A Dutch oven is a classic cooking tool for any outdoor chef. It’s versatile, durable, and the perfect way to cook up tasty dishes on your next camping trip or tailgate party. While cast iron dutch ovens are easy to use, they need proper seasoning before you can start cooking in them. The goal of this post is to show you how to season a cast iron dutch oven in a Pit Boss grill so that it will last for many years of delicious meals!
To season a cast iron dutch oven in a Pit Boss pellet grill, follow these steps:
- Unbox the dutch oven and inspect it for any cracks or dings.
- Wash with hot soapy water.
- Heat on stove to remove moisture.
- Allow it to cool before seasoning.
- Apply a generous layer of oil.
- Preheat the Pit Boss grill to 400°F/204°C.
- Place the dutch oven on the rack face down.
- Close the lid set the timer for an hour.
- Turn off the smoker and leave the cast iron in the grill till it cools.
- Repeat the Process
Choosing the right cast iron cookware for your Pit Boss can be confusing. I’ll cover that in more detail in a later article, this article shows you how to use the Pit Boss pellet grill to season cast iron cookware.
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Can You Season A Dutch Oven In A Pit Boss Pellet Grill?
Pellet grills use a system of fans to heat food to a specific temperature, making them similar to a convection oven. Making them a versatile appliance that can easily cook most foods that can be cooked in a traditional oven.
Since a Pit Boss grill has the capacity to cook at high temperatures, you can definitely use it to season your cast iron dutch oven, skillets, etc. In fact, I picked up a double dutch oven during the Black Friday deals, because I have plans to start baking bread and other recipes that call for a dutch oven on the Pit Boss.
So, I decided to test this theory out myself, by seasoning it on my Pit Boss Pro Series 820.
This is my first time ever seasoning cast iron on my pellet grill. So, I thought I’d write down the step-by-step procedures I used, to help you season any type of cast iron on the Pit Boss smoker.
So let’s get started on seasoning your new cast iron!
How to Season A Dutch Oven in a Pit Boss Pellet Grill
There are several different ways to season cast iron, in fact, there are several YouTube videos that will walk you through on how to do it.
If you’re looking for a great video, I highly recommend watching Cowboy Kent Rollins for tips on how to do it.
I spent several hours watching different videos before seasoning mine, and here’s the video that shared some great tips I followed when seasoning my dutch oven. He walks you through the best oils to use for seasoning your cast iron as well as other helpful tips.
Finally, I decided there was no other way to learn than to just do it. Here’s how I did it and what I learned.
Step #1: Unbox The Dutch Oven and Inspect It
Congratulations on buying your first dutch oven. However, before you season it, you’ll want to open the box and inspect it for any dings, cracks, or imperfections.
After spending several months researching cast iron dutch ovens to buy, I learned that the most important thing to do is to buy one that is made in the USA. That’s why I chose the Lodge Double Dutch oven. I heard a lot of people saying that it was amazing and the top could be used as a lid and a skillet.
If you’re in the market for one, you can find the same exact one I have at Walmart, Amazon, or most outdoor and camping stores. I’ve included a link to the same exact one I have below.
- One Lodge Pre-Seasoned 5 Quart Cast Iron Double Dutch Oven
- Lid converts to a 10.25 Inch Skillet
- Loop handles provide secure control
- Unparalleled heat retention and even heating
- Pre-seasoned with 100% natural vegetable oil
Step #2: Wash With Hot Soapy Water
After carefully inspecting it, you’ll want to wash the dutch oven with hot soapy water. This will remove any dirt and grime that may still be left on it while it sat in the warehouse. After this deep cleaning, you’ll never use soap on it again.
Step #3: Heat on the Stove Top
Turn on your stovetop and place the lid and the bottom on their own burner. The heat from the burner will help ensure the dutch oven and lid are completely dry before seasoning.
If you’re short on time, you can dry them off with a kitchen towel. Since I wasn’t in a hurry, I decided to let the stove do the job for me.
I turned my burners on medium and left them on the burner until they were completely dry and too hot to touch.
Step #4: Allow The Dutch Oven to Cool
Turn the stovetop off and leave both the lid and the dutch oven on the stove until they are cool (not too cold) but enough to pick up without burning yourself.
Then I removed them from the burner and placed them on a piece of pink butcher paper. This helped protect the counters, so I didn’t make a huge mess with the olive oil.
Step #5: Apply A Thin Coat of Oil
While they were still warm, I applied a thin coat of olive oil. I had read that you don’t want to overdo it with the oil. You want just enough to coat the entire thing, including the handles, legs (if your dutch oven has them) logo, and the inside and outside.
Don’t use paper towels, because they will fall apart and cause pieces of lint to stick to the dutch oven. I purchased a $1.00 bandana from Walmart to season my cast iron.
If you don’t want to spend any money, you can use a lint-free kitchen towel, or some clean shop towels that haven’t been used.
You can even use an old t-shirt if you don’t have anything else to use. It doesn’t matter what you use, as long as it doesn’t leave lint behind when oiling down the dutch oven.
Step #6: Preheat The Pit Boss Pellet Grill
Preheat the Pit Boss to 350°F – 400°F and allow it to warm completely, before placing the cast iron on the grill. Make sure the flame broiler plate is closed, as you’ll be seasoning it over indirect heat.
