How to get a smooth griddle surface for stick free cooking and use less oil
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- Опубліковано 8 вер 2024
- Using sand paper, steel wool, and a unique process, Dave reveals how to get your griddle surface as smooth as teflon. Use this to cook vegetables and other meals using little or no oil.
Hey Dave, I watched this video a couple of more times then headed out to the patio and cleaned and seasoned the griddle. It is slick and shiny now and ready for a cook.
I'm 71 and this is the first experience with a griddle. You inspire me and give me hope that I can learn a new "trick".
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Hey ya'll, I want to add a comment to this video. I've been using Olive Oil to cook and season the griddle. It's worked ok but as this video will attest, it scratches pretty easily. Well, I'd heard that Flax Seed Oil works very well for seasoning. I think the Blackstone instructions even recommend it. Well, I'm here to tell you it is great! I used it after my last cleaning. Put the unit through 4 burn off / cool down cycles using Flax Seed Oil and the surface is MUCH harder than with Olive oil. A lot less scratches and much slicker. I still rub it lightly with steel wool after cleaning and then a light coat of Olive oil for storage. Just thought I'd share the discovery. Thanks for watching and listening.
Thanks Dave, I just purchased the Blackstone 22" for camping. Your tips are awesome. I have not seasoned my griddle yet, heading to purchase the Flax Seed Oil today. Have a great one!!
Amen - it is harder/the best. I only use olive oil for routine maintenance as where I am flax is very hard to find and expensive. It is great stuff though for sure.
thank you for this addendum, very helpful.
Olive oil has its purpose but I’ve found it to be a poor oil to season any metal cook surface. Do you have any experience with grape seed oil? I’ve heard good things but not sure about its smoking point.
@@brittanylevinson741 I used flaxseed oil for the initial seasoning and after every use I apply a thin coat of olive oil and heat the surface up to burn it off. The flaxseed oil works great but I do not use it regularly because I do not particularly like the way it smells. I have not tried grapeseed oil but I think it would work fine.
I said once before and I’ll say it again genius Dave’s a genius at work I’m young but got a griddle to start cooking for the family and I enjoy it !!
Thanks for the kind words! I really appreciate it. Have fun and share. Best, Dave
Great video and great instruction. I’m going to do this with my griddle that after a couple years is starting to pit a little bit. It’s still slick but this should do it wonders. Thanks for sharing with us!
I just seasoned my 22” Blackstone adventure ready griddle today at the campground. I spent 4 fours seasoning it with avocado oil in light coats. It looks beautiful and black and was nice and slick for the first cook of a pound of bacon.
I am going to try your technique to see how much more it will do toward making it more nonstick.
Thanks for the video.
Thank you for watching and especially for taking time to comment! Maintaining a good surface is an ongoing process. Even after the sanding I do in the video I finished with a burn off of a THIN coat of olive oil. After every cook and clean I finish with a burn off of a light coat of oil. Then, I give it another coat of oil to prevent rust. Hope this helps. Some guys will tell you they just clean and cook but I think they use a lot of oil during the cook. Thanks again. Dave
Dave, I’ve forwarded this video to many Blackstone owners on facebook. They are all very appreciative of your information. Thanks for all your videos. I hope all is fine with you.
Nancy, thank you very much for your support and sharing! Best regards, Dave
Great video, very informative. I will definitely try this with my Blackstone griddle.
I used this tip on my Nexgrill. Worked great. The factory surface was pretty rough. This tuned it right up.
Great to hear! Thank you for watching and especially for taking time to comment!
Best vid yet without power tools!👍🏽
Thank you for watching and especially for taking time to comment!
Great video. I can’t wait to get my griddle!
Thank you for watching and especially for taking time to comment!
