Using Aluminum foil to cover BBQ grill grates? Any tips?

[Don2222]

Hello
To keep the propane gas grill grates cleaner, we tried wrapping tin foil over the top. We grilled lamb tips, changed the foil and grilled salmon.
Do you use foil?

Pic 1 - Grillee Lamb tips
Pic 2 - changing foil - grates not to dirty
Pic 3 - grilling salmon - foil helps hold on juices
Pic 4 - put on the veggie racks to grill the vegs
It is harder to keep the grates clean without covering them with tin foil.
Here is the best way I found to clean the grill grates using a HF Soda Blaster.
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/cleaning-bbq-grill-grates-with-soda-blasting-like-the-statue-of-liberty.199004/
I did get some grill marks with the tin foil but it would be better without.
Also for grill marks are cast iron grill grates better than Stainless Steel but harder to clean?

 

[Dataman]

God No. Unless it's fish or such. You want the grease to stay in the grill or go up in Flame. Not with your food. Grills are easy to clean. Not so much your Arteries.

 

[Dataman]

For now, and to the uneasy guys, the best advice would be to limit the frequency of cooking with aluminum materials. Use them less, or opt for anodized cookwares that leach far less that what the regular does.

Grilling on aluminum foil: Everything you should know - The Wisebaker

Only a few things scream summer louder than ‘manning’ up the grill and wafting dry smoke with a drizzle of olive oil. But while you’re busy printing attractive grill marks on your tender salmons and summer peaches, have you ever considered using aluminum foil as an additional twist? Perhaps you...

thewisebaker.com

 

[Dataman]

Warning: Cooking with Aluminum Foil is Toxic - Lily Nichols RDN

Research confirms, cooking with aluminum foil is toxic. Read on to learn how aluminum leaching into your food is dangerous.

lilynicholsrdn.com

It preferentially accumulates in the brain and has been linked to neurological problems. (Environmental Research, 2002)

Some research has found high aluminum exposure correlates with the development of Alzheimer’s disease. (J Alzheimers Dis, 2011)

 

[kborndale]

There is nothing difficult about cleaning the grill, takes less than 5 minutes and 4 of the minutes are to get the grill hot. Seems a waste of time and money to use the foil.

 

[fbelec]

we have stainless steel grates. heat the grill hot enough to turn the grates white or powdery then scrap with a wire brush then i bang each grate so if the brush loses one of it's bristles it will fall thru then spray with oil (watch for the flare up) and cook, nothing sticks. fish go in their own grill basket so they can be turned over without losing anything

 

[zrock]

god no... putting foil under things you midaswell go in the house and cook your food on the stove top.. You loose the whole taste and effect of a bbq on food

 

[ABMax24]

Almost never use foil on the bbq, the smoker I use it more.

I have an old baking sheet that gets used on the bbq. When it's hot I'll use the bbq as an oven to keep the heat out of the house and keep the AC from working harder.

 

[hockeypuck]

I used to have SS grates on my old Genesis Weber. After 20 years of torture, I had to buy another grill. I got a new webber with cast iron grates.... and that was the correct call.