Seasoning the grill

[rjwaldren]

I'm deep cleaning the grill and wonder what you guys season Cast Iron with. I've been using olive oil but it smokes pretty bad and burns away quickly.

I've read that animal fats are best and to stay away from vegetable oils, but Crisco (which is vegetable based) is the most recommended.

[JR]

I use olive oil. I spray some on after each grilling, which seems to keep it in good shape.

JR

[Uncle Cracker]

I've used Crisco or lard with about equal results...

[rjwaldren]

I just picked up a can of crisco.

I ran them through the Self clean cycle on the oven to and it did an awesome job of cleaning them up. There are a couple of rust spots though, is naval jelly safe to use?

[master53yoda]

I do a lot of dutch oven and other campfire cooking in cast iron, I use bacon grease all the time. It creates a nice patina and unless you get it way hot it doesn't burn off. I never wash cast iron. I burn the food out, scrap the pan clean then wipe down with new bacon grease while it is still hot enough to melt it. I use denim as the wipe out clothe ( 6" leg sections from my old levis.) I always take the dutch oven to cooking temperature and wipe them out before putting food in them.

don't worry about small rust spots the bacon grease will deal with them. I would not use naval jelly on any piece of cooking gear.

[rjwaldren]

I have the same feeling about naval jelly - Not for food prep equip.

It was recommended in a BBQ forum, bit if I need advice from a forum I always double check it here.

[bruce hylton]

I know people who use WD40 and claim it burns away before it can do any harm. I believe in the bacon grease.

[rjwaldren]

Well he's how it went...So far it's a beautiful result.

I used the self cleaning cycle on the oven to remove the old buildup, then wire brushed them and rinsed them clean. Back in the oven at 350F for a few minutes to dry. Then a coat of crisco and back into the oven for 20 min at 350F. They went from a cast iron gray to a glossy black. I let them cool for a bit and put on another layer of crisco intending to bake in the last coat on the BBQ. Unfortunately, the almost empty propane tank that I was going to burn away ended up being empty. So the final burn will wait.

With olive oil I was still getting sticking (but the grill marks were nice and golden). So I wanted to try something different. If the film that the crisco left in the ovens drip pan is any indication this finish should be bulletproof. I only wish I had asked before I had started I may have gone the bacon grease route.