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mtshastaal

blue star burner cast iron-anybody pre-season with oil and bake.

mtshastaal
14 years ago

Since BS uses cast iron burner grate and burner plate, it seems to me it would be a good idea to season them like we do with cast iron cookwware. You wipe the parts with oil and then bake then wipe dry. Has anyone done this?

Comments (19)

  • Joe Blowe
    14 years ago

    They're porcelain-coated; they do not 'season'.

  • mtshastaal
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    I thank you for the answer but I think you are in error. I have seen the range in person and I saw no enamel on the burners. Check out the link below.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Blue Star Burner Cleaning

  • amcook
    14 years ago

    No, they are not porcelain coated. I actually cut one of the cooktop grates to create a wok grate. That said, they are in effect pre-seasoned. The black surface is either some sort of high temp bake on coating or simple seasoning. I use many cast iron cookware so I can say that the grates are definitely not bare unseasoned cast iron.

  • Joe Blowe
    14 years ago

    mtshastaal and amcook: Yes, they are porcelain. (I should know -- I have an RNB30 with a chip in one grate.)

    http://www.bluestar-ranges.com/ (Eurstoves)

    "Novaî, SuperNovaî and Simmer Burners
    The cast iron porcelain-enameled Nova and SuperNova top burners are the most versatile burners in the industry."

    Here is a link that might be useful: Google Search on GardenWeb: bluestar porcelain

  • amcook
    14 years ago

    The burner and grate are two different parts. I didn't see anywhere where it described the grates as porcelain enameled. Now that said, it might be but it's not like any porcelain enamel I've ever seen. When I cut it, I did not see any chipping or flaking as I would expect if it were enameled. The exterior layer is extremely thin more like seasoned cast iron than an additional coating. Also, note that I've got the cooktop which has different grates than the range.

  • Fori
    14 years ago

    I thought they introduced the porcelain coated a year or two ago as an option--shiny or matte? Am I misremembering?

  • Fori
    14 years ago

    The website for BS does make this claim:

    Our cast iron porcelain-enameled Nova, SuperNova, and UltraNova top burners are the most versatile burners in the industry.

  • Joe Blowe
    14 years ago

    Anybody familiar with Le Creuset and Staub enameled cast iron cookware knows that the interior of the former is smooth, while the interior of the latter is "rough". But they are, in fact, both coated with porcelain enamel. (IOW, it all ain't smooth!)

    If you are still in doubt, call Prizer-Painter -- they'll set you straight.

  • alexrander
    14 years ago

    Joe is right, they are porcelain coated with a rough finish, but they can be seasoned as well- but I don't put them in the oven, I just occasionally wipe a bit of grapeseed oil on them- since mine don't go into a dishwasher, I only do it about once every 6 months or so- . Also, if put through the dishwasher, they can rust, partly because there is a small hole on the underside- and partly because even coated cast iron will rust if left wet long enough and there may be micro-pitting in the finish from the harsh detergents and just through use...

  • Joe Blowe
    14 years ago

    Look, I realize I'm being a bit pedantic at this point, but you CAN NOT "season" enamel.

    Porcelain enamel, whether it's smooth or rough, is glass. You are defying logic and science when you say you are going to polymerize a coating of oil to the surface of "rough glass" and call it "seasoning". What you have is a thin film of burnt oil on top of the glass. That's it. It hasn't bonded with the surface, it's just laying there...

    Now if you want to oil your grates so they have nice luster, I'm all for that! Just don't call it seasoning.

  • alexrander
    14 years ago

    Joe, you haven't heard that phrase?: "To everything there is a season...." it's in the Bible, and the song "Turn, Turn, Turn.

  • thull
    14 years ago

    Yeah, but oil does do a nice job when you get a little rust. I'm assuming is isn't the porcelain that's rusting. ;-)

    Did no one else catch that amcook said he/she cut their grate to better work with a wok? Unless you're talking about a 6" wok, all you have to do is pick up the inner ring and you have a perfect wok base. Why on earth would you take a hacksaw to the grate?

  • amcook
    14 years ago

    The drop-in cooktop grate is a single piece. No inner ring. :( The sales guy (trying to sell the product) told me I could just remove the grate and set the wok in the bowl. I wasn't comfortable with that since that would provide no air gap for the heat to escape and probably cause the flames to flair out, which might be dangerous. After seeing the thing in person, I realized that by simply cutting off the 4 pointed "fingers" of the grate, there is a nice opening just right for a wok. Also, by cutting at a diagonal, I was able to provide 8 points of support for the wok. I think what I did basically reproduced the center ring grate on the range model.

    BTW, hack saw would work but I took a grinder with metal cutting wheel to it. Took less than 5 min to do the whole thing.

  • thull
    14 years ago

    Huh. Bummer about the grates not being like the ones on the ranges. Did you buy a spare?

  • amcook
    14 years ago

    > Huh. Bummer about the grates not being like the ones on the ranges. Did you buy a spare?

    Yeah, I knew it going in so it wasn't so bad. Yes, I did end up getting an extra grate for the wok so no big deal.

  • jacobsmishpacha
    14 years ago

    I have the drop-in cooktop too, and since I can't remove the grate I just put the wok ring on the grate- but I invert it so that the base of the wok is almost flat on the grate. I must say, though, I never thought of just cutting the grate. I definitely don't recommend attempting to use a wok without the grate; however. It would be sitting right on the flame, causing the flame to shoot up the sides of the wok.

  • ya_think
    14 years ago

    hi jacobsmishpacha - Last time I saw a post from you was in January where you mentioned you didn't think you were getting the right power from your cooktop. Did you ever come to a conclusion on that? At the time I also asked about the resolution to your initial start-up issues, but you never seemed to come back. Hope you see this and respond!

  • ya_think
    14 years ago

    joe blowe - While I won't debate your definition of seasoning (I just don't know) here's what Staub says about their matte enamel:

    "The more you use it, the better it gets! Oils used when cooking will penetrate the pores of the matte enamel and create a natural, smooth non-stick surface."

    So I guess the question is how does well-used Staub cookware look? Would you want that look on your range grates?

    Here is a link that might be useful: the grill pan i was just looking at which made me think of this thread

  • JudyE01
    11 years ago

    I just asked Blue Star customer service this question and got the following response:
    "The top grate and ring grate are cast iron with a cast iron coating. Seasoning is recommended."
    I am seasoning with flaxseed oil and baking for an hour at 550o. Have done two coats so far and it looks beautiful. Hopefully this will make clean up of cooked on spills very easy.