How to season a Blackstone griddle is super easy! We will give you step by step instructions for Blackstone griddle seasoning so you can get to cooking your delicious Blackstone recipes on the perfect no-stick surface!
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What does seasoning a Blackstone Griddle mean?
You might be asking yourself, what does seasoning a griddle mean?
Seasoning a griddle is the process of adding a layer of oil to the surface of a new or used griddle to protect it from rust and create a non-stick surface.
Because a griddle surface is naturally porous, the oil is used to fill the pores of the metal creating a natural barrier that helps prevent food from sticking and makes for easier clean-up.
When you are making your delicious Blackstone Fried Rice, Blackstone Chicken Recipes or Blackstone Smash Burgers you don’t want everything sticking!
If you just bought your new Blackstone griddle or flat top grill, seasoning your Blackstone is the very first thing you need to do. Please don’t skip this step! The Blackstone seasoning process is really quite simple.
I promise the process is quick and easy if you follow our step-by-step guide to seasoning your Blackstone griddle.
Once your Blackstone or flat top is perfectly seasoned, you are ready to embark upon your favorite outdoor or indoor cooking adventures.
I know you will be excited to jump right in to all the Blackstone recipes, but please remember that seasoning a griddle is an ongoing process that should be repeated regularly to maintain the non-stick surface and prevent rust. The best way to season Blackstone griddle is ongoing maintenance.
Over time, your griddle will develop a beautiful patina on your flat top grill (a patina is a layer that is gradually produced over time which creates an easy-release surface and serves as protective layer on the griddle) that will improve its performance and makes it super easy to cook on.
Now, lets get started seasoning your Blackstone flat top so you can move on to our delicious Blackstone recipes!
Griddle seasoning tools
Equipment
- Blackstone Griddle
- Grill Tongs or Silicone Grill Brush
- Paper Towels
Ingredients
- Vegetable Oil (any high smoke point oil): You can also check out Best Oil to Use on Blackstone for more details!
- Blackstone Griddle Seasoning and Cast Iron Conditioner
- Blackstone Griddle Cover: It is recommended that you cover your flat top after each use. Be sure that the flat top griddle is fully cooled before doing so.
How to season a Blackstone Griddle
STEP 1: Make sure griddle or flat top grill top is wiped clean of debris. Also check out our easy step-by-step instructions on How to Clean a Blackstone Griddle below.
STEP 2: Ignite griddle by following lighting instruction. Turn all knobs to set burners to high. Wait for approximately 10–15 minutes until your griddle top starts to discolor.
STEP 3: Pour a light amount of high smoke point cooking oil on griddle top. Any high smoke point cooking oil will work (some examples include vegetable oil, canola oil, grapeseed oil, sunflower oil, avocado oil, olive oil).
The amount of oil used depends on the size of griddle but you can use the following rough measurements (do not be afraid to add more as needed).
- All 17″ and 22″ Griddles/Grill: 1 Tbsp. of Oil
- All 28″ Griddles/Grill: 2 Tbsp. of Oil
- All 36″ Griddles/Grill: 3 Tbsp. of Oil
STEP 4: Use cooking tongs or heat resistant gloves to hold folded paper towels. Spread the cooking oil over surface of griddle top using the paper towels. Be sure to cover every part of griddle top, including corners and sides.
STEP 5: Once your griddle is covered with a thin layer of oil, allow griddle to heat on high. Smoking will occur as the oil begins to bond with the surface of griddle top, creating a stick-resistant surface.
STEP 6: When griddle top has stopped smoking and there isn’t a noticeable amount of sheen, repeat steps 3–5 at least three times.
After repeating the seasoning steps, griddle top may not appear to be completely black. To achieve a dark surface, start cooking on your griddle top. This will create a nicely seasoned griddle top.
Follow proper griddle storing practices to maintain seasoned cooking surface on your brand new flat top. You can use soapy water for your initial clean on your griddle plate when you open your new Blackstone.
A quality Blackstone Griddle cover is recommended to protect your griddle from the elements. You can also checkout Blackstone Griddle Seasoning and Cast Iron Conditioner.
How to season a Blackstone griddle for the first time
The steps above are what you need to follow for how to season a Blackstone griddle for the first time. Because the cooktop has never been seasoned before, it is important that you complete the multiple rounds of seasoning to get a good non-stick coating.