Dave - I see your comment below... from 5 months ago... that you sold your griddle and are moving on to other topics. I really enjoyed your griddle videos. Hope your next endeavor is as good. I used a flat top griddle for years... I finally just purchased one for home. Looking forward to using it frequently. As I haven't seen any activity here in awhile, I thought I would make a couple suggestions - if you don't mind. I watched this video and wanted to point out - the equivalent grit to 0000 steel wool is about 400. You started with 800 grit, then went to 0000 steel wool... so effectively went with a rougher grit. Just FYI, not to take a shot at what you did. If it works - it's good :-)I am a big "cast iron" guy and the griddle care/maintenance is basically the same. To anyone using either a griddle or cast iron - I recommend using wood utensils when you can. With a griddle, when I have to, I will use a metal spatula (very/very gently & carefully) and use a baker's knife/scraper (or like you - the putty knife/drywall blade) to pull large amounts of grease and debris... but "pull" is the operative word. I pull toward myself with the blade away from me - meaning drag it back... not blade forward - push/scrape. Too easy to put a scratch or gouge in your seasoning. If I need to get serious with something stuck on... I use hot water on hot iron... then a wood spatula. It comes right off with limited pressure. Hot iron and hot water, wood spatula. This works very well with cast iron cleaning. By rounding the corners and other tricks you did on your metal utensils, you did a great job of trying to mitigate a scratch happening, so lessened the damage to your seasoning. I've seen people catch an edge of a spatula or scraper and I just cringe every time :-)You are dead on target with flax seed oil for either cast iron or your griddle. It's great stuff. I use it (flax seed oil) when I am restoring a base seasoning. For routing maintenance, I use olive oil. I do not ever cook at high temps with iron, so olive oil works great, is cheaper and readily available wherever I go. If I have stripped off all the seasoning for some reason (like a complete restoration), I use only flax seed oil. I suggest bake at approx. 350 deg F for about 35-45 minutes, let cool and repeat at least 3 more times -- will restore your base seasoning. Then for me it's olive oil for maintenance after that. I'm sorry to see you go - I really enjoyed your videos. I guess I may have to start up my own, to carry on the fun. :-) Best to you and yours.
sorry about the typo - that should have read "routine". Routine maintenance. :-)
Thanks for the tips and sharing your experience. Just bought a BS so watching a ton of vids before I do the first seasoning and start cooking.
@@BagsEsquire I think you will have a great time. They are great for a whole lot. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. You can even do your own version of Benihana :-) Cook when it's hot... clean it when it's hot... and after you remove excess moisture... dry it with heat after you are done cleaning it... then re-season it when it's hot ("hot" = min 210 deg F... but not smoking)... it will serve you well for a VERY long time. After you clean it - you can pat with a paper towel to remove excess water... but I don't recommend you apply oil with a paper towel. It can leave paper fibers/residual that gets in to your seasoning. I recommend you use a lint free cloth. An old t-shirt or something that has had all the lint washed out if it. That way it doesn't end up in your seasoning. Congrats on your new griddle. I hope it serves you well.
John Thanks a lot for the reply and advice! I have a cover on its way but do you think it’s worth the extra effort to keep it stored in my garage when not using it so it’s never out in the elements? Even with a cover I’ve seen posts with people still getting rust spots and having to sand or grind then off and go through re-seasoning again.
