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How to Season a Carbon Steel Compact Grill

The Slot Grill Compact is raw 12-gauge carbon steel, and so is the Slot Grill griddle (plancha). Like a cast-iron pan, raw steel does best with a seasoned coat: a very thin layer of oil baked on until it polymerizes and bonds to the steel. That layer gives you a natural non-stick surface and helps prevent rust. Do it once before your first cook, touch it up as needed, and the grill gets better with use.

What seasoning actually is

When a very thin film of oil is heated past its smoke point, the lighter elements burn off and what's left polymerizes into a hard, slick layer bonded to the steel. Slot Grill makes the same point about its Seasoning Balm: the coat can look like almost nothing, but heat burns off the lighter elements and leaves a polymerized layer bonded to the steel. Thin is the key word. Thick coats stay sticky and flake.

What you need

• Slot Grill Seasoning Balm, made for both Full Size and Compact Slot Grills, or a food-safe oil with a high smoke point
• Paper towels or a scrap piece of cotton
• An oven (the flat panels fit easily), or your grill fire
• Dish soap, hot water and a cheap wire mesh scouring pad
• Heat-safe gloves

Oven method (recommended)

1. Wash each panel and grate with hot water, dish soap and a wire mesh pad to remove any shop residue and dust.
2. Dry completely. Towel dry, then warm the pieces in the oven for a few minutes so any moisture evaporates.
3. Apply a very thin layer of Seasoning Balm or oil to each plate. A light sheen is all you need. Wipe it on with a paper towel or cotton scrap, then wipe again as if you were trying to remove it all.
4. Bake at 400°F for 1 hour to cure. That's Slot Grill's instruction for the Seasoning Balm. Place pieces flat or upright, and put a sheet of foil on the rack below to catch drips. Run the kitchen vent; it may smoke.
5. Let cool in the oven.
6. Do it again as often as needed; the coating gets thicker with each round. Two or three thin coats build a durable start.

On-the-fire method

No oven? Assemble the grill, wipe a very thin coat on the cooking surfaces, build a hot charcoal fire, and let the steel heat until it stops smoking. Let cool, then repeat. It's less even than the oven but works, and every cook adds to it.

What about the outside of the grill body?

Slot Grill recommends high-temperature BBQ paint as a good option for the grill body, or the Seasoning Balm, which is also a good alternative to high-temp paint for seasoning the grill body. Unlike paint, the balm keeps everything food safe and consistent across the entire grill. Never use BBQ paint on cooking surfaces or grates.

What the finish will look like

Seasoned carbon steel darkens over time from bronze to brown to black. It's normal for it to be uneven at first. Heat discoloration on the firebox is also normal. It doesn't need to look perfect to work.

Keeping the seasoning

• After each cook, scrape the grates and wipe on a light coat of oil while the steel is barely warm or once cool.
• Cooking fatty foods (bacon, burgers) adds seasoning; acidic foods (tomato, citrus marinades) can wear it.
• A wash with dish soap is fine on a polymerized coat; avoid soaking.
• Always dry completely before storing.

Troubleshooting

Quick-start checklist

• Grill seasoned and dry; old ash emptied
• Stable, level, non-combustible spot with clearance
• Charcoal lit in a chimney, ashed over
• Two-zone fire built, grates preheated and oiled
• Thermometer, tongs, spatula and gloves within reach
• Clean tray ready for cooked food

Common small-grill mistakes (and the fix)

1. Cooking before the coals are ready. Black-topped coals give smoky, weak heat and sticking. Wait until they glow under a light coat of gray ash.
2. Wall-to-wall coals. With no cool zone, every flare-up becomes a burn. Leave at least a third of the firebox thin or empty.
3. Crowding the grate. 146 sq in fills fast. Leave space between pieces so you can move them, and cook in waves.
4. Moving food too early. Let it sear and release on its own; it sticks until a crust forms.
5. Cold, dirty grates. Preheat for a few minutes, scrape, and wipe with an oiled paper towel held in tongs.
6. Wet food. Pat meat and vegetables dry before oiling and seasoning. Moisture steams instead of searing.
7. Judging doneness by time or color. Small fires vary. Use a thermometer.
8. Leaving ash in the firebox. Old ash chokes airflow. Empty it once cold before the next cook.
9. Putting the grill away wet. Raw carbon steel needs to be dried and lightly oiled. See rust prevention.

