In modern life, outdoor cooking is not only a way of cooking, but also a life attitude and emotional expression. When the sun sets, the charcoal fire gradually rises, and the food makes an attractive sizzling sound under high temperature. This primitive and pure cooking method can awaken our deep desire for nature and food. Among many outdoor cooking equipment, corten steel bbq grills are redefining the standards and experience of outdoor cooking with their unique material properties and excellent performance.
What Is Corten Steel?
Corten steel, also known as weathering steel or atmospheric corrosion steel, is a special low-alloy steel. It was originally developed by the United States Steel Corporation in the 1930s and was mainly used in the fields of architecture and sculpture. The uniqueness of weathering steel is that it contains a small amount of alloy elements such as copper, nickel, chromium, and molybdenum. These elements form a dense oxide film on the surface of the steel, which effectively prevents further corrosion.
The biggest feature of this material is that it can form a stable rust layer in the natural environment. This rust layer will not only not peel off or continue to corrode, but will protect the internal steel from further damage. This phenomenon is called “self-healing corrosion”, which makes weathering steel more durable than ordinary steel.
Why Use Corten Steel?
Traditional bbq grills are usually made of stainless steel or cast iron. Although each has its own advantages, they have certain limitations in long-term outdoor use. Although stainless steel is corrosion-resistant, it is prone to discoloration and oxidation under high temperatures and frequent use; although cast iron has good thermal conductivity, it is heavy and easy to rust.
The emergence of weathering steel grills solves these problems. It not only maintains the excellent thermal conductivity of steel, but also has excellent corrosion resistance. More importantly, as the use time increases, the surface of weathering steel will form a unique rust-red appearance, which will deepen over time, forming a unique style.
Design Concept Of Wood-Burning BBQ Grills
Wood-burning bbq grills represent the most traditional and purest way of cooking. Compared with gas or electric grills, wood-fired grills can provide an unparalleled smoky flavor and cooking experience. The smoke produced by the burning wood not only adds a unique aroma to the food, but also forms an attractive smoky color on the surface of the food.
Corten steel wood-burning bbq grills are designed with the characteristics of wood burning in mind. They usually have larger combustion chamber space, better ventilation systems, and more precise temperature control mechanisms. These designs allow users to better control the combustion process and achieve ideal cooking results.
Advantages Of Corten Steel Grills
Excellent Corrosion Resistance:
Traditional bbq grills are often exposed to corrosion factors such as rain, moisture, and salt when used outdoors, causing rapid aging and damage to the equipment. Weathering steel, through its unique alloy composition, can form a dense oxide protective film on the surface, effectively preventing further corrosion.
The formation of this protective film is a gradual process. In the early stages of use, some slight rust will appear on the surface of weathering steel, which is normal. Over time, this layer of rust will gradually stabilize and form a uniform protective layer. This process usually takes 6-12 months, depending on the environment and frequency of use.
Excellent Thermal Conductivity:
Weathering steel maintains the excellent thermal conductivity of steel, which is essential for barbecue. Good thermal conductivity ensures that heat is evenly distributed to the cooking surface, avoiding local overheating or uneven cooling. This not only improves cooking efficiency, but also ensures the taste and quality of the food.
Compared with cast iron, weathering steel conducts heat faster and responds to temperature adjustments more quickly. Compared with stainless steel, weathering steel has a larger heat capacity and can better maintain temperature stability. This balanced thermal performance makes weathering steel an ideal barbecue material.
Excellent Structural Strength:
Weathering steel has excellent mechanical strength and structural stability. Its tensile strength is usually between 450-600MPa, which is much higher than ordinary carbon steel. This high strength property allows corten steel bbq grills to withstand greater loads and more frequent use without deformation or structural damage.
This structural strength is especially important for large grills. Many professional-grade weathering steel grills are designed with thinner steel plates, which reduces the overall weight while ensuring strength. This design makes the grill easier to move and store, while also reducing manufacturing costs.