@@BagsEsquire Totally up to you - and what fits in your world. In mine... yes... I keep the griddle part in my house. Don't be too worried though. I find Iron to be very tough. It'll be fine in extreme heat, cold, etc. I have had rust on mine... and in a few minutes - it was ready to go. I think it's probably more about humidity in your neighborhood - than in someone else's (Meaning don't be too worried about other's comments... make good decisions based on your reality - not theirs). If you are in a very humid place - rust I think will happen. If it's bone dry (the air where you live)... not as much. Meaning if your griddle is well oiled (I don't mean dripping)... I believe it will be fine. Again, it's your call. As long as you don't go from one extreme to the other (hot to cold or vice versa) - or commit some serious act of violence on it ( ;-) )... you pretty much can't "hurt" it. As an example... my wife left one of my Dutch ovens outside. I mean for MONTHS. It was a rusted mess and when I discovered it... she was mortified. I scrubbed it down with a wire brush, then a scrubby, re-seasoned it and off we went. She said then that she really thought it was gone forever. Iron is iron. The "seasoning" is the "delicate" part. Chuckwagon cooks have been packing iron all over God's creation for centuries - and it's still good today. The most important part I think is that you bring it in to your world in a way that works for you and you enjoy having it. If it becomes some "weight" around your neck - you (in my opinion) have lost the joy of all of this. Have fun with it. Be OK with screwing up - learning from it - and moving on. This should be cool - for you and your family. I hope I haven't overstepped with my response. I really do wish you the best... and lots of enjoyment with any iron you get. It really is heirloom stuff. It should be fun and serve you well too. Not be some "heavy" thing you worry about. If it ends up in the dishwasher... or someone uses soap on it... don't kill anyone... just shrug... and take care of re-seasoning it. It's iron. Great stuff. Last for generations. It's good for you to cook in... and it really should be fun for all when you use it. After the griddle - get some cast iron skillets... next thing you know... you'll be camping! Using an open fire! LOL
Just tried this. Amazing difference. Thank you !
Thank you for watching and especially for taking time to comment!
Thanks i’ll do that first and then I will be seasoning with flaxseed oil. I watched a video from Blackstone and that’s what they recommend. Thanks for another great video I watch a bunch of yours! And they have helped!
Thanks Dave! I am a diehard cast iron aficionado and recently got a pro little griddle to use indoors with proper venting with my gas cooktop. As I am new to seasoning stainless, this is very helpful! The same principles apply to stick free cast iron but materials are different. I only use 100% real lard for my cast iron. Look forward to making my stainless stick free and hard coat!
Thanks, Brittany. I love cast iron, too! I plan to do some vid's using it and look forward to hearing from you on how I did and any input you can give. Thanks for watching and for your comments.
Thanks for the tip, Dave!! Definitely doing this.
I have friends and family ask how I got my griddle so smooth, non sticky.. I do not tell them how .I send them to your site to learn and give you more thumbs up. Thank you
Thanks for sharing!!
I'm definitely giving this a go. Like my steel pans.
Thank you for watching and especially for taking time to comment!
I'll have to try that thanks. My 36 inch has a few high spots here and there that can use this specific technique. I used Crisco vegetable shortening and Canola oil. Not even cheese sticks to it with that combo.
Hi Stephen, Thanks for watching. This technique will smooth out the seasoning and some light scratches. You'd need to use a grinder to remove any metal...which I do not recommend. Thanks, Dave
@@NextWithDave It worked really well and evened all of the seasoning out. To get it perfectly flat then I would be looking at taking it to a local sandblaster and having it prepped that way and cleaning really good before reseasoning it. Thankfully I don't have to do that.
Going to buy some Grape seed or Flax seed oil today. Got my new Blackstone yesterday, got it seasoned and made bacon fried corn, fried potato's and thin sliced beef. I had my griddle way to hot which caused some sticking. Going to clean and re-season this morning using your method. I did find out one thing for sure. It would be much easier to start out with a lower heat than to try fighting an over heated griddle once you start cooking. I really enjoy your videos Dave. Blackstone should sponsor you. :)
Thanks, Buddy! You're going to have a LOT of fun and good eats. I'll be doing more videos in November when it cools down here in FL. Almost too hot to cook but definitely too hot for filming. I've got a couple more mod's to show. Until then, thanks and best regards. Dave
Gonna try this. Thank you!
Thank you for watching and especially for taking time to comment!
Nice job I do cooking videos on the Blackstone all the time. I have been meaning to do a full resurface because I have been using it for 3 years this will be easier and I believe it will work... thank you :)
Thanks for viewing and for posting. I watched some of your vid's and you guys are great! Have fun and be safe.
