How to Season a New Grill: Step-by-Step Guide

Why Seasoning a New Grill Matters

Brand-new grills ship with manufacturing residue on every surface: cutting oils on the grates, anti-corrosion coatings on the firebox interior, dust from the warehouse, and sometimes literal metal shavings from the assembly line. Cooking food on an unseasoned grill means all of that ends up on your dinner.

Seasoning does two things: it burns off factory residue at temperatures higher than you'd ever cook at, and it polymerizes a thin layer of oil onto the cooking grates to create a non-stick surface that improves with every cook. Cast iron grates need this most desperately, but stainless steel and porcelain-coated grates also benefit.

This applies to every new grill — gas, charcoal, pellet, kamado, griddle. The exact process varies, but the principle is universal: high heat to burn off contaminants, then a thin oil coating baked into the metal.

Step 1: Initial Burn-Off (All Grills)

Before you oil anything, run the empty grill on maximum heat for 30–40 minutes with the lid closed. This burns off manufacturing residue, oils, and any dust or debris from shipping.

**Gas grills**: All burners on high, lid closed, 30 minutes minimum. You'll see smoke and possibly small flames as residue burns off — this is normal.

**Pellet grills**: Set to maximum temperature (typically 450–500°F), lid closed, 40 minutes. Some pellet grills have a specific 'burn-in' mode in the controller — use it if available.

**Charcoal/Kamado**: Load a full chimney of charcoal, dump it in, open all vents wide, lid closed, 45 minutes. Kamado grills should be brought up slowly the first time to avoid thermal shock — go from ambient to 500°F over 60 minutes, then hold for 30.

**Griddles (Blackstone, etc.)**: Run all burners on high until the surface turns from silver to dark brown/bronze, about 15–20 minutes. The color change indicates the protective coating has burned off.

Step 2: Oil the Cooking Surfaces

After the burn-off, let the grill cool until grates are warm but not hot enough to instantly smoke oil (around 300°F). Then apply a thin coat of high smoke-point oil to every cooking surface.

**Best oils for seasoning** (high smoke point, polymerize well): - Flaxseed oil — gold standard for cast iron, but expensive - Grapeseed oil — excellent and affordable - Avocado oil — high smoke point, neutral flavor - Vegetable shortening (Crisco) — old-school but works perfectly

**Avoid**: olive oil (smoke point too low), butter (burns), bacon grease (good for cooking, bad for seasoning — too much sediment).

Use a paper towel and tongs to apply oil. The goal is a thin, even coat — not a puddle. Excess oil creates sticky, gummy patches instead of slick seasoning. Coat both sides of every grate.

Step 3: Bake the Oil Into the Metal

Close the lid and run the grill at 350–400°F for 30 minutes. The oil will polymerize — chemically bonding to the metal surface to create a slick, semi-permanent coating.

**For cast iron grates** (Weber Genesis EX, kamados, most premium grills): repeat the oil-and-bake cycle 2–3 times for best results. Each cycle adds another layer of polymerized oil. Cast iron rewards patience here.

**For porcelain-coated cast iron**: one cycle is enough. The porcelain doesn't absorb oil the same way bare cast iron does.

**For stainless steel grates**: one cycle. Stainless can't truly be 'seasoned' the way cast iron can, but the oil treatment helps food release better in the first few cooks.

**For flat-top griddles**: This is where the magic happens. After the initial burn-off, do 4–6 thin coats of oil, baking each one until it stops smoking (about 15 minutes per coat). You're building the famous black 'griddle patina' that makes smash burgers slide right off.

Step 4: First Cook (Choose Wisely)

Your first cook on a newly seasoned grill matters. Pick something fatty that adds to the seasoning — bacon, sausages, fatty burgers, chicken thighs with skin. Avoid lean meats (chicken breast, fish, vegetables) and anything acidic (tomatoes, marinades with citrus or vinegar) for the first few cooks.

Fatty foods continue building seasoning. Acidic foods strip it. Save the salmon and Caprese skewers for cook #5+.

After the first cook, brush the grates while still warm (not red-hot) and wipe with an oiled paper towel. This maintains the seasoning. Avoid soap and metal-bristle brushes on freshly-seasoned cast iron — both undo your work.

For griddles, the rule is even simpler: cook bacon. Lots of bacon. The first 3–4 cooks should be bacon, smash burgers, and breakfast sausages. By cook #5 you'll have a black, glass-smooth griddle surface that handles eggs without sticking.

Grill-Specific Seasoning Notes

**Weber Genesis / Spirit gas grills**: Skip Step 3 entirely. Weber's porcelain-enameled grates don't need oil seasoning, only the initial burn-off. Trying to season them creates flaky residue.

**Big Green Egg / Kamado Joe**: Critical — go SLOW on the first burn. Take 90+ minutes to reach 500°F. Ceramic cracks from thermal shock if you rush. Once seasoned, kamados are nearly bulletproof.

**Traeger / Pit Boss pellet grills**: Run the 'initial burn-in' cycle in the controller settings if available. This is calibrated specifically for your grill's break-in needs.

**Blackstone / Camp Chef griddles**: 4–6 oil layers minimum. This is the most important seasoning process of any grill type. A properly seasoned griddle is non-stick; an improperly seasoned one is a frustrating mess.

**Yoder YS640S and other heavy-steel grills**: One burn-off cycle, then immediately start cooking fatty meats. The heavy steel develops natural seasoning fast.

For ongoing care after your seasoning is set, see our [grill maintenance and care guide](/guides/grill-maintenance-and-care).