Can you help identify this Christmas Present?

January 20, 2013 12:15 PM

Can you help identify this Christmas Present?

My mom received, um, something, from her friend for Christmas and has been pulling her hair out trying to figure out what it is. I have no idea what it is either, so I thought I'd see if the hivemind could shed some light on what this thing is:

Mystery Pic 1
Mystery Pic 2
Mystery Pic 3
Mystery Pic 4

Thanks!

posted by Fiat124 to Grab Bag (20 answers total)

It looks suspiciously like something you'd put in the well of a barbecue grill. Or a very large trivet with an easy-carry handle(?). Very odd.
posted by Emperor SnooKloze at 12:21 PM on January 20, 2013

My thought was something to cover a grill or firepit as well. (Though giving what looks like a used one as a gift is a little unusual to my mind.)
posted by Wretch729 at 12:25 PM on January 20, 2013

Best answer: My parents have these in the bottom of their Jenn-Aire cooktop for when it's in grill mode. Interesting (?) gift!
posted by Cloudberry Sky at 12:26 PM on January 20, 2013 [3 favorites]

There is some kind of mark stamped into it that I can't make out. Have you tried looking that up?
posted by Brocktoon at 12:36 PM on January 20, 2013

Possible use as a bed warmer, looking at the handle. What's the nature of the friendship?
posted by uncaken at 12:38 PM on January 20, 2013

Boot/shoe scraper? Given the design, it looks as though it's meant to be positioned flat with the raised wire/rod/"handle" part facing upwards. Put it by the door on a mat, and you could imagine its being pretty effective at scraping off mud and snow from the bottoms of shoes.
posted by Bardolph at 12:42 PM on January 20, 2013

Best answer: Grill or bacon press?
posted by Marie Mon Dieu at 12:53 PM on January 20, 2013 [2 favorites]

Looks like a trivet to me, but the handle is an odd thing.
posted by PorcineWithMe at 12:57 PM on January 20, 2013 [1 favorite]

If the "handle" is easily removeable, I could see it being a trivet that you heat in the oven and then transfer to the table to keep a pot or dish warm on the table (thus only 3 points of contact in the feet).
posted by Iteki at 1:22 PM on January 20, 2013

Response by poster: @Brocktoon, Im going to see if my mom can take a picture of those stamps and email them to me.

@uncaken, this is from her best friend of 35+ years. They both love antiques and my mom loves cooking, so trivet or bacon press are both good guesses

@Iteki, I will ask her if the handle is easily removable or not.

Thanks for all the guesses so far!
posted by Fiat124 at 1:27 PM on January 20, 2013

"Friend, thank you so much for thinking of me this Christmas! I may seem a little silly asking, but I'm not 100% sure... Is this a bacon press? (Or $momsbestguess) happy to be in your thoughts as you are in mine. :) Thanks again!"
posted by samthemander at 1:31 PM on January 20, 2013

If you look at Marie Mon Dieu's link, your exact item shows up in the 3rd row down as a meat/bacon press.
posted by HotToddy at 1:37 PM on January 20, 2013 [2 favorites]

ooooh, fifth row down on the far right of Marie Mon Dieu's link! Looks like the same one!
posted by easily confused at 1:57 PM on January 20, 2013 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: I think we have a winner!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/JENNAIR-Grill-Grates-Cast-Iron-Rock-Plates-Bacon-Press-4-Pieces-JENN-AIR-/111002328922?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19d8411f5a

Best answers to Marie Mon Dieu and Cloudberry Sky!

Thanks all, mom will be most appreciative!
posted by Fiat124 at 2:02 PM on January 20, 2013

Cloudberry Sky has it.
posted by Max Power at 2:03 PM on January 20, 2013

Response by poster: So its not a bacon press, but a simulated rock plate? Im not a big grill person, so what are those used for?
posted by Fiat124 at 2:05 PM on January 20, 2013

We have a Jenn-Air stove and it's for grilling, as Cloudberry Sky says. It's not a bacon press. It goes *under* the grill and heating element. The heating element is supported by the handle, and the holes and indentations are for simulating the sizzling etc. that goes on during grilling.

It takes two stones to line the bottom of the grill unit. They can be found for about $11 apiece.

Nice gift! ;-)
posted by Short Attention Sp at 2:14 PM on January 20, 2013 [1 favorite]

Found a pic. The plates go in the bottom of the well, next the elements, finally the grill plates on top.
posted by Short Attention Sp at 2:20 PM on January 20, 2013 [1 favorite]

Yeah, that's what my parents have on their Jenn-Air range.
posted by mon-ma-tron at 3:00 PM on January 20, 2013 [1 favorite]

We had a bed and breakfast that also sold "antiques" near where I worked. They had a pair of these prominently displayed with some story about frontier cooking. I pointed out to them that they were a part (since discontinued) of a Jenn-Aire range. They didn't believe me until I took my two, from my range, to them along with the manual showing them.
posted by leafwoman at 4:05 PM on January 20, 2013 [4 favorites]