Seasoning Angle Iron (as a grill frame)

[Tom&Shelly]

Here's a weird question I thought I'd throw out to the (human) forum members. I just made a frame for our grill out of angle iron



Question is, how to finish it? Should I leave it alone and risk a bit of rust, paint it with "stove paint", or season it with vegetable oil and a 425 degree oven like our dutch ovens and cast iron frying pans? Of course, the base will generally have direct contact with hot charcoal and wood coals.

It's not cast iron per se, but I'm thinking the oil and heat treatment would protect it from rust, and hopefully will mitigate the black stuff I get on my hands from handling it untreated. Of course, if I try the oil, we're done with the paint idea, unless I do a lot of cleaning first, so it would be good to get it right the first time.

Any thoughts? Thanks!

Tom

[tony.latham]

I leave it alone and risk a bit of rust, paint it with "stove paint",

I wouldn't paint it–-not anything I would cook over. You might keep a can of Pam spray cooking oil to hit it after each use.

Tony

[bdosborn]

Wouldn't it be the same as seasoning a carbon steel pan?

https://www.seriouseats.com/how-to-season-carbon-steel-pans

Bruce

[Ottsville]

I agree with not painting it. Oil is probably the best choice like you would do cast iron, but I would think the combination of ash and water on it is going to strip off any finish you put on rather quickly.