Don’t forget to remove the top rack, as it will get in the way. Also, you may need to clean vacuum out the grill, especially, if it’s been a while. Otherwise, the ashes will fly around the cooking chamber and ingrain into the seasoned dutch oven.
Step #7: Place The Dutch Oven Face Side Down on The Grill
Place the dutch oven and the lid face down directly on the grates. If you’re nervous about oil dripping, you can line the cooking grates with a piece of aluminum foil to catch any excess grease.
I wasn’t too worried about that figured the heat deflector would catch the excess oil.
Step #8: Close the Lid and Set The Timer
Now close the lid and set the timer for an hour to two hours, I set mine for an hour, but you can follow the instructions on the manufacturer’s website. This is enough time for the oil to cook into the pores of the dutch oven.
Step #9: Turn Off The Grill and Let The Dutch Oven Cool Before Removing
Once the timer goes off, turn off the grill and leave the lid closed. Allow the dutch oven to cool in the grill for (60 minutes) or until cool enough to touch by hand. You don’t want to expose the cast iron to cool temperature immediately after seasoning, it needs to cool gradually.
Doing so can lead to thermal shock. Cast iron becomes extremely hot when cooking, and if exposed to cold water or temperatures after cooking, it can easily crack. It doesn’t mean the dutch oven will break into two pieces, but it can start developing small cracks.
Step #10: Remove and Repeat The Process
After about 45 minutes of when it’s cooled completely, remove it from the pellet grill and use a clean cloth to wipe off any excess oil and ash.
Check both the lid and the bottom. If you applied a nice even coat, you shouldn’t notice any oil buildup.
Repeat the process 2-3 times over the course of a day or two before cooking in the dutch oven. Seasoning it more than once ensures the oil sticks in the pores and the food won’t stick to the bottom or the sides of the oven.
Even if you purchased a pre-seasoned dutch oven, you still want to season it 2-3 times before cooking in it. The seasoning the manufacturer puts on the dutch oven is only enough to ensure it doesn’t rust or become damaged while being stored at the manufacture’s facility.
What Type of Oil To Use for Seasoning?
This is a loaded question and a ton of different opinions about the best types of oil to use for seasoning cast iron. According to the Lodge Cast Iron website, all cooking fats and oils can be used, but they recommend using vegetable, canola, or melted shortening because they have a high smoke point.
What Temperature Do You Season A Dutch Oven on The Pit Boss?
Turn the Pit Boss on high and ensure it stays at a consistent 425 450°F and bake for an hour. The only downside you can face with a pellet grill that you don’t get with an oven is the hot spots and the ambient temperature.
I seasoned my dutch oven on a cold windy day, so I had to make sure that I moved the grill to an area that didn’t get wind. Other than that, I had no issues keeping the grill at a hot consistent temperature throughout the baking period.
Top Tips for Seasoning a Dutch Oven
As mentioned above, this was my first time seasoning cast iron. I have a cast-iron skillet I use in the Pit Boss, but that was a hand-me-down from a family member that was already seasoned.
After seasoning my first dutch oven in the Pit Boss, here are some quick tips I’ve learned from my experience.
- Turn the Pit Boss on early: It takes about 15-20 minutes for the pellet grill to reach the proper temperature, and don’t want to be waiting on your grill to heat up.
- Season the dutch oven outside: Doing it in the oven can make a mess, especially, if you don’t put a baking sheet on the bottom rack. Plus, depending on what you’re using to coat the dutch oven, can stink up the house, depending on the oil you use. Some people who have used Crisco and have said that it leaves an odor in the house.
- Cast Iron Stinks: When you’re heating up cast iron without food in a hot oven, it stinks up the house. Some people have said that it leaves a chemically smell in the house.
- Easy clean up: Cleaning up the grill is so much easier than cleaning up an oven. Plus, you won’t have to worry about your significant other complaining that you made a mess in the kitchen.
- Get used to using it on the pellet grill: Seasoning the dutch oven on the Pit Boss helps you get comfortable using cast iron on the grill. When I purchased my smoker, I had no clue you could use cast iron on it. It wasn’t until I purchased some smoker cookbooks that I realized how much you can do with a dutch oven in a pellet grill.
What Happens If It Doesn’t Come Out Right?
Maybe after seasoning the dutch oven on the Pit Boss, you the ashes were caked into the oil, you’ll want to start over. That said, regardless of how clean your pellet grill is, it will have some ashes on it after being in the grill for an hour.
If the ashes are caked into the oil, you’ll need to wash the cast iron with hot soapy water and scrub with a steel wool pad to remove the seasoning.
Before putting it in the Pit Boss, make sure the firepot is free of ashes. Then follow the steps above and repeat the process. Remember, as long as the dutch oven is not exposed to cold temperature, immediately after being in the hot grill, there’s nothing that can’t be fixed.
What Should Seasoned Cast Iron Look Like?
Well-seasoned cast-iron cookware will have a dark, semi-glossy finish that looks more black than gray. It shouldn’t haven’t a sticky or greasy feel when touching it.
You can see from the image above, the dutch oven has a glossy look to it. I plan on seasoning it two more times before I begin cooking in it.
Final Word
Seasoning the cast iron in the Pit Boss pellet grill is not very different from using your oven. Hopefully, the step-by-step guide above shows you how easy it is, and helps you the next time you want to season some cast iron in the grill.
If you haven’t cooked with cast iron on your Pit Boss, what are you waiting for? Pick up a dutch oven get it seasoned and see what you can cook with it!
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