Ensuring a successful cook on a flat top's cooktop involves one of the most crucial steps: seasoning. By learning how to season a griddle, you'll make the cooktop naturally nonstick, enhance flavor, and prevent excess moisture from causing rust.
Learn how to season a Traeger Flatrock and cast iron griddle through this expert guide.
Why You Should Season a Griddle
Seasoning your flat top is a necessary step in griddled greatness. A well-seasoned surface locks in flavor, keeps food from sticking, and protects your griddle from rust. By taking a bit of time to season it right, you’ll be rewarded with a slick, nonstick surface that’s ready to handle whatever you throw down.
How Long Does Seasoning a Griddle Take?
First-time seasoning, including preheat and cooldown time, will take just over an hour.
Re-seasoning, including preheat, will take about 25 minutes.
How Often Do I Need To Season My Griddle?
You'll need to season your grill before using it for the first time. You will also want to re-season it after or before each cook. For ease, we recommend re-seasoning in conjunction with cleaning it after each cook.
How Long After Seasoning Can I Cook?
You can cook on your griddle right after it has cooled down a bit. Once you've seasoned the griddle and let it run through full heat cycle (you'll know because the oil smokes and darkens), it's time to turn it off and let it cool slightly.
After it's warm, you're good to go, and whatever griddle recipe you decide on will help season your flat top further.
How-To Steps
It's time to get seasoning! Before you start though, make sure you have these tools:
- Traeger Flat Top Grill Seasoning & Cast Iron Conditioner OR canola oil
- Clean cotton cloth
- Metal tongs
- Watch or timer
Make sure all internal components have been properly installed prior to the seasoning process and that there is no food on the Flat Top Grill during seasoning.
1. With the main power switch set to OFF (o), plug the power cord into an appropriate grounded electrical outlet.
2. Turn the main power switch on the back of the Flat Top Grill to ON (I). The power switch will illuminate when turned on.
3. Preheat the Flat Top Grill on high for 10 minutes.
4. Once the Flat Top Grill is hot, squeeze about 2-3 tbsp of the conditioner or your oil over the cooktop in a zigzag pattern, covering the entire cooktop.
5. Using tongs clasping a clean towel or paper towel, spread the conditioner evenly over the surface and up the sides. It will immediately begin to smoke. Using a clean side of the towel, wipe off any excess conditioner or oil to create a very thin layer.
6. Continue heating until the smoking ends—about 10 minutes.
If this is your first time seasoning your grill: leave the heat on high and repeat steps 4-6 four times. You will find that the surface will become darker and smoother.
7. Allow the grill to cool for at least 30 minutes before cooking or storing. Allowing the cooktop to cool before cooking on it allows the polymerization that is the result of seasoning to set, creating a longer-lasting and more durable non-stick surface.
Best First-Time Griddle Recipes
Now that your griddle is all ready to go, it's time to start cookin'. Make sure to look through our collection of flat top grill recipes, however, these are a few tried and true ones to start out with:
