Bacon on the Cast Iron Grates?

I am getting ready to go to Lowe's here in about 10 minutes to buy the CharGriller Smokin' Pro. I've read all of the wonderful tips on this forum on how to season the grill and chamber. I plan on doing that this afternoon.

I know that the first 6-12 meals that you cook on the cast iron are important. What do you guys think about cooking a bunch of bacon on there? Very greasy and tasty!

Am I being too much like Homer Simpson?

Sounds like a plan. Just collect the drippings and continually wipe the grates down.

Welcome to the boards, STLSmoker! As a newer Chargriller owner, I can tell you from experience: So long as you season them well, you don't have to worry about the 6-12 cooks. Just season it well, and you'll be golden. Though, the bacon drippings things is a great way to keep them oiled.

As a newby CG owner myself - I seasoned my grates in the oven twice right when I got them. Then I seasoned the CG itself as they suggest with the grates in there. By then, the grates looked like they had been seasoned a hundred times. They were perfect. Just oil up the grates along with the inside of the main chamber when you go to season the whole thing.

Oh and while at Lowes, they have the least expensive chimney starter I've come across, $7 or 8 bucks. MIght as well get that while you're there!

By the way, I hope the Cubs "smoke" the Cards this year!!

i have one chimney that i've used for years on my weber. do you suggest i use 2. I've read in some places that you need two. Especially for seasoning.

How did you season them in the oven? Just oil them down and stick them in on 300?

It is virtually impossible for the Cubs to "smoke" the Cards. They are the Cubs. You know it's bad when HBO does a documentary about the Cubs called "Wait 'til Next Year."

If you already have one chimney, you'll be fine. I'm sure there are some folks here that have 2 or 3 even! You'll be fine with one.

About the oven, here's what I did:

1. Spread tin foil on the bottom rack or bottom of the oven itself for easy cleanup. (oil is going to drip like crazy). Preheat the oven.

2. Spread out wax paper on my counter (for easy clean up). Poured about a cup of vegetable oil in a small dish and used a bbq brush (or a cheap paint brush) to brush oil on the grates, on the wax paper. I literally "painted" the oil on.

3. Placed them in the oven 2 at a time (that's all I could really fit), and followed the suggested time and temp (250 or 300?) for a couple hours.

4. After mostly cooled, repeated process one more time for good measure.

* they should a nice carmel brown color, but will turn black after a couple "live" uses.

Oh and yea, I know the Cubs stink. But we can only hope for the best. As long as the Cards represent the NL Central proudly, I can live with that! what part of STL are you in? My wife is from Chesterfield.

Use the oven only if you don't mind the smell. I seasoned a dutch oven in the house one time and learned my lesson. Took a day or so to clear out of the house.

I either use Crisco sticks or bacon fat to season my grates on the pit. If I haven'
t burned too much seasoning off, I'll lightly coat the grates with Pam instead after a direct grilling night. Bacon fat does the best job in my opinion.

tex

If my memory is correct I thought the instructions that came with it said to use bacon, however that was a few years ago. I caught the drippings in a pan and used that to rub the entire insides. What a great smell that was

Welcome to the board STLSmoker!

Keeping the cast iron grates seasoned will be an on going process. During grilling, high heat will burn off the seasoning, and when smoking the grate nearest the firebox will lose some seasoning.

I've grilled bacon and find that it causes lots of flare-ups from the dripping fat. Although the grease may help season the grates, if you have too many flare-ups it may burn it right off.

Just be sure to oil them up before using and then again afterwards (while warm is best) to protect them from the elements and prevent rusting. Crisco or Pam works great for this.

I keep a container of bacon drippings in my fridge. Will regularly use this
to coat my CG grates. I thought everyone kept bacon drippings in the
fridge.

What to do when the grates are rusted up pretty badly? Not to the point of having to throw them away for new grates. But should one just use a wire brush on them and then wash them and then season them? Will that be an alright procedure to use? I'm mainly concerned with the residue of the rust. I don't want anyone to get sick due to cooking on rusted grates, even after I use a coarse wire brush and apply cooking oil/bacon grease and season them.

jazz
Pretty much right on there. Scrape as much off as you can, soap and water , then re season. Shouldnt be a problem. If you think its still a problem, just repeat the process. Good luck.

grilltender john wrote:

jazz
Pretty much right on there. Scrape as much off as you can, soap and water , then re season. Shouldnt be a problem. If you think its still a problem, just repeat the process. Good luck.

Thanks much grilltender. I thought I was on the right track.

I thought I read not to use soap on cast iron? Is that the case or not?

STLSmoker wrote:

I thought I read not to use soap on cast iron? Is that the case or not?

Sure you can. I know I have in the past. As long as you do the seasoning routine again prior to cooking on them again.