:) Thanks you too :)
Thanks for posting was wondering how to achieve less oil when cooking without sticking
Thank you for watching and especially for taking time to comment!
Just found this video. Man your vids have been super helpful. Thank you.
Glad to hear it! Thank you for watching and especially for taking time to comment!
Awesome to find this out
Thanks! Hope it helps.
Thank you. Keep doing your video tips. Love them.
nice video. I will use this method.
I like it! I do not mind oil, but I would like a smoother surface
Thank you for watching and especially for taking time to comment!
Maybe it’s been mentioned already but I usually clean the surface well between grits. My reasoning is that, if you don’t clean in between, you’ll then drag remnants of the coarser grit into your next step. Just my .02
Good point! Thanks for watching and taking time to comment!
love your griddle tips keep up these great videos!
Awesome video!
Great Video - Thanks!!!
THANK YOU for the info
Great Tip!!! Thanx.
Thanks for the Video!!
Nice Video very clear and precise Thanks, For sharing Dave. Enjoyed and subcrfibed
Thanks for watching and for commenting! Best regards, Dave
Dave, could you show us how you grind down the spatulas so the corners are rounded? I have a bench grinder and a Shopsmith. I’m sure I would have something I could use, but I don’t know how to do this grinding. I tried using sandpaper on the scrapers you recommended, but the edge seems to be delaminating. Since then, I bought solid stainless steel spatulas, but they all have the sharp corners. Thanks, for your videos. i have passed them on many times with really good reception.
Hello Nancy. Thanks for watching and for your comment. It is possible that the combination of heat generated by the grinder and sideways pressure could be causing the delamination. On mine, I used a steel file. 10" medium mill bastard but any steel file should work. Just work the file perpendicular to the blade and it should work fine. To sharpen the edge, I drew it across a V shape carbide knife sharpener like you would sharpen a knife. Finish it with your kitchen steel and you're good to go. Hope this helps. Thanks again for your question. Dave
Good tip dave i will try that on my BS thx
Thanks, Steven for watching and especially for taking time to comment. Best, Dave
Good tips
I just got a lightly used griddle like yours and was searching for a way to restore it - way to much oil residue and such.
This is a great video and I will follow this process for the restoration.
AND I will have subscribed so I can follow your cooks, too.
Thank you for taking time to comment and especially for subscribing! Dave
Thank you, it works great!
I have a question. I purchased a new Blackstone griddle 28" and its being shipped. What steps should I take with the new griddle? Any suggestions beyond what Blackstone recommends? Thank You. Great videos.
Thank you for watching and especially for taking time to comment! When you first recieve the griddle don't sand all the factory seasoning off. I just sand it a little but leave some for the new seasoning to adhere to. Before first use, clean it well with just water no soap. Maybe a little vinegar in the water. then when you do the first seasoning use avacado or grape seed oil. Don't use flax seed oil because it gets too brittle and will flake off into the food later. THIN layers that you burn off till the smoke stops. Then a complete cool down and do that 2-3 more times. The 28" gets hotter than the 36" but you can still do zone cookiing. Be sure to get a infrared thermometer to check surface temps. Cheap ones work just fine. Even though I've done it, know that if you put a pan on the griddle it can overheat the seasoning and you may have to apply some oil and do a seasoning burn off afterward. Watch a lot of videos and experiment. You're going to have a lot of fun learing the ins and outs of griddle cookiing. Thanks again and good luck!
Hi, Dave. Happy Independence day! What sandpaper grit do you recommend for sanding down the surface of a brand new blackstone prior to the first seasoning?
Thank you for watching and especially for taking time to comment! I usually use 120 G with a light hand on a random orbital sander. You don't want to sand all the factory seasoning off just smooth it down and litttle and leave a little roughness for the new seasoning to adhere to. I stopped using flax seed oil because it is too brittle and flakes off. Grapeseed or avacado oil works best for me. Thanks and good luck!!