After your first time, you will still want to season and reapply oil after each cook but you do not need to season multiple times.
How to Clean a Blackstone Griddle:
- Clean griddle or flat top after each use. Cool griddle below 300° F. Scrape food debris with spatula or straight metal scraper.
- Wipe down griddle surface with paper towel.
- Divide griddle surface into approximately 6″ sections (width of scraper tool). Apply a small amount of water onto first section with a bottle and then scrape the water and debris toward the grease trap. Move to the next 6″ section and repeat.
DO NOT USE MORE THAN TWO TABLESPOONS OF WATER AT A TIME.
- ¼ cup of table salt may be used to buff off stuck food residue.
- Wipe again with a paper towel and dry completely.
- Apply thin coat of cooking oil to maintain seasoning and protect the griddle top.
Do not do this on your new Blackstone
Never apply cold water across the whole surface of a hot griddle as this may cause warping of the flat top surface.
Do not use soap on griddle cooking surface as this will destroy the griddle’s seasoning.
FAQ and expert tips
Yes, you can use vegetable oil to season a Blackstone Griddle. Any high heat oil is suitable for griddle seasoning.
Season a Blackstone griddle using the normal seasoning process except that you will use Crisco instead of a high heat oil. A silicone grill brush or tong holding paper towels will help you spread the Crisco and thoroughly coat the Blackstone surface.
It is best to add a coat of oil to your Blackstone griddle after every cook. This will allow the griddle surface to maintain its non-stick seasoning.
If you are seasoning your Blackstone Griddle for the first time, plan to season at least 4 times. After each coating of oil you need to wait until the griddle finishes smoking which can take anywhere from 5-10 minutes.
Grilling, Smoking and Blackstone Recipes
How to Season a Blackstone Griddle
Equipment
- 1 Paper Towels
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons Vegetable Oil (any high smoke point oil)
- 3 tablespoons Blackstone Griddle Seasoning and Cast Iron Conditioner
- 1 Blackstone Griddle Cover
Instructions
- Make sure griddle top is wiped clean of debris. See notes below on how to clean Blackstone Griddle.
- Ignite griddle by following lighting instruction. Turn all knobs to set burners to high. Wait for approximately 10–15 minutes until your griddle top starts to discolor.
- Pour a light amount of cooking oil on griddle top. Any high smoke point cooking oil will work (vegetable, canola, grapeseed, avocado, olive oil). The amount of oil used depends on the size of griddle (see notes for measurements based on griddle size).
- Use cooking tongs or heat resistant gloves to hold folded paper towels. Spread the cooking oil over surface of griddle top using the paper towels. Be sure to cover every part of griddle top, including corners and sides.
- Once your griddle is covered with a thin layer of oil, allow griddle to heat on high. Smoking will occur as the oil begins to bond with the surface of griddle top, creating a stick-resistant surface.
- When griddle top has stopped smoking and there isn’t a noticeable amount of sheen, repeat steps 3–5 at least three times.
Notes
- All 17″ and 22″ Griddles: 1 Tbsp. of Oil
- All 28″ Griddles: 2 Tbsp. of Oil
- All 36″ Griddles: 3 Tbsp. of Oil
- Clean griddle after each use. Cool griddle below 300° F. Scrape food debris with spatula or straight metal scraper.
- Wipe down griddle surface with paper towel.
- Divide griddle surface into approximately 6″ sections (width of scraper tool). Apply a small amount of water onto first section with a bottle and then scrape the water and debris toward the grease trap. Move to the next 6″ section and repeat.
- DO NOT USE MORE THAN TWO TABLESPOONS OF WATER AT A TIME.
- ¼ cup of table salt may be used to buff off stuck food residue.
- Wipe again with a paper towel and dry completely.
- Apply thin coat of cooking oil to maintain seasoning and protect the griddle top.
- WARNING: NEVER APPLY COLD WATER ACROSS THE WHOLE SURFACE OF A HOT GRIDDLE AT ONCE. This may cause warping.
- CAUTION: DO NOT USE SOAP ON THE GRIDDLE COOKING SURFACE. This will destroy the griddle’s seasoning.
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