Grill grate up or down

[drich]

Ironwood 650 grill grate up versus down for super smoke. Anyone have any recommendation as to which is best? Please

 

[RustyJake]

If you are talking about the physical grates and whether to use the top or bottom, it is really a personal choice I think. The IW650 gets a lot of air circulation so you would get plenty of smoke at either level.
I tend to use the top shelf for my smoking in all my grills. I put a water pan/drip tray on the bottom shelf to help keep the grill cleaner.

 

[RayClem]

I have a IW 885 which is just the larger version of the IW650. I tend to cook everything I can on the top grate. I keep a baking sheet lined with foil on the bottom rack. The foil catches all the grease drippings from the cook. When the foil gets nasty, I remove it and toss it in the garbage and replace it with a new sheet of foil. That way, grease never reaches my grease chute or grease bucket. That makes cleanup a lot simpler and quicker.

When cooking something too large to fit on the top grate, such as a turkey, I will use a large foil pan with a rack to elevate the protein. The pan goes on the bottom grate. That still keeps grease from reaching the bottom of of the grill.

 

[drich]

If you are talking about the physical grates and whether to use the top or bottom, it is really a personal choice I think. The IW650 gets a lot of air circulation so you would get plenty of smoke at either level.
I tend to use the top shelf for my smoking in all my grills. I put a water pan/drip tray on the bottom shelf to help keep the grill cleaner.

Great info. Thanks

 

[drich]

I have a IW 885 which is just the larger version of the IW650. I tend to cook everything I can on the top grate. I keep a baking sheet lined with foil on the bottom rack. The foil catches all the grease drippings from the cook. When the foil gets nasty, I remove it and toss it in the garbage and replace it with a new sheet of foil. That way, grease never reaches my grease chute or grease bucket. That makes cleanup a lot simpler and quicker.

When cooking something too large to fit on the top grate, such as a turkey, I will use a large foil pan with a rack to elevate the protein. The pan goes on the bottom grate. That still keeps grease from reaching the bottom of of the grill.

RayClem and Rusty Jake thanks for your postings. I always use Traeger’s liner to protect the grease chute but the liners don’t always catch all the grease and the liners are expensive. The drip pan would be a better way. I too like to keep my grill clean. Happy Grilling!!

 

[JPSBBQ]

It is always good to get the protein away from the heat source.