Before you ever cook on your Flatrock Flat Top Grill, you will need to season the carbon steel cooktop. Seasoning, a process of repeatedly coating the hot cooktop with oil or a conditioner like our Flat Top Grill Seasoning and Cast Iron Conditioner and burning it off, not only creates a nonstick surface but also prevents moisture from getting trapped in the tiny pores of the metal and causing rust. By filling those pores and heating the griddle, you will be creating a nonstick surface of polymerized oil, which means the liquid oil has changed molecularly and transformed into a solid. The fats and oil that ooze into the surface as you cook will only continue to build this nonstick patina.
NOTE: The Traeger Flatrock’s cooktop comes with a preliminary coating from the factory that does not need to be washed off before you begin the seasoning process.
What Do I Need to Season My Flatrock Griddle?
Though it may sound tricky, seasoning is actually easy to do. To start, here is what you’ll need:
- A neutral flavored oil with a high smoke point, such as safflower, grapeseed, or canola, ideally in a squeeze bottle for ease of application. Or, better, our Flat Top Grill Seasoning, which contains sunflower oil as well as beeswax, which naturally waterproofs and gives the griddle a nice sheen.
- Heat resistant tongs
- Paper towels or a clean, lint-free towel
- Some time—the process can take up to 50 minutes to complete
How Do I Season the Griddle Cooktop?
- Preheat the flat top on high for 10 minutes. Have ready bunched paper towel or a clean, lint-free cloth towel to hold with your tongs.
- If using our conditioner, give it a good shake before using. Once the griddle is hot, squeeze the conditioner or your oil over the cooktop in a zigzag pattern. Using tongs clasping a clean lint-free towel or bunched-up 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.
- Continue heating until the smoking ends, about 10 minutes. (Don’t worry if you see bits of paper towel; they will burn off.)
- Leaving the heat on high, repeat the oiling and smoking for a total of four times. The surface will become darker and smoother.
- Let the cooktop cool for at least 30 minutes before cooking on it.
Do I Need to Repeat This Seasoning Process After Each Cook?
No. Once you have established the initial seasoning, you likely won’t have to season the cooktop again. (The exception would be if the surface rusts, an uncommon but fiaxable situation. After removing the ruest, you will need to re-season the cooktop as directed above.)
However, to keep the surface nonstick and rust free, you should always clean the cooktop after each cook and do the oiling and burn off process, but just one time and not four. Look here for more informaton on how to clean your flat top.
