How to Cook with a Grill Stone on Your BBQ

Learn how a stone can upgrade your grill and be the star of your next cookout

Are you tired of food sticking to and falling through your grill grates while you’re cooking? Then using a grill stone may be the perfect fix for your cookouts. Grill stones work for cooking anything you’d normally toss on your BBQ, and they are so easy to use and clean. There are just a few things you should know before you start grilling with one. Once you finish reading, you’ll know how to set up and use your grilling stone and what delicious meals you can make with it.

Things You Should Know

  • Season your grill stone before you use it the first time. Coat the stone with a thin layer of olive oil and heat it on your grill for around 1 hour.
  • Set the stone on your grill while it’s still cold. Heat the stone up completely before you start cooking on it.
  • Put your cooking oil and your food on the stone once it’s hot. Try searing steak or chicken, roasting veggies, or making a fresh pizza.
  • ​​Scrape the stone off with a metal spatula to clean it. Flip the stone over so the residue cooks off the next time you use your grill.
Section 1 of 4:

What is a grill stone?

  1. Image titled Grilling on Stone Step 1
    Grill stones are flat natural cooktops you add to your grill. Grill stones are usually about 1–2 inches (2.5–5.1 cm) thick and are made from natural materials, like soapstone, ceramic, or granite. When you warm the stone on your grill, it heats up without any cold spots so your food cooks evenly. Since it’s a solid surface too, food can’t drip between the grates and make your grill dirty. Grill stones come in multiple shapes and sizes, so get one that fits best with your grill.[1]
    • You can use grill stones on both gas and charcoal grills.
    • Soapstone grill stones evenly distribute heat and work best for meats and veggies.[2]
    • Ceramic grill stones draw moisture out from your cooking, so they work best for making crispy crusts on pizzas.[3]
    • You can also get tabletop stone grills that have granite cooktops and electric burners, or ones that you heat in the oven beforehand. Once the stone is hot, just toss some oil on top with your food to start cooking.[4]
    2. Advertisement
Section 2 of 4:

Using a Grill Stone

  1. Image titled Grilling on Stone Step 2
    1
    Heat your grill stone on the grill. Set your grill stone onto the grates while they’re still cold. Start your grill on low or medium heat for the first 15–20 minutes to warm the stone up slowly. Then, set the grill to the temperature you need. Check the temperature of the stone with a laser thermometer to see if it’s the right temperature for the recipe you’re cooking.[5]
    • Avoid putting your stone over high heat while it’s still cold since the temperature shock could cause the stone to break.
  2. Image titled Grilling on Stone Step 3
    2
    Spread a thin layer of cooking oil over the hot stone. Add about 1–2 tablespoons (15–30 ml) of olive oil or any other cooking oil you’re using to the middle of the grill stone. Use a grill basting brush or a spatula to spread the oil over the entire surface.[6]
    • Adding oil helps your food crisp up and prevents it from sticking to your grill stone.
    • If you’ve already tossed or coated your food in cooking oil, you can skip this step.
  3. Image titled Grilling on Stone Step 4
    3
    Place your food on the stone to cook. Add whatever you’re cooking to the middle of the stone and spread it out so it cooks evenly. Use the same temperature and cooking times for your food as you normally would grilling without the stone. When your food is finished cooking, take it off the stone to serve.[7]
    • Grill burgers at 375–400 °F (191–204 °C) for about 3–4 minutes on each side for the perfect medium cook.[8]
    • Vegetables take different times to cook through depending on how thick the pieces are. Asparagus may be done within 4 minutes, but zucchini or tomatoes take around 4–5 minutes per side.[9]
    • Your grilling stone won’t lose heat when you add your ingredients on top of it, so it will cook all of your food at an even temperature without any cold spots.
  4. Image titled Grilling on Stone Step 5
    4
    Clean your grill stone by scraping off residue with a spatula. Try to scrape your grill stone clean as soon as you finish cooking so it’s easier to remove. Run the edge of your spatula over the stone’s surface to break apart as much of the residue as you can. Toss the scraps into the trash so they don’t get into the bottom of your grill.[10]
    • It’s okay if you aren’t able to remove all of the residue. It will burn off the next time you grill on your stone.
    • You don’t have to do any additional cleaning with soap or water for your grill stone.
  5. Image titled Grilling on Stone Step 6
    5
    Flip the stone over once it’s cool for the next time you cook. Let the stone cool down for a couple of hours after you finish cooking with it. Turn the stone so the side that you just cooked on is face-down. That way, you have a clean, seasoned surface on top and any leftover residue will cook off the next time you heat up the stone.[11]
    6. Advertisement
Section 3 of 4:

