care for a camping grill

DavidR

New member
I have a camp grill, the kind with the fold away legs intended to go over a wood fire. I'm having trouble keeping the cooking surface clean and free of rust. It is a steel (thick) mesh - (see texsport camp grill).
I thought I would come to the experts on seasoning - I can't seem to a) apply a through coating on the mesh, b) keep it on due to the high, direct heat from the camp fire.
I'm looking for general, practical suggestions.
 
I wouldn't consider myself an expert, but I have some ideas:

1. How hot does it get? I used the suggestions on this site about the initial seasoning that takes it up to 500f. I don't think you cook much at that temp so it should season to the point it stays in place.

2. Some use a light coat of oil for storage. Could that work for you?

3. You mentioned it is steel. Is there some process specific to steel that can be used to season it?
 
First, give up and enjoy what you cook on it. The steel is not porous enough to hold seasoning and the fire/grill is too hot. Some will stick on the edges that stay cooler, but not over the fire.

A little rust won't hurt you and over 200° is germ free. A steel grill is supposed to rust. Cast iron grills rust too unless ceramic coated. Hit it with a wire brush once in a while, spray some oil on it if it makes you feel better and cook on.

If you're still not happy, buy a stainless steel grill and a case of Brillo.

Hilditch
 
I like the just let it go thought, but I just can't accept the disposable society tenets. If it can be fixed it should! So after googling the replacement cost - 26$, I broke out my dremel tool, grinding bit. An hour later running down each line in the grid, I had shiny metal look with some pits.
I found that I needed to apply oil by hand rubbing, the sharp corners ripped up any rag or cloth.
Freshly coated, I threw it in the bottom of the oven... and just used the oven for what ever I was going to do anyway. One pizza and one loaf of bread later I have a light brown coating. If it doesn't get any better than that I will have to minimize my grease fires when I go camping.

So one hour of my time and effort, 26 bucks ahead- better than minimum wage
 
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