use any chemical degreasers.

    Gerhard
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  • DIXIEDOG
    DIXIEDOG Posts: 109
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    I would also go for the hot burn, if you let er' rip wide open all that greasy should turn to ash and make cleanup a snap.  I stick the daisy wheel in my Egg once I'm done cooking and put the rain cap on...I was told that will prevent the locking up like you've experienced.
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  • BBQMaven
    BBQMaven Posts: 1,041
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    rauchbier
    As DD said, simply put the top inside the Egg after your cook... I'd suggest you let the Egg burn around 500 degrees for a 2-3 hours... put the plate setter, racks, top and anything else that is "dirty" in there. Like a self cleaning oven, it will clean everything nicely. 
    If you go hotter than this, you risk smoking your gasket. 
    Kent Madison MS
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  • hoppy
    hoppy Posts: 16
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    rauchbier
    As DD said, simply put the top inside the Egg after your cook... I'd suggest you let the Egg burn around 500 degrees for a 2-3 hours... put the plate setter, racks, top and anything else that is "dirty" in there. Like a self cleaning oven, it will clean everything nicely. 

    If you go hotter than this, you risk smoking your gasket. 
    This is what I do, but I also use aluminum foil made into a ball to scrape down the grease that formed inside the lid dome.
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  • Daddyo
    Daddyo Posts: 224
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    If you put daisy in the egg, right on the grate, (don't leave her on top) and fire the egg up to 600 or 700 degrees for a while, she'll come out with no grease, and possibly no paint.  It's a 2 minute job to spray some high heat paint on her (fireplace or grill spraypaint) and she'll look brand new.  I do it once a year or so.
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  • LeoHat2
    LeoHat2 Posts: 32
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    I agree with the above posters. Use the cleansing power of FIRE!


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  • Rauchbier
    Rauchbier Posts: 24
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    Thanks everyone for the suggestions!  I put the DSFT on the grill after a high temp cook this weekend.  Unfortunately, it seems that I shut the BGE down too quickly as a lot of the grease melted and then "froze" in all the movable parts -- a big mess!  I'll definitely need to start the egg sooner than I need it next time to let the grease burn off the DSFT!
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  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
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    no need to jet the thing at nuclear temps. if you do that it will tend to rust until you season it again. just keep putting it in the BGE when you are done.  it will eventually melt off all the excess and leave you with a nice protective 'seasoning'. 
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
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    I never take mine off. Anybody want to buy a dozen ceramic caps?

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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