How to Season a Blackstone Griddle (A Grill Coach Guide)
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Blackstone seasoning is the first and most crucial step to achieve perfectly cooked dishes, like scrambled eggs or fried rice. (See our article about dishes on the Blackstone Griddle.) This guide will help you season a brand new Blackstone griddle from out of the box and maintain seasoning so its ready for your cooking needs. Seasoning your griddle involves keeping your griddle top clean and ready to cook on.
In this blog, we dive into #3 from 5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Buying A Blackstone Griddle. We break down a step-by-step process of seasoning your new griddle and maintaining its seasoning to ensure the best possible cooking results.
This will work for other griddle brands like Camp Chef flat top grill or Traeger flat top grill. But since I own a Blackstone, I will focus on that.
Why You Need to Season the Griddle Plate
It is important to have a well-seasoned griddle. Just like your steak needs salt, your metal surface needs trans fatty acids from all the oil to bond to your griddle. Seasoning your griddle is the process of adding a thin layer of oil, with something like paper towels, to the griddle plate surface to create a protective layer that prevents rust and makes the griddle's surface non-stick.
Additionally, a properly seasoned hot griddle helps distribute heat evenly, allowing you to perfectly cook your food.
How To Season A Blackstone Griddle
My favorite steps on how to season a new Blackstone Griddle:
To season a Blackstone griddle, start by cleaning the metal plate or flat top grill surface with soapy water and a scrub brush. Rinse with hot water and dry with a clean paper towel.
Then you need a hot flat top grill surface, preheat the griddle on high heat for 10-15 minutes or so you have a hot griddle surface and have some discoloration across the griddle top.
Turn off the heat and let the griddle cool slightly. While the griddle top is still warm, add a thin layer of oil to the surface. You can use Blackstone Cast Iron Conditioner or flaxseed oil, vegetable oil, canola oil, or avocado oil, or extra virgin olive oil.
Use a paper towels to spread the oil evenly across the entire surface of the griddle plate.
Turn the heat back on to high and let the griddle heat up until it starts smoking. This is when the fatty acids oxidize at the smoke point of the oil, and it means the oil has bonded to the griddle top. You'll want to repeat this 2-3 times or until you have a nice, even, dark surface across your griddle top.
Turn off the heat and let seasoned griddle cool completely. Once it's cool, wipe off any excess oil with a tongs paper towels careful to not burn yourself. You now have a clean Blackstone griddle and you can call yourself an expert on seasoning any other flat top grill.
Does a Blackstone Griddle Come Pre-Seasoned?
Many people wonder if a Blackstone griddle comes pre-seasoned. The answer is no, seasoned Blackstone griddles do not happen by themselves. However, they do come with a factory finished coating that needs to be cleaned off to make it food safe before cooking.
The best way to remove this is to follow these steps of seasoning your griddle that can be be a quick easy cleaning. To get things cleaned up, preheat the griddle on high heat for 10-15 minutes or until the surface is hot. Use oil and paper towel or an old kitchen towel to gently wipe off the surface. Be sure to wear heat-resistant gloves to protect your hands.
After you've got things cleaned up, follow the steps above to season your Blackstone griddle. Proper maintenance and care of your griddle will help ensure that it lasts for years to come.
What is the Best Oil for Blackstone Griddle Seasoning?
Flaxseed oil is the best oil to use when seasoning a Blackstone Griddle. The oil's high smoke point allows it to withstand the heat of the surface without burning or smoking. Before seasoning, ensure that the griddle is clean and free of any food debris.
How Do You Know When to Re-Season a Griddle?
To determine when it's time to re-season your griddle, pay attention to the appearance of the cooking surface. If you notice that food is starting to stick or that the surface has become discolored or rusty, it may be time to re-season.
You can also do a simple water test by sprinkling a few drops of water onto the surface. If the water beads up and dances across the surface, the seasoning layer is intact. If it sizzles and evaporates quickly, it's time to re-season.
Clean and Dry the Griddle Surface
Cleaning and drying surface is an essential part of maintaining its longevity and performance. Start by scraping off any food residue with a spatula or scraper while the griddle is still warm. Once the griddle has cooled down, wipe it with paper towels to remove any excess grease or debris.
How Long Does It Take To Season a Blackstone Griddle
The seasoning process for a Blackstone griddle typically takes about an hour.
Start by cleaning the griddle with soap and water, then dry it completely. Apply a thin coat of oil to the entire surface of the griddle, making sure to spread it evenly with a paper towel. Heat the griddle to a high temperature and let the oil smoke and oxidize for about 10-15 minutes.
Repeat this process multiple times until you have built up a new seasoning layer.
Can I Use Soap and Water to Clean My Blackstone Griddle?
Yes, but use a mild soap and water sparingly to avoid removing the griddle seasoning. Water Blackstone griddle seasoning is not a thing, you need oil to do that work.
Can I Use Butter to Season My Blackstone Griddle?
No, it's not recommended for Blackstone griddle seasoning. Use a high smoke point oil like flaxseed or vegetable oil or Blackstone oil conditioner to season your griddle.
What Is a Smoke Point?
It is the temperature that an oil will start to burn.
What Should I Do If My Blackstone Griddle Starts to Rust?
Use a mixture of salt, soap powder, and water to scrub off the rust - or pick up one of these Blackstone Griddle Cleaning Kits for everything you need. Then reseason the griddle with a thin layer of oil as mentioned above.
How Long Does It Take To Season a Blackstone?
It depends on the care of the surface in between cooks after the initial seasoning process. Stay observant how the griddle changes after it is stored.
Bonus Tip: How to Clean a Blackstone Griddle
A Blackstone Griddle is a great investment for any home chef, but like any kitchen appliance, it needs to be properly cleaned and maintained to keep it functioning at its best. Cleaning a Blackstone Griddle is a simple process that can be done with just a few basic tools.
To start, scrape off any excess food or debris from the surface using a metal spatula. Get a Blackstone cleaning kit like this. Then, pour some warm water onto the griddle surface and use a grill brick or a ball of steel wool to scrub away any remaining food particles.
Once the griddle is clean, dry it off with a clean cloth or paper towel. If you notice any stubborn stains or discoloration on the griddle surface, you can use a mixture of warm water and dish soap to scrub them away.
After cleaning the griddle, it's important to re-season it with cooking oil to maintain the non-stick surface. See the next section for instructions on the best oil to use for seasoning a Blackstone Griddle.
Tags: Cooking method, Cookers, Accessories, Maintenance
