How to Season a Blackstone Griddle Properly?
Seasoning is a necessary ritual that you should perform on your new Blackstone griddle BEFORE the first use and in between uses.
It is the secret to keeping your griddle surface black and shiny, 100% non-stick, cook tasty foods and enable it to serve you for an exceptionally long period of time.
If you just got your hands on a brand new Blackstone griddle and know nothing about seasoning it, we’ve got your back.
This guide will show you how to correctly season your griddle step-by-step and answer all the other questions you might have around griddle seasoning.
Let’s do this…
How do you season a Blackstone griddle for the first time?
If you’ve got a brand new grille that you just unboxed and put together, the first thing you need to do before you prepare your first bunch of burgers is to season it correctly.
Follow these steps to griddle your Blackstone griddle for the first time.
Things you’ll need:
- Blackstone griddle seasoning & cast iron conditioner or any other seasoning oil
- Paper towels
- Heat resistant gloves
- Salt/mild soap
Seasoning Instructions:
Step 1. Cleanse your griddle
Before you start seasoning, you’ll need to give your brand new griddle some cleaning. This is pretty easy as you just need to add some hot water and some mild soap in a 2L bucket. Stir the mixture to form a soapy solution.
Gently pour a puddle of this soapy solution on your griddle top and thoroughly rub it across the entire surface with the help of a paper towel. Finally, rinse it with clean water and wipe it dry with clean paper towels.
This step is essential to help you get rid of cooking oil used to pre-season your griddle. It will also help get rid of any dust and debris that your griddle might have caught during manufacturing and shipping.
This is also the ONLY time you should use soap on your griddle. You don’t want to wash it with soap in the consequent in-between seasonings as soap can easily damage the plate coating permanently.
When clean, rinse and completely dry your griddle with paper towels. Now your griddle is ready for seasoning!
Step 2. Preheat it
Assuming you have already hooked your griddle to a propane tank, now you’ll need to fire up this baby to give its cooking area a black, stick-resistant characteristic
The procedure is pretty easy as Blackstones come with an easy push-button ignition to make it easy for you to start.
Put on your heat-resistant gloves and turn on the propane gas by turning its valve in a counterclockwise manner. Press the ignition button and set all the burners on the griddle to MAX temperatures and let it heat. Let it heat!
If your griddle features specific temperature settings, set the burners to 350 degrees F (177 degrees Celsius).
After a while, you should see the griddle cooktop starting to turn brown—this should take roughly 10 to 15 minutes—meaning it is ready for the next step. Turn off all the burners and proceed to Step 3 below.
Step 3. Apply the seasoning oil
In this step, you’ll need to apply the seasoning oil on your griddle plate (2-3 tablespoons or 30 to 44 mL oil is enough to get the job done).
When you add oil to the griddle plate, you’re simply burning off organic compounds in the oil and leaving behind a polymer to bond with your griddle. Call it polymerization!
The science behind this is to help create a durable, naturally non-stick surface on your griddle cooktop. It will also help add some flavor to any food you griddle.
As for the oil, you can use Blackstone Griddle Seasoning & Cast Iron Conditioner. However, there are other great oils you can use to season your griddle (more on this topic coming up—keep tuned in!).
Pour the oil on the griddle cooking area and spread it across the entire griddle plate surface with the help of a paper towel. Dab more oil onto the paper towel and use it to apply oil to the other tricky areas surrounding your griddle, including the corners the edges, and even the sides.
Make sure you have your heat-resistant gloves on for your own safety. You might also consider using a pair of tongs to hold the paper towel to minimize the chances of burning your hands.
Step 4. Even out the seasoning oil
The secret to seasoning your Blackstone griddle properly is to use a THIN layer of seasoning oil. This will make it much easier to form a good non-stick layer.
If you apply a thick coat, it could result in chippings in the future or even cause the buildup of sticky gunk on the griddle.
To even out the oil, use a paper towel you just used in the previous step, or use a new one, in such a way that it’s like you’re trying to wipe all the oil off your griddle.
Get the idea? Good! That’s how thin a layer of seasoning oil you should apply to your griddle cooktop.
Remember to do the same for the corners, edges, and sides of the griddle—just make sure every inch of the cooktop has a thin, uniform layer of oil.
Look out for any thick oil puddles as well as dry spots on the griddle plate and fix them.
Step 5. Heat it again
Now that you’re sure you have a thin layer of oil evenly spread across the griddle top, it’s time to turn those burners ON again. Set them to MAXIMUM temperature and let the oil cook.
The griddle cooktop will start turning black. But that’s now what you’re looking for.
Wait, wait, and wait until you start to see your griddle billowing in smoke—this means your oil has reached its burning point or Smoke Point.
It takes approx. 15 to 30 minutes for an ideal oil to reach this point, so you shouldn’t be in hurry for this particular step. Grab a seat and watch as the smoke flies above your griddle.