Dave, I have a brand new Blackstone. Can I sand down with an Orbital sander with different Grits right away to establish a smoother surface than stock delivery?
Thanks for watching and for your commment. Yes and no. I usually sand down the surface of a new griddle but be careful not to go too fine. You want some texture for the seasoning to adhere to. I would go with a 120 G first and finish with a 220 G. Then at least 4 cycles of seasoning burn off. I've recommended flax oil in the past but find that it is so brittle that it tends to flake off so now I would just use canola oil or avacado oil. Be sure you put VERY THIN coats down and let it burn off till it stops smoking then then cools completely before doing the next seasoning cycle. Hope this helps.
@@NextWithDave thanks for the info. That makes complete sense. I may do it right away or I may just wait till the first time it Rusts, then I have to sand it down. LOL.
The other train of thought is that the rougher the surface, the more oil it holds, making it more non-stick. Many people will sand blast the surface to achieve this.
Hello Gary, thanks for watching and for your comment. I see your point but at our house, "the boss" wants me to cook with as little oil as possible. Oh, well, there goes the bacon grease. :(
Wish u showed us how it looked once it smoked off. And also a demonstration of how you cooked on it oilessly
Thanks for watching! You're right, this was one of my first videos and I've learned a lot since then. I'm not completely oil less, but using a lot less than before. Some things, like eggs still need some butter but vegatables have enough oil in themselves to generally not need extra. Hope this helps. Thanks
I am about to do this. How do you deal with a few rust spots? Vinegar? Or just sand it off? Something else?
Sorry for the delayed response. Rust can be tough to deal with. Once it starts it is hard to stop. I run into it in the summer here in Florida because of the high humidity. I know it's a pain but what I do is basically start over. I sand the whole surface down with an orbital sander. Starting with 120G and then 220G. Then reseason it with avacado oil. The key to sucsss with seasoning is to apply the oil when the griddle is hot not when it is cold. That waty the steel has expanded and the pores have opened up which allows the oil to sink all the way into the steel. Use VERY THIN coats of oil Let it burn competely off until there is NO smoke. then let it cool all the way down and do it again 4 times. Now after you have done this, when you are putting the griddle away apply a good thick coat of oil to the warm or cool surface. Put the cover on it and you should be ok. On the next time you cook, you'll scrape and wipe away all the oil that was on the surface before applying the oil for your cook. the method I use on this video is only to "dress" the surface to knock down the scratches in the seasoning that occur from normal use. Hope this helps and thanks for watching.
@@NextWithDave Very helpful. Thank you!!
Did you ever post a video on how you clean your griddle? If so, I can't find it.
I linked your video to a fellow Blackstone owners video they wanted to reseason.. and smooth it I thought your video might help :)
Thanks, Guys!
No problem Dave... On my facebook group, page facebook.com/groups/106848566651591/ we show all types of food post and humor. But a lot of people on the page are griddle heads like myself so I am going to add your you tube video periodically. Yours are very informative... Thanks again... stop by if you want love to have you along
so after you go through this process do you then kind of re-season the griddle or just thin layer of oil like after normal clean up? Thank you
Both!
Can/should you do this with a new surface that hasn't been seasoned yet?
Joe, thanks for watching and for your question. My Blackstone came with a "seasoning" from the factory. It felt very rough so I sanded it completely off. Then began the seasoning process. It takes about 6 cycles of burning off THIN coats of Flax seed oil with complete cool down between coats. Hope this helps. thanks again.
Hi Dave, I just got a griddle, have not used yet. Should I season the griddle first, then do the steps you described in this video.
