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Grate Care
Steve O. | via Twitter
Just like grandma’s cast iron pan, proper care will keep these non-stick and in good shape for a long time.
Cast iron is a porous metal that has been used for cooking for many generations. There are several benefits of cooking/grilling with cast iron (more even heat retention and distribution; durability; natural non-stick surface and faster cooking times, to name a few), so it’s no wonder professional chefs and competitive grillers prefer it. Uncoated cast iron grates take a little bit of extra care, but it’s not hard to do and in the end it’s worth it.
ManGrates are designed to be set on top of your existing grill grates—either horizontally (left to right) or vertically (front to back) with the flat side facing down.
SEASONING THE GRATES
ManGrates are 100% uncoated cast iron and MUST be seasoned properly (Note: acidic foods such as tomato sauce will weaken the seasoning, so make sure you oil the grates more after acidic marinades and foods). The oils and fats used in the natural seasoning settle into the pores of the grates, making them non-stick. The more you grill with them, the more non-stick they become…naturally. Chemical and porcelain non-stick coatings on other grates cannot be repaired, limiting lifespan.
- Apply oil/fat to all sides of the grates,* which can include: cooking spray such as PAM; a basting brush or clean rag and a high smoke point oil (SEE our oil smoke point comparison CHART).
- Place ManGrates on your existing grilling grates, side by side.
- Turn grill on high, close the grill lid and let the ManGrates heat for 10-15 minutes to allow the oils to penetrate your new ManGrates; ideally the grill should reach about 500 degrees.
- The ManGrates are seasoned when they turn a dark brownish color (the color will become black the more you use them, and they will provide a natural non-stick surface).
- Once your ManGrates heat up and are dark in color, we recommend turning your heat down to medium, as this is the ideal temperature setting while cooking with your ManGrates (trust us: they will get hot and retain the heat).
*Every time you grill: Apply oil or cooking spray before cooking and again after cooking while the grates are still warm. Use a grill brush (Our ManGrate brush has extra-long bristles to fully reach down) after cooking—again, before the ManGrates cool. That’s all there is to it. Fatty foods also help with seasoning and sealing the pores of the iron. Try grilling bacon!
Seasoning
We’ve taken two new grates and placed them to the right of well-seasoned grates. See how easy it is to season and get cooking on them!
Cleaning
Maintaining the grates is easy. Simply brush the grates when you’re done grilling and spray or mop on oil before closing the grill.
For more detailed, step-by-step instructions on seasoning ManGrates, check out the 4 sequential videos (Seasoning your ManGrates Part 1-4) on the ManGrate YouTube page.
Every time you grill: Apply oil or cooking spray before cooking and again after cooking while the grates are still warm. Use a grill brush (Our ManGrate brush has extra-long bristles to fully reach down) after cooking—again, before the ManGrates cool. That’s all there is to it. Fatty foods also help with seasoning and sealing the pores of the iron. Try grilling bacon!
Rust? Not a Problem
You can easily remove rust on the grates.
If your ManGrate seasoning has worn off or rust has developed on the grates (which can happen if moisture gets into your grill), the grates need to be properly re-seasoned. Just follow the instructions above to re-season your ManGrates or see the step by step process shown at right.
We purposely allowed ManGrates to rust so we could demonstrate how simple the re-season process really is. Nothing has been photographically enhanced.
Please note that any rust dissolves and burns off during this re-seasoning process.
Season all sides of the grates—Occasionally we hear of grates having a surface “scaling” issue, where flakes of the iron are coming off. This is a result of oxidation of the iron at high temperatures, where the top portion of the grates were seasoned, but the bottom and sides were not. The unseasoned areas of the grates deteriorate from moisture getting into the pores of the iron, resulting in irreparable damage to the grate itself. PLEASE season all sides of the grates. It is really easy to do, particularly when you use a spray oil. Over time and use, the cast iron is extremely hardy, just like cast iron skillets that have been passed on to generations of family.