What to Cook

  1. Image titled Grilling on Stone Step 7
    1
    Grill meat on the stone for a perfect sear. Since grill stones have a flat surface, they create a delicious caramelized crust when you grill steak or cook chicken.[12] Just be sure to check the meat’s temperature with a kitchen thermometer to make sure ground beef is 160 °F (71 °C), poultry is 165 °F (74 °C), seafood is 145 °F (63 °C), and steak is 145 °F (63 °C).[13]
    • Toss some burgers on the grill stone to make them extra juicy. You can even toast the buns on your stone too. Burgers take about 3–4 minutes per side.
    • Use your grilling stone to make BBQ chicken with a thick sauce for a classic cookout meal. Give chicken about 4–5 minutes per side on your grill.[14]
    • Grill some fish on your stone to keep it from breaking apart and falling through the grates. Filets usually take around 12 minutes to cook.[15]
    • Try grilling shrimp if you want some fresh seafood. Shrimp only takes a few minutes, and when the meat is translucent, you can pull it off heat.
  2. Image titled Grilling on Stone Step 8
    2
    Roast veggies on your stone to make them crispy. Grill stones work great for making asparagus or cooking chopped vegetables that would easily fall between the grates. Just toss your vegetables in some cooking oil and season them before you put them on your grill stone. Let your veggies crisp up and cook through before taking them off heat.[16]
    • Veggies take a different amount of time to cook on your grill depending on how large they are. Thinner vegetables like asparagus take about 4 minutes to crisp up while zucchini or corn can take 10–15 minutes total.
  3. Image titled Grilling on Stone Step 9
    3
    Use your stone to make an omelet for a delicious breakfast. Crack and mix your eggs together and get all of your fillings ready by your grill. When the stone is hot, slowly pour the eggs onto the surface and let them cook. Toss in your omelet fillings as the eggs start to solidify. After about 4–5 minutes, your omelet is finished, so fold the edges over to assemble it.[17]
    • If you want to put meat in your omelet, cook it separately before you put it in your omelet. You can grill bacon or make sausage on your stone as well.
  4. Image titled Grilling on Stone Step 10
    4
    Try cooking a fresh pizza on the grill. Shape your dough into a round shape and add the sauce, cheese, and toppings that you want for your pizza. Transfer the pizza onto the hot stone on your grill and close the lid. The stone will help pull the moisture out of the crust so it gets brown and crispy. Just pull the pizza off of your grill once the cheese is melted and the crust is golden-brown, which will take about 8–10 minutes.[18]
    • Cooking pizza on a stone prevents it from deforming or sagging between the grill grates.
    5. Advertisement
Section 4 of 4:

Seasoning a Grill Stone

  1. Image titled Grilling on Stone Step 11
    1
    Wash your grill stone with soap and water. As soon as you get a new grill stone, take it out and wash it by hand with your standard dish soap. Give the stone a thorough rinse under warm water and pat it dry. Let the stone dry out completely, which may take an hour or two.[19]
    • This is the only time you need to use soap to clean off the grilling stone for your BBQ. If you wash your grill stone with soap later on, you could strip the non-stick seasoning.
  2. Image titled Grilling on Stone Step 12
    2
    Coat both sides of the stone with olive oil. Set your grilling stone on a piece of parchment paper or on top of your grill grates. Pour about 1–2 tablespoons (15–30 ml) of olive oil onto the stone, and rub it into the surface in an even layer. Flip over your stone and rub the oil into the other side as well.[20]
    • Wipe off any large excess puddles of oil with a new piece of paper towel
  3. Image titled Grilling on Stone Step 13
    3
    Heat the stone in your barbecue for 50–60 minutes. Put your grill stone inside your grill when it’s still cold so it can warm up at the same time. Start your grill on a low or medium temperature setting and warm the stone up for about 30 minutes before turning it on high. Leave your stone in your grill for another 20–30 minutes before turning off the heat.[21]
    • If you’re cooking with a charcoal grill, then just put your stone on the grill right when you light your coals.
    • Heating the stone too quickly could cause it to crack or break.
  4. Image titled Grilling on Stone Step 14
    4
    Turn the stone over when it’s completely cool. Let the stone cool back down for an hour or two so you don’t hurt yourself handling it. Flip the stone over so the bottom faces up. Since the bottom of the stone came into contact with the heat, the non-stick seasoning will have set in more and be easier to cook with the first time around.[22]
    • If you see any excess oil pooling still pooled on the stone’s surface, wipe it off with a paper towel.
    • Put on a pair of heatproof grill gloves to handle your grill stone while it’s still warm.
    5. Advertisement