Yes, season it first. Do not sand it before your first seasoning. Do it exactly as described by Blackstone Products. I recommend either Grape Seed Oil or Flax Seed Oil (I use Flax Seed). Also, you'll want to do several heat/cool down cycles. Put a THIN coat of oil on it, let it burn off till there's no more smoke. Then cool down all the way. Then do it all over again. By about the 4th cycle you'll have a well seasoned griddle to start with. Good luck and enjoy many years of fun cooking!
I have a fairly big surface gouge and I already threw away my box so I can't return it. There's nothing else I can really do but try to repair it do you think sandpaper will do it I could send you a picture of it.
Hi Aaron. Hard to say what to do without seeing it. You might want to reach out to the manufacturer and see what they suggest. Also, you could take a picture of it and post it on one or more of the Facebook griddle groups. You'll need thick skin to get past the trolls but you'll also get lots of suggestions on what to do. Thanks for watching and good luck!
Hello great video I'm about to purchase a griddle and I was wondering if I can do this process before I start the seasoning process or should I wait until afterwards? Thanks in advance
Thank you for watching and especially for taking time to comment! I do recommend this process LIGHTLY before your first seasoning cycle. Remember, when seasoning, use a S M A L L amount of oil each time. The minute you use too much oil you'll get a thick sticky surface. Patience and at least 6 heat cool cycles is the key. Let the griddle stay heated till it stops smoking. before you turn it off for the cool down cycle. Good luck!
@@NextWithDave thank you very much it's greatly appreciated. Just finished watching another video of yours great channel!
Have you tried Crisbee or Larbee to season? I’ve used it on my cast iron skillet and it works very well! I just got a Balckstone and as soon as it warms up a bit I’m going to use that along with your sandpaper/steel wool method... I’ll let you know how it turns out! Here’s a link to the stuff I’m talking about: www.amazon.com/dp/B01E1PMBK6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_biqsAb0ZBDBDW
Damn. Maybe I should have done this instead of stripping my griddle. Had a lot of peeling seasoning. Maybe could have just sanded it out and reseasoned.
Awesome video! How often do you recommend cleaning the griddle using this method?
Thanks for the question Amy. After cooking, in the cleaning process, after the water/steam cleaning I'll give it a quick once over with steel wool just to knock down any scratches. Then do the final light coat of oil for storage. I do the sandpaper and steel wool about once a week if it needs it. Thanks again for watching and for your question.
I clean a wet sand and re-season my griddle after each use so sometimes 2 times per day... But at least 3 or 4 or more times per week... My griddle is smooth as glass and Black from front to back...
Great video. Just did a quick search to order some steel wool at home depot and didn't realized they have nearly as many "grids" as sandpaper does. Any recommendations?
Thanks for watching! Go with 800 Grit Sandpaper and 0000 Steel wool. Be sure you don't press very hard. Be sure to RINSE thoroughly with water several times. Then coat with oil and wipe off. Then burn off a very thin coat of oil to re-season. Thanks again. Dave
@@NextWithDave Thank you very much!
Dave, I noticed some areas on the griddle where the seasoning looked a little thin. I wonder if that is partly due to steaming vegetables under a lid? It seems that steaming or boiling liquid acts to deglaze the surface as you would a pan. Just curious. Great video again....
You might be right...I've never noticed it but since I was re-seasoning pretty frequently that may be part of why. I wouldn't abandon the technique though. Just a little more maintenance required.
That's awesome. How often do you season after the first pass?
Hi Raju, thanks for watching. After I do the process you see in the video I do one high heat cycle burning off the oil till it stops smoking. Then a light coat of oil for storage. Thanks again, Dave.
@@NextWithDave I wanted to know once you do that, do you have to repeat that step and how often
@@rnmaa1914 I don’t have to do it very often. Only if I feel like food is sticking too much. Maybe every 10 cooks or so. Thanks again?
