Camp griddle rusted out

jet noise

Observer
I have the Camp Chef single burner size griddle. It's steel and came from the factory with a black paint job. I used it once, and thought I could treat it like cast iron, so I wiped it down and put it away. Well, today, I went to repack my chuck box and saw that the griddle is all rusted out.

I could have it blasted and powder coated, but I'm not sure if powder coating is the best idea for cooking? If I can't do that, I will just spray bomb it with some hi temp grill paint.
I guess I would really like a stainless one! Y'alls thoughts?
 

the Rewster

Observer
Don't paint it. Your food will be cooked on paint. I would use an SOS pad and scour the hell out of it. Heat it up and re-oil. Store it in a dry place from now on.
 

jeep-N-montero

Expedition Leader
I burned mine up last month using it over an open fire that was too hot and reconditioned it with olive oil after scrubbing it down with steel wool, we used it again over Labor Day and it was like new again.
 

6x6pinz

Adventurer
I have bought a lot of old steel and cast iron items that were rusted up. In the beginning I used an air gun that had inlets at the nozzle where I would pour "play" sand into while blowing air at the items. It is not as quick as my blast cabinet is now but it did not cost anywhere near as much at the time. You don't need to get all of the rust off but the more the better. Then just oil and heat, repeat a few times then use your items as before.

I keep the nozzle in the truck for on the trail needs now.
 

sixbennetts

Adventurer
www.evaporust.com

This stuff is amazing. I buy old rusty iron frying pans, kettles, and Dutch ovens at yard sales. Submerge them in this and they are brand new afterwards. No elbow grease required.
 

INSAYN

Adventurer
Once you get the metal clean and dry, you will want to reseason with a high temp oil. Peanut is what I use, but if you can get a hold of some of the expensive coconut oil, it will work better.

Get the metal hot hot, and wipe a very thin layer of said oil over the entire surface. Get the metal item back into heat that will get the oil to the smoking point but not past it. You don't want to burn off the oil, rather you want to "dry" it or "bake" it on. Continue with the high heat until the smoking has subsided. Keep the heat up and add more oil to the metal, and repeat the smoke off procedure. For a more durable finish, do this at least 6 times. The metal should go from gun metal gray to jet black and have a glossy not sticky feel to it. If it is still sticky, you haven't baked it long enough.
 

jeep-N-montero

Expedition Leader
And once you do get it seasoned, make sure you never put it away before it is cool to the touch. One of the quickest ways to rust cast iron is putting it away warm and allow condensation to build up inside.
 

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