How grease builds up over time

You open the lid and the smoke smells sharp, or the tray looks black and tacky. That's grease that's had time to build up. Here is where it collects and how makers say to catch it.

Where old grease collects

Traeger puts the cause in one line: when you cook, grease is bound to accumulate.¹

Camp Chef points at three spots.

• The drip tray. Its grease channel tends to get the most build-up of anywhere, so Camp Chef tells owners to get into every crevice.²
• The plate under the tray. Camp Chef says to scrape it if there is any visible burnt-on grease.²
• The bucket. Camp Chef says to keep an eye on how full it is.²

Traeger adds the grease chute. For grills with no chimney, it names the backpack or downdraft instead.¹

Foil can add to it. Weber says creases in foil lining its slide-out tray can set the stage for lots of grease to build up on the bottom tray.³ That's Weber describing its own grills, so check what your maker says.

Signs it's time to clean

Traeger lists a few.¹

• Build-up on the drip rail or grates
• Foil that looks overly greasy
• A grill that can't hold its cooking temperature

None of these is a measurement. You're looking and judging. If you aren't sure, clean it. A tray that's been scraped costs you a few minutes.

How often, according to two makers

The makers don't agree on a number, which tells you the answer depends on what and how you cook.

Both makers say that what you cook changes the schedule. Traeger says that if you cook high-fat foods, the grill will need cleaning sooner than if you cook vegetables or breads.¹ Camp Chef says frequent long smokes with no cookware under the food means more frequent cleaning.²

Those figures come from two makers' guides, and they're for those makers' grills. Use the schedule in your own manual if it gives one.

What to do when you find a lot of it

1. Make sure the grill is cold and unplugged. Camp Chef puts that warning at the top of its cleaning steps.²
2. Remove the tray and the plate. Scrape off the burnt-on grease.
3. Clear the channel, chute or tube your model has.
4. Empty or change the bucket. Liners are covered on the bucket page.
5. Put every part back as your manual shows.

Where the grease goes once you've scraped it is on the page about getting rid of it.

Left alone, build-up is the thing makers and fire services link to grease fires. That link is explained in how fires begin.