How to Properly Season Fire Pit Grills

Are you ready to take your fire pit cooking game to the next level? One secret to great-tasting grilled food is properly seasoning your fire pit grate, just like a good old cast iron skillet.

How to Properly Season Fire Pit Grills

Seasoning your grill helps prevent food from sticking and also adds a layer of flavor to your dishes. Seasoning your grilling grate will also extend its life. After awhile the seasoning eventually cooks its way into the grate for a lifetime of flavor.

There are two other payoffs worth knowing about. Food residue comes off a seasoned grate far faster on future cooks, and the baked-on oil seals the bare steel against moisture, which is what keeps rust from ever getting a foothold. Season a new grate before its first cook, then keep it up through the season.

Here's how to properly season your fire pit grill:

• Clean your grill: Before you start seasoning your grill, it's important to make sure it's clean. Use a wire brush to remove any rust or residue, then wipe down the grill with a damp cloth. Make sure the grill is completely dry before you start seasoning it.
• Heat it up: Turn on your fire pit and let it get hot. The heat will make the metal more porous, therefore helping the oil absorb into the metal and create a non-stick surface.
• Apply oil: Using a brush, cloth, or spray bottle, apply a thin layer of oil to the entire surface of the grill. Canola or peanut oil work best because of their high smoke point, they bake into the steel instead of scorching off it. Vegetable oil works great too, and you can also use coconut oil or olive oil. We prefer a spray bottle to quicken the process, then wipe off the excess with a paper towel so only a thin layer of oil remains.
• Heat it up again: Let the oil sit on the grill for about 10 minutes, then turn up the heat for about 10-15 minutes. This will help the oil bake into the metal and create a non-stick surface.
• Watch the color change: This is how you know it worked. The shiny finish should turn dark brown or bronze. The darker and more seasoned your grate becomes, the hotter and more evenly your food will cook, and over time a well-seasoned grate collects fats and oils that give your BBQ an amazing flavor profile.
• Repeat the process: Repeat the process of applying oil and heating it up a few times to build up a non-stick surface.
• Oil it after every cook: Once you're finished and the grate has cooled to warm but not hot, apply a light coat of oil. Warm steel is more porous, so it takes the oil in, and that light coat is what keeps the grate from rusting between uses.
• Store it properly: When you're finished cooking, make sure to store your grill properly. Cover it with a grill cover or store it in a dry place to prevent rust from forming.