After the cook: burn-down and pack-down

1. Let the remaining coals burn down. Don't leave a fire unattended.
2. When ash and steel are completely cold, dump the ash into a metal container with a lid, or dispose of it where the venue or campground allows.
3. Scrape the grates, then wipe the cooking surfaces with a light coat of oil or Slot Grill Seasoning Balm.
4. Lift off the grates, slide out the V side panels, pull the end pieces and stack. The Compact packs to about 1" thick.
5. Store it dry. A bag or old box keeps soot off the rest of your gear.

Safety basics (every cook)

• Outdoors only. Never use a charcoal grill indoors, in a garage, tent, camper, boat cabin or vehicle. Burning charcoal makes carbon monoxide, which you cannot see or smell.
• Stable, level, non-combustible surface. Bare soil, gravel, sand, concrete, pavers or a fire-safe pad. The Compact's 2⅞" air gap between the table and the bottom of the coal bed helps minimize radiant heat to the surface below, but it is still a live fire.
• Clearance. Keep it away from tents, vehicles, siding, overhangs, dry grass and anything that can burn. Keep kids and pets back.
• Follow local rules. Burn bans, campground, park, venue and HOA rules come first.
• Water or a fire extinguisher nearby, plus heat-safe gloves for handling grates and panels.
• Ash stays hot for a long time. Put it in a metal container with a lid and never pack hot steel or ash into a vehicle.

Cooking in wind, rain, cold and heat

Taking this recipe on the road

The Compact packs about 1" thick and weighs about 14 lb, so this recipe travels to a campsite, tailgate, river bank or job site as easily as it cooks on the patio. A few habits make it safer and easier away from a kitchen:

• Prep at home. Trim, season or marinate meat, chop vegetables and mix sauces in the kitchen. Pack each in a sealed bag or container labeled by cook order.
• Keep raw meat cold and separate. Pack it at the bottom of the cooler, sealed, below ready-to-eat food. Keep the cooler at 40°F or below with plenty of ice, and keep it in the shade.
• Two sets of tongs and platters: one for raw, one for cooked. Never put cooked food back on the tray that held raw meat.
• Bring water and soap for hands and tools, plus paper towels and a trash bag.
• Pack the thermometer. It matters more outdoors, where wind and cold change cook times.
• Plan for ash. Bring a metal can with a lid and follow the venue's disposal rules.

For more, see the camping, tailgate and river trip guides.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to season a Slot Grill?

It's recommended. The Slot Grill Compact is raw carbon steel, and a seasoned coat creates a natural non-stick surface and helps prevent rust.

What temperature do I season a carbon steel grill at?

Slot Grill's instruction for its Seasoning Balm is to apply a very thin coat and bake at 400°F for 1 hour, repeating as needed.

Can I use BBQ paint on my grill?

Slot Grill says high-temperature BBQ paint is an option for the grill body only. Never use BBQ paint on cooking surfaces or grates.

Why is my seasoning sticky?

The coat was too thick or not heated long enough. Bake it again and use thinner coats.

Slot Grill Compact

12-gauge carbon steel · about 14 lb · 16.25" × 9" cooking area · packs about 1" thick · made in Texas · ★★★★★ 4.92 (77 reviews)

$89.97$99.97

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More in Care & Maintenance

• How to Clean and Store a Compact Grill
• Rust Prevention for a Carbon Steel Grill
• How to Re-Season a Carbon Steel Grill or Griddle

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All specs and prices are from SlotGrill.com. Always grill outdoors on a stable, non-combustible surface and follow local fire rules.