Maintenance-Free Feature:
Traditional barbecue grills need to be regularly painted with anti-rust paint or other anti-corrosion treatments, which not only increases maintenance costs but also affects the user experience. Once a corten steel barbecue grill forms a stable oxidation protective layer, it hardly requires any additional maintenance work.
This maintenance-free feature is particularly suitable for barbecue grills that are used frequently or placed outdoors for a long time. Users only need to do basic cleaning work to keep the equipment in good condition. This greatly reduces the cost of use and maintenance workload.
Environmental Protection Features:
Weathering steel is an environmentally friendly material that does not require any chemical coating or treatment agent to protect the surface. This means that no harmful substances will be released during use, which has positive significance for food safety and environmental protection.
In addition, weathering steel has good recyclability. When the barbecue grill reaches the end of its service life, its materials can be fully recycled and will not burden the environment. This sustainable feature meets the needs of modern consumers for environmentally friendly products.
Long Service Life:
Due to the excellent corrosion resistance and structural strength of weathering steel, corten steel barbecue grills usually have a longer service life. Under normal use conditions, a high-quality corten steel grill can last 15-20 years or even longer, which is much longer than grills made of traditional materials.
This long service life not only reduces the total cost of ownership, but also reduces the frequency of replacing equipment.
How To Use a Corten Steel Grill?
1.Unpacking Inspection And Assembly:
After receiving a new corten steel grill, you first need to conduct a comprehensive unpacking inspection. Check whether the packaging is complete, whether all parts are complete, and whether there is any damage caused during transportation. Corten steel grills usually contain basic components such as the main structure, cooking grids, and spatulas, as well as various small accessories such as screws and gaskets.
The assembly process needs to be carried out strictly in accordance with the instructions. Due to the special properties of weathering steel, special attention should be paid to the following points during the assembly process: firstly, use appropriate tools to avoid scratching the surface; secondly, make sure all connections are tightened in place, but do not over-tighten; finally, check the operation of all moving parts to ensure smooth operation.
2.Location Selection And Installation:
In order to avoid frequent movement, you can choose a suitable installation location. The ideal location should meet the following conditions: firstly, the ground is flat and stable, able to bear the weight of the grill; secondly, there is enough space around it for easy operation and maintenance; thirdly, good ventilation to ensure that smoke can be discharged smoothly; fourth, away from flammable items and buildings to ensure safety.
When installing outdoors, factors such as wind direction, drainage, and sunshade need to be considered. If you choose a fixed installation, you need to do a good job of basic work to ensure that the bbq grill is stable and reliable. (If the bbq grill chooses to install movable wheels, you don’t have to consider the installation location too much.)
3.First Burning Treatment:
New corten steel grills need to be burned before first use. This process is called “opening” or “seasoning”. The purpose of this step is to remove grease, coatings or other impurities that may remain during the manufacturing process, and at the same time start the natural oxidation process of the weathering steel.
The steps for the first burning process are as follows: Firstly, clean the surface of the bbq grill thoroughly to remove any dust or impurities; then, light the fire to a medium temperature (about 200-250°C) and keep it for 1-2 hours; then, let the flames go out naturally and the bbq grill cool naturally; finally, wipe the surface with a clean cloth or paper towel to remove loose oxides.
4.Fuel Selection:
It is recommended to choose dry wood. Burning wet wood will produce too much smoke.
For the first ignition, it is recommended to use smaller pieces or strips of wood for quick ignition. For maintenance combustion, larger pieces of wood are needed to ensure that the burning time is long enough. Generally speaking, the size of the wood pieces should be between 5-15 cm, depending on the size of the bbq grill and cooking needs.
The storage of wood also needs attention. Wood should be stored in a dry and ventilated place to avoid moisture and mold. Before use, the wood should be checked for rot, insects or other damage to ensure safe use.
