Enjoy Your July 4th Holiday and the Metals Helping You BBQ!

This upcoming Independence Day in the United States is going to look a little different than most. Many cities and towns have canceled fireworks, or at least the large gatherings to watch them. But I’m guessing there will be many backyard barbecues to celebrate the holiday. So the only metals you should be analyzing this week are your grill tools. (If you really want to analyze your metals, handheld XRF analyzers are used to identify pure metals and alloys.)

And if you’re wondering … typically, gas grills are made of cast iron, porcelain-coated cast iron, stainless steel, porcelain-coated steel, or just plain steel. (Read our Steel Manufacturing section to learn about various steel manufacturing technologies.)

Those popular bowl and lid charcoal grills are made of steel which is coated with a porcelain enamel. According to grill manufacturer Weber, “the enamel is baked on at around 1,500 F, so it can withstand the heat of grilling and also hold up against rust and burn through issues. The smooth, porcelain enamel also makes the bowl and lid easy to clean.”

The metal wire brushes are usually made of stainless steel or brass. (If you use metal wire brushes, be aware that the small, sharp bristles can break off and get stuck to your grill’s cooking surface, which could potentially adhere to food and be accidentally ingested.)

If you are looking for the perfect metal for slicing your proteins and vegetables, we recently published an article about knife blades, including those made with high carbon steel. (Read Cutting Technology for Knife Blade Metals.)

And barbecue tools (like long forks and spatulas) are usually made of stainless steel which makes them durable and easy to clean.

Now, what you put on the grill is totally up to you.

Editor’s Notes: