How do I fire up a cast iron grill or Dutch oven?

Before you can put a cast-iron grill (or cast-iron pan, or Dutch oven) to use, you must pre-treat it.

Start by heating your barbecue to about 180° C – 200° C. and place the grill (pan) in it for about an hour. The cast iron will slightly discolor and smoke. When smoking has ceased, the wax layer applied by the manufacturer will have largely disappeared. Carefully remove the grill or pan (be careful not to burn your hands). Once it has cooled down properly, which will take some time, go ahead and scrub the grate clean with warm water and (mild) soapy water.

CAUTION: this is the first and only time to clean a cast iron grate/pan with soapy water. In the future, you never do that again so as not to ruin the protection you are about to apply. Rinse well with clean water and dry with a soft cloth that does not fluff (do not use paper, as it leaves flakes on the rough surface). Do not allow to dry.

Then spread the grill (the pan) thinly with peanut oil and put back on the barbecue at 180°C – 200°C for an hour. Then let it cool again, remove the excess oil with a cloth and re-rub with fresh oil and heat again for an hour. For the very best results, repeat this process a third time. Your cast iron grill (pan) is then ready to use and has a natural non-stick coating.

From time to time (say twice a season) you will have to repeat the process of oiling and burning in, because the non-stick coating loses its strength during use. To be clear: rub in and heat only, so do not scrub off with soapy water!