Just purchased a new NG grill ...it has HEAVYcast iron grill grates and I want to "season" them before the first grilling. I had heard a long time ago when seasoning a cast iron frying pan, just to coat it with coking oil and put it on high heat. What method for a grill (what TYPE of oil)? Thanks
I've seasoned cast iron cookware for many years using plain vegetable oil. The same will work fine for your grill grates.
Are the grates "gray", natural cast iron? Wash with soapy water and a stiff brush. Rinse and dry.
Vegetable oil coating, placed in an oven 350F for one hour. Repeat to darken.
Oil the grates, fire up the grill to 350 for an hour. "Seasoning" is a process, so the oil is absorbed into the pores of the iron.
Oren
New cast iron has a protective coating on it to prevent rust. It must be removed with a wire pad and hot soapy water. Really scrub it clean. You will then be able to season it as previously described. Any oil will do.
This is just my opinion. After you treat the grates with oil and "season" them buy a pound or so of hamburger with the most fat you can find, spread the burgers around the grill and cook them well done. Then throw them away! The grease and smoke will add much flavor to a new grill.
Not exactly. The oil is polymerized at elevated temperatures. It actually changes molecular structure.
Not worth the effort. The first time the grids get smoking hot overheated, you've spoiled it.
Mom and Grandma just never explained it to me this way .
Oren
There's just some stuff parents aren't comfortable talking about, ya know? :-)
Which is where I'm stuck. My gas grill tends to run quite hot in a couple spots, which burns away any seasoning. Which leads to my first question: how do I preserve the seasoning on cast iron grids when the grill runs hot?
Second, I won't say who did it, but let's just say that a certain someone who asked me to go immediately to the house we were renovating promised me she would take care of the grill didn't coat the grids with oil and when I went to grill a week later, the grids had large patches of rust on them.
I've spent a long time with both the traditional brass-wire grill brush and the longer wire stainless steel brush trying to get the iron oxide off, but to no avail. Is there a better way to get rid of rust on cast iron?
Third, for those of you who use cast iron, what is your experience? Do you bring the grids back inside after cooking? If so, how and where do you store them to keep them from rusting and to keep from getting grill gunk on everything they touch?
Kyle posted for all of us... I don't top post - see either inline or at bottom.
snippy do dah
If it's a Weber get the porcelain grates and be done with it. I noticed no taste difference.
Acid. Pool acid, CLR, Bar Keepers Friend.
You can't win with corrosion on outdoor grills. First you bake it bone dry and apply chloride ions (table salt). Then you let it cool and moisten it with a nightly condensing atmosphere. It eats aluminum, cast iron, steel, stainless, everything. The military should use it as a test specification.
You cannot, seasoning is not a one time process. It is ongoing. You will routinely oil the iron at every opportunity. A grill get a lot of heat and abuse so you cannot oil it too often.
Is there a better way to get rid of rust on cast
Cast iron is rather porous which is why seasoning works. The downside is that once rust gets started it cannot be stopped since the rust will go down into the pores. you will find it difficult to remove rust which is well established. Just keep oiling it and using it is all you can do.
After you season a cast iron the job has just begun. Season must be re-applies after each use and especially after cleaning. I have been taught that a carfully seasoned skillet should never see soap or scrubber since that would damage the finish which has been lovingly applied over time. Srubbing will of course remove previous seasoning.
Rather than scrubbing, you soak your cast iron in warm water, no soap. It won't take long for this soaking to loosen the gunk so that it can be gently removed with a sponge. Scrub as little as possible, if at all. This is the way I do with my griddle, skillets, and wok. It might be difficult with large grates but worth a try. Always re-season after a cleaning.
I use cast iron, yes, but my iron is used inside. Cast is popular outside for sure but grates in an outdoor grill are a special case. Just keep the door closed when not in use and oil them at every opportunity. Wash gently, if at all, if you want to preserve the seasoning. When it is well seasoned the finish will be a deep black color. I was taught that "The blacker the wok the better the cook".
Lawrence
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