Keep cooking the oil until all the smoke disappears.
Turn off your griddle and let it cool for about 10 minutes. You can quickly check if your griddle has cooled down by holding your hand about an inch over the cooktop.
Step 6. Repeat until the plate is dark brown
At this point, you have just successfully completed the first round of seasoning your brand new Blackstone griddle. But it just isn’t enough to properly season.
You’ll need to take it through a couple more seasonings until you achieve a dark-brown cooktop for the best non-stick performance.
Luckily, for this step, you’ll be repeating what you have just done in the previous step:
Apply the seasoning oil on the griddle surface again. Remember to evenly coat the entire surface with a thin layer (as explained in Step 4). Turn on the burners to maximum temperatures, sit down and wait for the oil to reach the smoke point again. Turn it off and give it another 10 minutes to cool.
Do 2-3 more rounds of seasoning; this should be enough to make your griddle cooktop dark brown.
Quick Tip: You might consider mixing different oils in the consequent rounds to create varying flavor combinations. For instance: you can use extra virgin olive oil for the first 2 rounds and coconut oil for the final round.
Step 7. Finishing up
Once your griddle has achieved your desired results (i.e. a dark brown surface), let it cool down slightly.
Proceed to wipe it down with one more layer of Blackstone seasoning & cast iron conditioner. Alternatively, you can use the Blackstone Non-stick griddle spray.
The purpose of finishing up with this layer is to protect your griddle from weather elements and possible oxidation that would lead to a rusty surface.
And you’re done!
You now have a freshly seasoned griddle that will make your delicious food, last longer than unseasoned griddles, and keep off rust and elements.
How to season your Blackstone griddle after each use?
Now that we have seen how to griddle a new griddle for the first time, you might be wondering how to do it for an old unit.
Right after the initial seasoning, each time you cook with your griddle will be adding a new layer of seasoning on it. For this reason, you don’t need to season it as we have seen above.
Instead, you just need to clean it with hot water and a paper towel and then coat it with a protective layer of cooking oil to strengthen the seasoning and prevent rusting.
And remember to not use soap again on your griddle after the 1st seasoning.
This process isn’t rigorous and it involves 3 easy steps.
Step 1. Clean the griddle
You ought to kick off the process by gently scraping off any food left on the cooktop with the help of a griddle spatula or scrapper followed by wiping down the surface clean with a paper towel.
If your griddle has some stubborn food residue, pour hot water onto the cooking area and bring it to boil so that it knocks off the food residue. Wipe dry the griddle top with a paper towel.
Alternately, you can apply ¼ cup of table salt on the tough food residue to help knock it off quickly.
Step 2. Apply the seasoning oil
Applying a layer of cooking oil will help maintain the seasoning bond as well as prevent oxidation/rusting. You can use any cooking oil you wish for this part, including non-stick cooking spray.
Pour a generous amount of cooking oil onto the griddle top. Remember to cover all the sides, edges, and corners of the griddle as well.
Use a paper towel to evenly spread the seasoning oil across the entire surface of the griddle plate until you achieve a thin, uniform layer.
Step 3. Finish up
Let the griddle cool down before you proceed to store it in a cool and dry place to further minimize the possibility of rust. Storing your griddle in humid or hot areas can easily alter the seasoning.
If possible, you should also put a heavy-duty cover on your griddle to further keep away rust and weather elements.
How long does it take to season a Blackstone griddle?
A brand new Blackstone seasoning process will take 2plus hours for you to get your desired results.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the process…
For proper seasoning, you need to turn your griddle on, set it to Maximum temperature, and give it up to 10 minutes to heat correctly.
You’ll then take an additional 15-30 minutes to apply seasoning oil to Blackstone griddle and bring it up to the smoke point (that’s a complete round of seasoning).
But that won’t be enough. You’ll need to do 2-3 more rounds until you achieve the desired seasoning results. Sometimes you might even need to go for the 4th round.
You should also have wait times in between the seasonings to allow your griddle to cool down. Each wait time will take around 10 minutes.
How many times to season a Blackstone griddle?
After the first seasoning, you wouldn’t need to do it more often since every cooking with your griddle will be adding to the seasoning layer.
However, you can always use the Blackstone seasoning kit or the cooking oil of your choice to season your Blackstone griddle in between the uses to maintain a perfect non-stick coating and make your griddled food tastier.
There are also times when your griddle performance starts to deteriorate and you have no option but to act as soon as possible.
Some of the top signs it’s time to re-season your griddle include:
- Foods start sticking on your griddle. One of the reasons to season your griddle is to create a natural non-stick coating on its plate. If food starts sticking on the cooking surface, it means the coating has become weak and you need to give the baby some new seasoning.
- If your griddle has lost its usual shine, you should also consider seasoning it again to bring it back to its black vibrancy.