5.Preparation Of Ignition Materials:
Successful ignition is a key step in wood-fired barbecue. In addition to the main burning wood, you also need to prepare appropriate ignition materials. Commonly used fire starters include:
Natural fire starters: dry twigs, leaves, grass, paper, etc. These materials are easy to ignite, but the burning time is short, and they are mainly used for initial ignition.
Artificial fire starters: solid alcohol, fire starter blocks, paraffin, etc. These materials are easy to ignite and burn stably, but may produce some chemical odors, and need to be fully burned before adding edible wood.
Liquid fire starter: Although the effect is obvious, it is not recommended to use it in cooking because it may affect the taste and safety of food.
Ignition Skills
Proper ignition skills are crucial to the success of wood-fired barbecue. It is recommended to use the “pyramid method” to ignite:
① Place some dry fire starter materials such as twigs, hay or paper at the bottom of the combustion chamber.
② Build a small wood pyramid above the fire starter, using thinner wood strips or wood chips.
③ Ignite the fire starter at the bottom and let the flame gradually spread upwards.
④ Gradually add larger wood blocks after the small wood begins to burn stably.
⑤ Adjust the arrangement of the wood to ensure that there is enough oxygen supply.
The entire ignition process requires patience, and it usually takes 15-30 minutes to establish stable combustion. Rushing for success often leads to ignition failure or incomplete combustion.
How To Control The Temperature?
The temperature control of wood-fired barbecue is mainly achieved through the following aspects:
Fuel control: Control the intensity of combustion by adjusting the amount and arrangement of wood. Adding more wood will increase the temperature, and reducing wood will reduce the temperature.
- Air control: Control the oxygen supply by adjusting the opening of the air inlet and smoke exhaust port. Increasing the oxygen supply will accelerate combustion and increase the temperature; reducing the oxygen supply will slow down combustion and reduce the temperature.
- Distance control: Control the cooking temperature by adjusting the distance between the cooking surface and the fire source. The closer the distance, the higher the temperature; the farther the distance, the lower the temperature.
- Heat distribution: Create different temperature zones by adjusting the distribution of wood. You can place wood on one side of the grill to create high and low temperature zones.
Cooking Skills And Methods
Methods of cooking food directly above the fire source. This method is suitable for cooking thinner foods, such as steak, chicken fillet, fish fillet, vegetables, etc. The advantage of direct cooking is that it is fast and can form beautiful grill marks and caramelization effects on the surface of the food.
When using the direct cooking method, you need to pay attention to the following points:
- Temperature control: High temperature (300-400°C) is usually required to quickly seal the surface of the food and lock in the internal juices.
- Turning time: Generally, each side is cooked for 2-5 minutes, and the specific time depends on the thickness of the food and personal preference.
- Avoid frequent flipping: Excessive flipping will cause the food to break, affecting the appearance and taste.
- Pay attention to safety: High-temperature cooking is prone to flames, and fire-fighting tools need to be prepared.
Safety Precautions
Wood-burning barbecue involves open flames and high temperatures, and fire safety is the primary consideration.
✅ Protective equipment: Use protective equipment such as heat-insulating gloves and fire-proof aprons. Avoid wearing loose and flammable clothing.
✅ Environmental preparation: Make sure there are no flammable items around the barbecue area, including hay, paper, plastic, etc. Keep a safe distance, and a safety radius of at least 3 meters is generally recommended.
✅ Fire extinguishing preparation: Always prepare appropriate fire extinguishing tools, including buckets, sand, fire extinguishers, etc. Especially in dry or windy weather conditions, fire prevention measures should be strengthened.
✅ Supervision responsibility: During the barbecue process, someone must always be on site to supervise and must not leave or be negligent.
✅ Subsequent processing: After the barbecue is over, you must ensure that all fire sources are completely extinguished and the ashes are completely cooled before leaving.
Choosing a suitable barbecue grill can benefit us for life, and using the barbecue grill correctly can extend the service life of the barbecue grill.