A flat top grill is a wonderful cooking surface that every home should have. It provides a perfect way to cook various dishes without cleaning many cooking utensils.
In addition, it is a perfect way to prepare meals outdoors for family and friends. Flat top grills also offer advantages over a traditional grill. For example, you can use them to make salads; they ensure little moisture loss during cooking and lower the risk of burning your food compared to a traditional grill.
To ensure that your flat top grill is effective, you must season it. Like your iron skillet, a flat top grill requires cleaning and seasoning. Seasoning ensures a better cooking experience as your food will not stick. Here is a seasoning guide for your flat top grill.
How long does it take to season a flat top grill?
It takes 1 to 2 hours to season your flat top grill sufficiently. Seasoning ensures that you can cook food on your grill without it sticking or burning too quickly because the surface is too dry.
If your grill is dirty or has been in storage, you need to clean it before you season it. Follow these steps when cleaning a flat top grill.
- First, you will need warm water, dish soap, and a scouring pad.
- Wet the surface of the grill with warm water. If the surface has food residue, you can mix in a few drops of vinegar to help clean and dislodge it.
- Check for rust if the grill has been in storage. If there is rust on the surface, pour some vinegar and use the scouring pad to clean it off.
- Apply the dish soap to the entire surface and use the scouring pad to scrub the surface. Take your time and ensure that you remove all dirt on the surface.
- Rinse thoroughly with clean water.
- You can repeat the process if you are not satisfied.
- Wipe the surface with a nonfluffy cloth and then allow it to air-dry before switching it on.
After the grill is clean and dry, you can season it. You will need oil to season your grill, and you can use your favorite. Examples of oils you can use include vegetable oil, olive oil, or coconut oil. Ensure that the oil you choose is high in fatty acids, so it bonds well with your flat top grill.
Most cooking oil manufacturers will indicate fat content on their labels, so check before you pick the oil. In addition, it is advisable to avoid oils rich in trans fats as they are associated with obesity and other health problems.
- First, turn on your flat top grill to the maximum temperature and leave it for 15 minutes. It is essential to ensure that your grill is dry before turning it on. Remember to put on gloves to protect yourself from the heat.
- When the surface turns brown, spread four tablespoons of oil on your grill. You can use a paper towel to spread it evenly over your flat top grill.
- Ensure that you do not have dry spots or too much oil on some spots on the grill. Evenly applying the oil ensures that you can use the grill for cooking a large amount of food uniformly; there is no risk of some of the food burning or sticking.
- Next, check the sides and corners and use a paper towel to oil them.
- With your grill turned to maximum, leave it for 15 to 30 minutes or until it starts to smoke. The smoke signifies that the oil is bonding to your grill surface.
- Next, turn your flat top grill off for 10 minutes to cool, then turn it on again, oil it, and allow the oil to smoke. You must repeat this process four times, or until the grill surface turns brown.
- You can vary the flavor by combining different types of oil, such as olive oil to begin with and coconut oil to finish.
- Finally, after the grill cools, coat it with oil and put it into storage.
What oil is best to season a flat top grill?
You can use any cooking oil but the best oil to season flat top grills is high in fatty acids. Oil rich in fatty acids will bond better with your flat top grill. Some of the possible options you can use are flax oil, coconut oil, vegetable oil, vegetable shortening, and olive oil.
Use oils that have flavors you enjoy in your food. Ensure that you season the flat top grill evenly and that the oil does not pool.
How often should you season a flat top grill?
You should season your flat top grill once a week, but it is crucial to consider how often you use it. If you do not use it often, consider re-seasoning when the food starts to stick to the grill.
You may need to wash it with soap and water if it is very dirty before you season it. Check your grill for rust when you take it out of storage. If there are rust stains on it, use vinegar to clean rust stains by following these easy steps.
- Soak a nonfluffy cloth in vinegar and cover the rust patches with it. Ensure that it is very wet so that it loosens the rust patches. Leave the cloth for 15 to 20 minutes, and then use it to scrub off the rust stains.
- Begin scrubbing from the edges towards the center of the stain. If the stain does not come off, add the vinegar and continue scrubbing.
- Rinse with water, and then clean the grill normally.
What happens if you don’t season a flat top grill?
If you do not season a flat top grill, the food will stick when you cook and may have a bad taste. Seasoning a stainless steel flat top grill ensures that food does not stick and has a delicious taste and aroma from the oils used for seasoning.
In addition, if you store the grill without seasoning it, it will rust. A rust grill is not smooth and can adversely impact food taste.
Cleaning and good maintenance will enhance the longevity of your flat top grill. Cleaning and traditional seasoning will ensure that you can use your grill for many years to make delicious meals for your family and friends.