How to Cure Charcoal Grills

Curing a charcoal grill will help prevent rust on cast-iron parts, while sealing the interior finish to prevent corrosion. The process takes a few hours, but once cured, the grill will be ready for use and will require only normal cleaning and maintenance.

Things You'll Need

• Grill
• Cooking thermometer
• Charcoal
• Lighter fluid
• Cooking oil
• Paper towels

Instructions

1. Coat the inside cover and cooking grates of your grill with cooking oil, rubbing in the oil with paper towels until the surfaces glisten. Remove the cooking grates from the grill to coat the top and bottom with oil, then set aside.

2. Load the grill with charcoal and start a fire with the lighter fluid.

3. Place the cooking grates on the grill and close the cover when the coals turn white.

4. Adjust the vents to achieve an internal temperature of 250° F. Closing down the vents will lower the temperature.

5. Keep the grill closed and allow the interior to cure until the coals burn out, but for at least 2 hours.

6. Remove the cooking grates and re-coat with cooking oil.

7. Reload the grill with charcoal, light another fire and allow to burn down to white coals.

8. Place the cooking grates on the grill for a final cure of 1 hour at an internal temperature of 400° F, which can be reached by fully opening the top and bottom vents.

References

• Charcoal grill curing
• Instructions for curing a charocoal grill