To foil or not

[pheasant16]

New experience with a pellet grill. Classic model. Assembled and reading the manual says not to foil the broiler plates. Think I'd be the only one I know using one that didn't do it. Looked on the internet, heck you tube even has a guy showing you how to do it.
If you don't intend to sear, why is this a no-no?
Wish the manual gave a reason.
Like every other forum I belong to, imagine this question has been posed before, and members will be kind in offering a helpful reply.
Thank you.
Mark

 

[MikeInFla]

I do it all the time, in fact 99% of the time because mine does not have the sliding sear plate. It just makes cleaning easier. There is a risk at high temps of the foil melting and that is probably why it isn't recommended but I rarely go over 400 on mine.

 

[pheasant16]

I do it all the time, in fact 99% of the time because mine does not have the sliding sear plate. It just makes cleaning easier. There is a risk at high temps of the foil melting and that is probably why it isn't recommended but I rarely go over 400 on mine.

Thank you Mike.

After finished assembly did choose to wrap the plates with foil.

Tried some chicken thighs last night, set the temp at 400 for an hour. The thermometer in the lid showed between 325-350, while the digital showed 400.
It was done, but fat under the skin hadn't finished rendering, so was inedible.
My wife says the foil MAY reflect some heat and not allow cooking area to be as hot as set, and to follow the manual. Hey I'm a guy. Look at pictures; who reads.
Know it will be a learning curve must say I was underwhelmed by this experience.
So will pull foil off try again and see how to proceed. Or use skinless chicken, or fire up the weber to finish it, or uncover the sear plate. Thought this was supposed to be a lazy man's way to smoking/cooking.

 

[MikeInFla]

I always use a meat probe as well, never had anything on the Pit Boss turn out under cooked although one time i did chicken wings and the skin was rubbery, didn't get it hot enough, As for thighs, just keep them on a bit longer and the fat should render even if you use foil. Pretty much everything I cook I start off on Smoke or 200 from the get go then adjust temps according to time we want to eat.

 

[DaveXDm9]

it also depends on where you place the chicken on the grill. The temp varies from Left to Right on the grill so chicken at 400 should be done within 1.5 hours. I do not use foil due to aluminum is a neurotoxin and releases aluminum into the food at high heat.

It is everyone choice, but I clean my plate after every cook with a brush and a scraper. I coat it with Crisco All Vegetable Shortening prior to every cook and that works great and it is very easy to clean.

 

[MikeInFla]

it also depends on where you place the chicken on the grill. The temp varies from Left to Right on the grill so chicken at 400 should be done within 1.5 hours. I do not use foil due to aluminum is a neurotoxin and releases aluminum into the food at high heat.

It is everyone choice, but I clean my plate after every cook with a brush and a scraper. I coat it with Crisco All Vegetable Shortening prior to every cook and that works great and it is very easy to clean.

I may try that sometime as I go thru foil like crazy.

 

[pheasant16]

Thanks guys.
Will try next batch no foil.
Charcoal, natural gas, big electric smoker, and now pellet grill. No wonder I never get great with one; too many choices. LOL

 

[bobarue]

My personal experience about a 1/2 hour ago.

I did wonder about should I or shouldn't I, well my recommendation is DON'T!

I did foil mine today for the first time and the grill did exactly what they warned about, I had a grease fire. Luckily I was able to contain it fairly quickly, only because I was keeping a close eye for a fire. I first had a couple of flame ups that I could blow out. Then it just lit up and spread quickly across the grill. I hurried up and closed the lid to minimize oxygen and then turned the controls off. I was thinking I should have made a water bottle but remembered we have a short hose with a nozzle hooked up to a faucet for watering plants on the patio and grabbed that. I turned it on and opened the lid sprayed a little at the base of the fire, just a couple of quick squirts. It seemed to flare up worse at first but it went out after a couple more quick squirts from the nozzle. Then I closed the lid again for a little while, a minute or so. If you put too much water on a fire in a grill and you cool things off to quick it can warp all of the hot metal. I still haven't been able to really check mine yet because it's still cooling off.

Believe me the foil is coming off and hopefully I have no damage.

A couple of other points of info to pass on, I wrapped the foil tight around the broil pan and made sure that the foil was tucked down in grease runoffs on both sides. During the cook I was keeping an eye on the grease and I didn't see the normal flow to the bucket, the grease seemed to stick to the foil instead and I was cooking at 450 - 475 degrees so there was no reason why the grease wouldn't flow to the bucket end. Also it sure seemed like the grill wasn't getting as hot at the grates because of the foil.

Incase some was wondering, I cooked a steak and some vegetables for fajitas later and then cooked some hamburgers. The grease started collecting from the steak and the fire started when I flipped a couple of those hamburgers.

I wouldn't do it. If you get away with it today and tomorrow, sooner or later you will have a fire as well.

 

[DaveXDm9]

If you coat it with Crisco or even spray with vegetable oil or Pam spray as I would not over do it. It helps as I always have grease fires when I am cooking steaks and burgers, but not has bad with the oil.

Aluminum foil scares me when it is on direct heat as it does release toxins and if it melts or catches on fire with food over it I would not eat it not at all.

 

[bobarue]

After the grill cooled, I was able to break everything down, remove the foil and clean up. I had no damage from the fire. I cleaned everything and oiled the flame broiler so it's ready for the next cook.

I feel lucky because it was a pretty significant fire.

Wish everyone luck with their grill!

 

[MikeInFla]

I find the fires odd as I have had my pellet grill for 2 years now and use foil 99% of the time and have never had issues.

With that said, the next time I use it I will try it out foil free and use some oil on it like Dave suggested.

 

[bobarue]

What is bad about these grease fires whether it be the grill or in your kitchen they get out of hand very quickly and one wrong move just makes it worse.

Our friends daughter, newly married, just had a grease fire in the kitchen trying to fry fish for the first time and ended up with over $10,000 of damage because she sprayed the pan thinking it would put the fire out. She should have just put a baking pan or cookie sheet over the pan , turn the burner off and the fire would have smothered out. Never use a fire extinguisher on a grease fire.

The only reason I knew this is because I have to go through yearly fire fighting training at work. The fire extinguisher in the kitchen is really meant for the garbage can not the stove.