Warnings

  • Avoid setting your grill stone on a hot grill or putting it directly over high heat since you could cause it to crack or break.[23]
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
Advertisement

You Might Also Like

How to
Boil Water in the Microwave
How to
Grill Sweet Potatoes
How to
Brine Chicken Breast
How to
Tell If Eggs Are Raw or Hard Boiled
How to
Cook Pork Neckbones
How to
Cook Mince
How to
Make Olive Oil
How to
Melt Sugar
How to Pan-Fry the Perfect Steak on the Stovetop
How to
Reheat Chicken
How to
Preheat an Oven
Cook Steak in the Oven
How to
Cook Steak in the Oven
How to
Cube Potatoes
How to
Cook
Advertisement

References

  1. ↑ https://www.jacksongrills.com/_docs/Island-Grill-Stone.pdf
  2. ↑ https://youtu.be/BTro9hG_Qqc?t=74
  3. ↑ https://youtu.be/BTro9hG_Qqc?t=84
  4. ↑ https://youtu.be/JTj0Ocay5F8?t=34
  5. ↑ https://www.jacksongrills.com/_docs/Island-Grill-Stone.pdf
  6. ↑ https://youtu.be/bD1yxRvGjPs?t=382
  7. ↑ https://www.jacksongrills.com/_docs/Island-Grill-Stone.pdf
  8. ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/the-secret-to-grilling-burgers-that-23038129
  9. ↑ https://www.allrecipes.com/article/how-to-grill-vegetables/
  1. ↑ https://youtu.be/dJNBa5DyY4U?t=485
  2. ↑ ​​https://www.jacksongrills.com/_docs/Island-Grill-Stone.pdf
  3. ↑ https://youtu.be/ySrcirJU9aM?t=397
  4. ↑ https://www.health.state.mn.us/people/foodsafety/cook/cooktemp.html
  5. ↑ https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/how-grill-chicken
  6. ↑ https://www.esquire.com/food-drink/food/a7577/how-to-grill-fish-052110/
  7. ↑ https://youtu.be/-EbtCmQmXzA?t=253
  8. ↑ https://youtu.be/bD1yxRvGjPs?t=407
  9. ↑ https://www.epicurious.com/shopping/the-best-place-for-your-pizza-stone-is-on-the-grill-article
  10. ↑ https://files.bbystatic.com/EWCl6OHSOcbB4CFBM9ffog%3D%3D/14560eb4-829d-4c45-a1cc-398b49b292ac.pdf
  11. ↑ https://youtu.be/dJNBa5DyY4U?t=222
  12. ↑ https://youtu.be/ef33GxwVDLQ?t=340
  13. ↑ https://www.jacksongrills.com/_docs/Island-Grill-Stone.pdf
  14. ↑ https://www.jacksongrills.com/_docs/Island-Grill-Stone.pdf

About This Article

Randall Chambers
Co-authored by:
Randall Chambers
Personal Chef
This article was co-authored by Randall Chambers and by wikiHow staff writer, Hunter Rising. Randall (Randy) Chambers is a Personal Chef and the Owner of Luxury Meals From Home based in Arvada, Colorado. He has more than 16 years of commercial kitchen experience, five years of sous chef experience, and two years of experience as an executive chef. Chef Randy draws inspiration from his half Bolivian background and his forte is South American cuisine. He holds an Associate’s degree in Culinary Arts from The Art Institute.
How helpful is this?
Co-authors: 3
Updated: December 11, 2022
Views: 150
Categories: Basic Cooking Skills
If you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission.
Advertisement