- Changed cooktop appearance. If the griddle cooking surface has started turning graying and ashy appearance, it is about time you season it again.
- Rust. Do you see any signs of rust on your griddle? If yes, work on removing the rust ASAP followed by seasoning your entire griddle cooking surface.
What is the best oil to season a Blackstone griddle?
As we promised you earlier, we’ll be taking a closer look at the best oils to use to season your griddle in this section.
Oils high in fatty acids are the best for seasoning your Blackstone griddle because they offer the best bonding results with the griddle plate. A quick check on the nutritional info on oil will tell you which oils are rich in fatty acids.
Examples of these oils include vegetable oil, vegetable shortening, flax oil, coconut oil, extra virgin oil. Lard will also work great for seasoning purposes.
The perfect oil should also feature a high smoke point for even better seasoning results.
Best oils to season a Blackstone griddle:
- Blackstone Griddle Seasoning & Cast Iron Conditioner (recommended)
- Canola Oil
- Flax Oil
- Vegetable Oil
- Shortening
- Olive Oil
Oils to avoid:
Avoid oils containing trans-fatty acids for your health’s sake. These oils have been related to health issues such as weight gain, coronary artery disease, and liver dysfunction.
You should NOT use corn oil because it contains high sugar concertation which can easily caramelize and burn on your griddle surface.
NEVER use butter for seasoning your griddle. This is because it has a low smoking point and will not create the thick, durable coating your griddle needs to look shiny and black.
But don’t get it wrong; butter is great for cooking on your griddle, but just don’t use it for the initial seasoning session.
Can you use bacon grease to season a Blackstone griddle?
Don’t use bacon grease to season your Blackstone griddle. The bacon fat contains a ton of impurities, including high salt content which can easily pit your griddle cooking surface. This probably explains why it’s not even one of the oils listed by Blackstone for seasoning their griddles.
It’s not recommended to season your griddle with bacon grease, and animal fats in general, because the high impurities in them form brittle coatings on the cooktop that tends to chip easily.
What if you’re cooking bacon on your griddle, should you let the bacon grease stay? Given it’s not a good seasoning oil, we suggest cleaning all the bacon grease after griddling bacon, just to be on the safe side. Afterward, consider seasoning your griddle with a Blackstone seasoning kit, or one of their recommended oils.
But some people still swear by bacon grease, why should I not use it on my griddle?
Well, it is true that despite the manufacturer not recommending it, some people still use it and still get amazing seasoning results. They also love the great flavor the grease adds to everything you cook onwards.
Nonetheless, we still don’t recommend using it.
But if you still want to use bacon grease, just avoid it during the first initial seasoning. Work on building a decent seasoning coating on your griddle with vegetable-based oils and only think about the bacon grease later on.
Do you really need a Blackstone seasoning kit?
You might be asking yourself whether it’s really necessary to spend money on the Blackstone seasoning kit—the Blackstone seasoning & cast iron conditioner—when you can use regular cooking oils in your kitchen to achieve the same results.
While that makes sense when it comes to saving some bucks, we do recommend using the Blackstone seasoning kit, especially for the initial seasoning.
Blackstone specially formulated this model for use with their griddles for long-term protection. The seasoning kit delivers superior protection to your investment and gives you an excellent griddling experience for long.
It’s not all the time you get to see a griddle manufacturing company coming up with griddle care products to ensure you get the most out of your investment. This is a great opportunity for Blackstone griddle owners to take care of their griddles the best way.
Try as much as possible to use a Blackstone seasoning kit for your initial seasoning for a brand new griddle and save your regular cooking oils for the in-between seasonings.
What to do if your Blackstone griddle rust?
Sometimes you can do everything right and your griddle still catches rust. Or you might forget to take care of it and it ends up getting rusty.
In either case, you should work on removing the rust as soon you discover it before it gets worse.
You can easily remove rust from the Blackstone griddle by using steel wool or low grit sandpaper (40 to 60-grit sandpaper). Use either of these rust removal tools to rub off the rust from the affected area(s). Work on the spot until it smoothens over.
During scrubbing, you should make sure you apply a firm amount of pressure on the rust spot to make it come out easily and quickly.
Lastly, you’ll need to re-season the entire griddle surface after it has been attacked by rust. Follow our previous guide on how to season a brand new Blackstone griddle.
If your griddle plate is heavily infested with rust, you can also try this more advanced restoration process.
As you can see, rust can take you all the way back to step one, and force you to the seasoning all over again which can be time-consuming. Take all the necessary measures to keep off the rust.
Conclusion
As we said at the beginning of this guide, seasoning your Blackstone griddle is a must-do practice that helps create a non-stick coating on your griddle cooktop, makes your griddled food tasty, and enhances your griddle’s longevity. We have guided you on how to season your Blackstone griddle for the first time and answered all your questions relating to seasoning the griddle. And We have no doubts that now you’re more than ready to take on this important task.
