Oil, heat, repeat. That’s it.

Oil it, heat it, and let it smoke. That’s the whole trick. You’re building a polymerized layer of fat that fills the pores in the iron, and once that’s done, food slides off like it’s Teflon.

First, scrub the grate clean of any rust or old gunk. Soap is fine here — ignore the old myths. Dry it completely, then rub a thin coat of high-smoke-point oil all over. Flaxseed, grapeseed, avocado — anything but olive oil (burns too fast). Use a rag, not a brush. You want it thin. If it’s beading up, you used too much.

Now fire up the grill. Gas or charcoal, doesn’t matter — get the grate hot enough that the oil just starts to smoke. Let it smoke for 10–15 minutes, then turn off the heat and let it cool naturally. That’s one round. Do that two or three times and you’ve got a solid base layer.

After that, just cook on it. The real seasoning happens over time. Fatty meats, burgers, bacon — they all help. And don’t soak it in water afterward. Scrape off the bits, wipe with oil, and store it dry.

Do it right once, and it’s basically non-stick forever.