Grill shellfish in the shell, the way it was meant to be.
The Great Grate holds oysters, clams, and mussels perfectly level on the grill, so every drop of flavor stays right where it belongs. All models are US made with premium rust resistant stainless steel!
What is a Great Grate?
A Great Grate is a stainless steel grate designed to hold shellfish level and steady on your grill, so you can cook oysters, clams, and mussels right in their shells, and serve them on the very same grate.
Invented by Timothy Gilchrist, a lifelong Rhode Island fisherman, and still family-run today.
Why grill in the shell?
Grilling shellfish in the shell, rather than steaming, preserves the natural flavor and precious juices that make oysters, clams, and mussels so delicious. The shell is nature's own cooking vessel, and the Great Grate keeps it perfectly level so nothing spills away.
As the shellfish cooks, the heat determines which half of the shell the meat sticks to. It's all about the adductor muscle, the small muscle that holds the shell closed. Cook from below, and the meat releases cleanly for easy serving.
Notice the triangle-shaped openings? That's not just for looks. A triangle always gives you three points of contact, so however you place a shell, it holds steady: no fumbling, no propping it up just right. It's what makes a Great Grate stand out from a normal grill rack.
One golden rule: always discard any shellfish that don't open during cooking.
Full Flavor, No Spills
In-shell grilling preserves every drop of the natural juices that steaming washes away.
Rust-Resistant Steel
Premium rust resistant stainless steel built to last season after season, grill after grill.
Made in the USA
Every model is proudly US made: quality you can see and feel in your hands.
Cooking shellfish, step by step
- Set it level. Place the shellfish cupped-shell down, level on a grate opening, and put the Great Grate on your grill.
- Watch for the open. When the shell opens about 1/8", it's cooked.
- Stay safe. Use a towel to hold the hot shell steady, and be careful not to burn yourself.
- Free the meat. Slide a knife along the top shell to cut the adductor muscle and remove it cleanly.
Remember: always discard any shellfish that don't open during cooking.
Kitchens already grilling on a Great Grate
From Rhode Island raw bars to Gulf Coast oyster houses, these restaurants put Great Grates to work over their fires.
Meritage
East Greenwich, RISteak, seafood, and a deep wine list on Post Road, a short drive from where the first Great Grate was built.
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Chardonnay’s
Seekonk, MASister restaurant to Meritage, serving eclectic new-American plates and a long wine list just over the Rhode Island line.
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The Barking Crab
Boston, MAThe Fort Point Channel landmark under the yellow-and-red striped tent, pouring chowder and cracking shellfish since 1994.
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Summer Shack
Boston & Cambridge, MA · Mohegan Sun, CTJasper White’s New England seafood halls, built around the same idea we are: let the shellfish taste like itself.
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The Grand Marlin
Pensacola Beach & Panama City Beach, FLGulf Coast oyster bars with shucked-to-order raw bars and a daily printed menu, proof a Great Grate travels well.
Visit site →Restaurant names and marks are the property of their respective owners.
Watch the Great Grate at work
Two quick demonstrations of grilling shellfish in the shell on a Great Grate.
Ready to grill like a shellfish lover?
Three sizes, one promise: US-made, rust-resistant stainless steel that turns your grill into a raw bar.