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Seasoning your BBQ for its first use

Make sure you cook off your grill before using

You've unpacked it, you've put it together. Your BBQ is so shiny and new that you're tempted just to sit there and look at it. But wait, you've got hungry mouths to feed and there's something you need to do before you cook up that first meal.

How-Tos / Seasoning your BBQ for its first use
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  • Remove grates from grill.

    Remove grates from grill.

  • Use vegetable oil (or an oil with a high smoke point) to cover entire inner surface of grill.

    Use vegetable oil (or an oil with a high smoke point) to cover entire inner surface of grill.

  • Heat up charcoal coals.

    Heat up charcoal coals.

  • Cover and heat up Kettle to 150ºC for 30 minutes. A barrel barbecue will need up to 2 hours at same temperature.

    Cover and heat up Kettle to 150ºC for 30 minutes. A barrel barbecue will need up to 2 hours at same temperature.

The first thing you'll want to know is 'What is Seasoning'? Seasoning is the process of 'curing' the paint and also burning off any oils or coatings from the manufacturing process, it creates a barrier between the metal and your food and helps protect the unit for a longer life span. If you season with oil, it will also make the clean-up process a bit easier.

  1. Season your BBQ before it’s first use, straight after you have assembled it!.
  2. Remove the fuel grate and grills wash in warm soapy water, then rinse.
  3. Coat all the inner surfaces with a high smoke point oil (peanut, vegetable, sunflower or canola), don't use olive oil. Wipe off any excess oil, do not put oil on outside of BBQ – only inside. The easiest way is to use a spray-on cooking oil. Otherwise you can use a paper towel, brush or rag to wipe the inner surfaces of the BBQ.
  4. Replace the grates/grills back into your BBQ
  5. Light your charcoal in a chimney starter and leave for about 15 minutes until charcoal is properly lit.
  6. Distribute coals into firebox, or charcoal fuel grate. Place the cooking grills back into BBQ. Close up all the doors, or put lid on, leave any vents and flues at halfway open.
  7. Start with a low consistent temperature of about 150ºC for around 30 minutes for a Kettle or 2 hours for a Barrel, or until oil burns off/starts to smoke. If curing a Barrel BBQ, you may need to top up the charcoal, so keep an eye on the temperature gauge.
  8. The inside of your BBQ should have an almost shiny surface when you're done.
  9. You should aim to put a light coating of oil on your cooking grills after every cook, just wait until it’s cooled down first. This will protect them from rust and make them easier to clean after each cook.
  10. This process should be repeated on a regular basis to improve the life of your BBQ.
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