You've probably been there. It’s Saturday afternoon, you’ve got a prime ribeye sitting on the counter reaching room temperature, and you’re staring at those weird, wavy metal sheets in your grill. If you own a Performance or Signature series, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Char Broil infrared grill grates are essentially the "love-it-or-hate-it" technology of the backyard BBQ world. Some people swear they make the juiciest chicken on the planet. Others? They’re ready to toss the whole unit on the curb because the grates are clogged with carbonized hamburger grease.
It’s frustrating.
The promise of TRU-Infrared technology is pretty simple on paper. Instead of hot air blowing past your food and drying it out—which is how standard convection gas grills work—these grates act as a barrier. They convert that hot air into radiant heat. It’s the same kind of heat you feel from the sun or a wood-burning stove. But when those tiny little holes in the emitter plate get plugged up, your $500 grill starts acting like a temperamental stove burner from the 1970s. Honestly, most people are using them wrong, and it's not entirely their fault.
The Science of Why These Grates Actually Work
Standard gas grills rely on "convection." Think of it like a hair dryer. Hot air moves up, hits the meat, and strips away moisture. Char Broil infrared grill grates change the game by using a perforated stainless steel or porcelain-coated emitter plate. This plate sits directly over the burner. It gets red hot and radiates heat upward. Because there’s no direct flame hitting the food, you don't get flare-ups. You could literally pour a cup of grease onto the grate and it won't ignite into a fireball that ruins your dinner.
That’s the "why."
But the "how" is where things get messy. Since the barrier between the fire and the food is so thin, the temperature control is incredibly precise. You aren't heating the air inside the lid as much as you are heating the grate itself. This is why you can get a steakhouse-quality sear at 700 degrees while the air around the meat stays relatively stable. It’s a bit like cooking on a cast-iron skillet, but with the smoky benefits of a grill.
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Stainless Steel vs. Porcelain Coated
Not all Char Broil infrared grill grates are created equal. If you bought a cheaper model, you likely have the porcelain-coated steel version. These are great for heat retention but, man, they are fragile. One accidental drop on the patio and that porcelain chips. Once it chips, the raw steel underneath meets oxygen and moisture. Rust follows. Every single time.
The high-end Signature series usually sports the stainless steel emitters. They’re tougher. They handle high heat better. But even they aren't invincible. The main enemy here isn't heat—it’s salt. If you’re a heavy "dry briner" who coats steaks in Kosher salt and tosses them right on the grate, you’re inadvertently eating away at the protective chromium oxide layer of the stainless steel. It’s a chemical reaction that most hobbyist grillers never consider until they see those tiny pits forming in the metal.
What Most People Get Wrong About Maintenance
You can't clean these like a regular grill. If you take a heavy-duty brass brush and start scrubbing like a madman while the grates are cold, you’re just pushing cold grease deeper into those microscopic infrared pores.
Here is the "pro" secret: The Burn-Off.
After you take your meat off, don't just turn the knobs to "off" and go eat. Turn those suckers to high. Close the lid. Let it sit for 15 minutes. You want to see white smoke, then no smoke. You are basically turning the leftover food particles into white ash. Once that happens, use the specialized "fork" tool that Char Broil usually includes in the box. It’s designed to fit perfectly into the grooves of the infrared ridges. Swipe it through, and the ash just falls away.
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Dealing With the Dreaded Clog
If you’ve neglected your grill for a season, those tiny holes in the emitter plate are probably solid. Your grill won't get above 300 degrees. You'll think the regulator is broken or the propane tank is low. It’s not. It’s just that the heat can’t get through the wall of gunk you've built up.
In this case, you have to go "nuclear." Take the grates out. Get a plastic putty knife—not metal, you don't want to gouge the surface—and scrape the bulk of the carbon off. Then, soak them in warm, soapy water. Some people use oven cleaner, but be careful. If you have the porcelain version, some harsh chemicals can dull the finish. The goal is to clear every single hole. If air can’t pass through, the infrared effect is dead.
The Performance Gap: Is It Worth the Hassle?
There is a loud group of enthusiasts on forums like Reddit’s r/grilling who absolutely despise infrared technology. Their argument? It’s too much work for a marginal gain in juiciness. And honestly, if you’re just cooking hot dogs once a month, they’re right. Infrared is overkill for a frankfurter.
However, if you cook lean proteins like chicken breasts or pork chops, the difference is night and day. On a standard grill, a chicken breast has about a 45-second window between "perfect" and "cardboard." On Char Broil infrared grill grates, that window is much wider because the radiant heat doesn't evaporate the internal juices as quickly.
- Pros: Zero flare-ups (huge for fatty meats like ribeyes or burgers), even heat distribution across the entire surface (no "cold spots"), and faster preheat times.
- Cons: High maintenance, susceptibility to rust if neglected, and a slightly steeper learning curve for temperature management.
Replacement Parts: The Reality Check
Look, these grates are wear-and-tear items. They aren't meant to last twenty years. Depending on how often you grill and where you live (coastal salt air is a killer), you’re probably looking at a 3 to 5-year lifespan for a set of infrared emitters.
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When it comes time to buy replacements, you’ll see "official" Char Broil parts and "universal" third-party versions. My advice? Stick to the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) parts. The infrared system depends on the specific hole pattern and the gap between the burner and the plate. Third-party grates often have the wrong spacing, which leads to "hot spotting" or, worse, premature burner failure because the heat is being reflected back down onto the tubes instead of up into the food.
Actionable Steps for Longevity
If you want your Char Broil infrared grill grates to survive more than two seasons, you need a routine. It’s not about deep cleaning once a year; it’s about micro-maintenance every time you cook.
First, stop using aerosols like Pam directly on the grates. The chemicals in those sprays can create a sticky residue that hardens into a lacquer-like substance under high heat. Instead, take a paper towel, dip it in a high-smoke-point oil (like avocado or grapeseed), and wipe the grates down while they are warming up.
Second, get a cover. This isn't optional. Rainwater sitting on an infrared emitter plate is a recipe for a rust-bucket within six months. The design of these plates allows water to pool in the ridges, and even "stainless" steel will eventually give in to standing water and heat cycles.
Finally, trust your thermometer. Infrared heat is deceptive. You might look at the grate and think it’s not hot because there are no dancing flames, but the surface could be 600 degrees. Use a digital meat probe. Since the infrared energy cooks faster by penetrating the meat more deeply, your old "timing" methods from your previous grill won't work here. You’ll likely find you need about 20% less time to reach your target internal temperature.
Keep the holes clear, keep the salt off the raw metal, and always do the 15-minute high-heat burn-off after every session. If you do that, you'll actually get the performance you paid for.
Next Steps for Your Grill:
Inspect your emitter plates today. If you see significant rust flakes or more than 25% of the holes are blocked by black carbon, it is time to order a replacement set. For those with minor buildup, perform a "dry burn" for 20 minutes on high, then use a nylon brush (once cooled) to clear the debris. Tighten your burner mounting screws while you're at it, as the high-vibration heat of infrared can often loosen the internal hardware over time.