Probably you are about to try your first grill seasoning and looking for a helpful guide on how to season a flat top grill. I know how it feels when you don’t have any clue about how to season a new flat top grill and have no one out there to guide you through. Let me have some of your valuable time; I’ll let you know the best way to season flat top grill in this article.
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What Is Flat Top Grill Seasoning?
Should you season a flat top grill? Yes, of course, you should season a grill regardless of its type. However, what is BBQ grill seasoning? If you are a complete rookie to seasoning your flat top grill, this is the first question you should be looking for the answers to.
Simply put, it is the process of applying oil onto the surface of the grill and baking the griddle with oil to prevent it from sticking and scratching when you cook. Not only does the oil layer keep your griddle in good shape to cook food, but it also will add flavor to the dishes.
In addition, learning how to season a flat top grill for the first time will definitely help you enhance the lifetime of your machine. There is nothing to get overwhelmed with, as I will let you know the process from scratch, and along the way, you will learn some of the best flat top grill seasoning oil types.
Before that, there is certain important stuff you want to learn with regards to seasoning a flat top grill.
What Happens If You Don’t Season A Smoker or Grill?
There are valid reasons why you should season your smoker or flat top grill. Here I have compiled a list to encourage you to continue with the process. Yes, knowing some flat top grill cooking tips and techniques will help you cook mouthwatering dishes, but make no mistake about it; you must know what happens if you don’t season your flat top grill in the first place.
Manufacturer Debris
Most newbies think they can use the grill right after they receive it from the seller. Actually, the answer is yes, and why not? However, that is not the correct way to start your BBQ journey. Let me explain this a wee bit.
When manufacturers send their products, there are always some leftovers from the manufacturing process. Metal, oil, grease, and paint are some of the usual remnants you would come across on a new flat top grill. I bet you don’t want to use the grill right away and put these substances into your body. In addition to the toxics, you won’t get the true BBQ taste when there is foreign stuff on the grill.
This is why you need to season your new grill before the initial use. If you know how to properly season a flat top grill, which I will teach later in the article, you can stay away from this unwanted situation.
Protection against Rust
As I said earlier, seasoning your grill is super-important to use it to its fullest potential. In addition, it will help you enhance the longevity as well. Seasoning prevents rust issues on a flat top grill, and it is particularly important when your griddle doesn’t have a protective layer to keep it from rusting.
Some grills do have rust protective layers on them, but banking on that layer or guessing there will be one is not something that I would recommend. Instead, season the grill to stay on the safe side of things, whether or not there is a safety layer. Further, if you want to keep your machine looking great, the seasoning will definitely help your cause.
Cooking Will Become Challenging
It’s never fun when your food sticks to the grill. It will not give the taste you expect from the recipe and make the cleaning process an absolute mess. Continuing this way over a period of time will make cooking on your grill a near-impossible job. This is one main reason why you should season your flat top grill when and as required.
Better Tasting Food
At the end of the day, you want better-tasting food, and that is why you bought a flat top grill in the first place, right? Since seasoning prevents food sticks and other unwanted issues when grilling, you are guaranteed to relish authentic BBQ taste.
How Often Do You Season A Flat Top Grill?
Cleaning and seasoning a grill are two separate things altogether, and I’ve seen people getting confused over these two words. Yes, cleaning is something that you should be doing after each and every cooking session. However, seasoning is a different kettle of fish, and you don’t have to perform it after every use.
If you are using your flat top grill for the first time, yes, you should season it before the initial use. How about older flat top grills? After the initial seasoning of your grill, it would be best if you repeat the process after the fifth use.
After that, if you are using your machine frequently, I recommend you to re-season the grill once a month. Those who rarely cook on the grill can eye for a re-seasoning after three months. However, if you facilitate water and oxygen to your flat top grill, the rust will form, and you have to go for a re-seasoning way earlier than this. So, make sure you store the machine properly after every use.
Best Seasoning Oil for Flat Top Grills
People prefer different kinds of oils to season their flat top grills, and more or less, it’s the same with me. Canola oil, olive oil, cooking oil, sunflower seed oil, and grapeseed oil are among the favorite.
Olive is my favorite, and to be honest, you can use any type of oil as long as it is edible for the cause. If you ask me, what is the best oil to season flat top grill? My answer would be olive oil, and as said, it’s my personal preference. Also, note that there is no point in using fancy and expensive oil types. The seasoning process does demand a significant amount of oil. So, grab one that is available in your kitchen, simple as that.
What Materials Do You Require To Seasoning Your Flat Top Grill?
Here are the materials that you need to have in your armory to season flat top grill.
- Oil (Olive oil, preferably)
- Scraper
- Tongs
- A piece of cloth
- Paper towels
Step-by-Step Guide on Seasoning a Flat Top Grill
Let’s see how I season my flat top grill. You can follow the exact steps for your grill as well.
1st Step
The first step is to clean the surface of your flat top grill. If you are seasoning it for the first time right after you buy it, there is nothing much you have to do in terms of cleaning. If that is the case, just wipe down it using a soft piece of cloth.
For those who are seasoning the grill after use, you will have to scrap the leftovers and clean properly. The surface must not containing anything other than the material of the grill; otherwise, you won’t get the results you expect.
2nd Step
Then, it’s time to light the grill. Preheat it using high and leave it for around 10 minutes until the surface is hot enough. Around 10 minutes, your grill will become adequately hot to move on to the next step.
3rd Step
The third step is to apply olive oil to the surface of the grill. You can use a paper towel to apply olive oil all over the grill. As I said before, you need to apply a lot of oil onto the surface to get the best results. Don’t get too concerned about the amount of oil, as the excess will burn off during the process.
4th Step
When the grill becomes hot, it will evaporate the oil, and you should apply more oil if you see there is no oil on the surface. This is where you would use the tongs to grip the paper towel and apply olive oil.
You will have to repeat the process three or four times (applying more oil when it vanishes). Finally, after you see a nice layer of oil, you can turn off your flat top grill. Let it completely cool before you reheat the grill to cook again.
FAQ
How Do I Season My Blackstone Griddle?
Blackstone griddles come with a non-stick surface, meaning you are bound to face less hassle when you cook on it. Still, you must season it well in order to keep it in good shape and to protect the non-stick layer. If it is a new machine, you will have to apply a few coats of oil as we explained in our step-by-step guide and season it before use.
After that, I personally recommend you to opt for light seasoning after every use if you are to maintain the precious non-stick coating.
Do I Have To Season The Grill Every Time I Cook?
No, you don’t have to season the grill every time you finish cooking on a flat top grill. However, you should scrap the leftovers after every session. No need for oiling and deep cleaning each and every time you cook, but providing your grill with proper cleaning is pivotal in more ways than one.
Can I Use Avocado Oil To Season The Grill?
Of course. If you have the luxury of using avocado oil for your cooking needs, it will be one of the best investments in terms of your health. Considering its high smoking point, which is 460°, you can perfectly use it to season your flat top grill.
The biggest drawback of using avocado oil is that it is more expensive than most oil types, and as you know by now, seasoning does require a significant amount of oil.
Conclusion
If you have just bought a flat top grill, make sure you season it before you put food on it. Also, you have to re-season older griddle as well, when and as needed using the right kind of oil. If you are looking for an affordable oil for seasoning, it’s olive oil that I recommend. You can refer to the step-by-step guide to perform the task, and it’s the process that you can follow when it comes to seasoning a commercial flat top grill as well.
With that, I end my guide on how to season a flat top grill and hope there is nothing complicating for you. Have a great day!