What's your thoughts about using a 1000 grit sandpaper or greater? VERY interesting video👍
Marty, Thanks for watching and for your question. I think you can use 1,000 G sandpaper but I'd suggest you start out with maybe 400 G, then go to the 1K G and finish with the 0000 Steel wool. It all depends on how much of the seasoning you want to take off before you "polish" the surface. If you're taking out scratches and high/low spots then start coarse, go fine and polish with SW. If you're only looking to polish then 1K G and 0000 SW. After polish, then re-season at high temp with Flax Seed Oil. A VERY THIN layer a couple of times. Polish that lightly with steel wool and you should be good to go. Also, I've gone to using steel utensils only when I need to. Wood and plastic work fine for things like veggies and steel for food you are getting a crust on. Hope this helps. Thanks again!! Dave
Dave, thank you for your reply. So, can I season 4 times, then do your method described in this video right after the 4th seasoning cycle? Or, do I have to wait after I have used the griddle a few times?
You can use the griddle right away after seasoning if you want and don't necessarily need to use my method. Seasoning is an on-going process. I always do a light rub with steel wool before I cook, then rinse it off and put just as little olive oil on it as possible. Then start cooking. If what I'm cooking requires it, I'll use more oil but we try to limit cooking with it. The steel wool will knock down any lumps in the oil that burned of last time and knock down any scratches from tools. You may not need to do it every time, only as needed. Hope this helps and have fun!
so do you use the flax seed oil after clean up now? Do you use the Flax seed oil for cooking as well instead of olive oil?
Thank you for watching and especially for taking time to comment! Doug, I only use flax seed oil for seasoning. I use regular olive oil or avacado oil for cooking. thanks!
Hey Dave I just got a new Blackstone. Would you recommend I do this step before the initial cleaning and seasoning?
Hi Michael. There are two different groups of opinions on this subject. Some say don't do anything, some say sand all the pre-seasoning off. I recommend you use my method but don't get carried away. Thanks and good luck. Dave
Will do! Thanks Dave!
Can I use this method on a new 36” blackstone grill before using it?
Michael, yes, you could. However, I don't recommend taking it all the way down to the bare metal. Just enough to get the roughness off and then proceed with seasoning cycles. Good luck and have fun!
How often do you use that procedure?
Dave, thanks for your videos. I just bought a 19” Blackstone griddle and getting ready to season. My question is, did you sand your griddle smooth before you seasoned the first time?
I did sand it down before the first seasoning cycle and wish i hadn't. I think the slightly rough surface helps the initial layer of seasoning build up.
Captain Dave I sanded it slightly with 400 grit wet/dry sandpaper. I wasn’t even touching the surface texture, so I stopped and just washed it off. The I seasoned it. Funny thing, my husband wasn’t happy that I bought it, but we’ve used it twice, and he has cooked on it both times. I haven’t even cooked on it myself, yet. I’m impressed with the flavor that seems to magically happen. Thanks so much, for your videos. They are informative and inspiring.
Should you do this when you buy a brand new one??
Thanks for watching! I do recommend this for a new griddle before the first seasoning. Be sure to rinse completely. Run one heat/cool cycle to dry it out. Then season with VERY thin coats of oil Six cycles. Good luck!
Cool video . How to remove deep scrach tip?
Not much you can do about deep scratches. Every few months I would sand the entire surface of the griddle down to the bare metal and start over again. there are some good vids on line which show how to do that.
I ended up sanding down the surface and re-seasoning when I got too many deep scratches.
I just bought a brand new griddle. could i do this method right off or should i season the griddle first
Brenden, Thanks for watching and for your question. You should not sand the surface before you do your first seasoning cycles. Go through about 4 seasoning cycles before your first cook. You would only use the sanding method after you've cooked on it while and you get scratches that you want to knock down and smooth out. I do a quick pass with the fine steel wool before every session and then use water and wash/wipe it off. Then put a small amount of oil on it and you're ready to cook. Thanks
what is a good oil to season your griddle with and cook by
Ronnie, you can use just about any oil but most everybody agrees lately that grape seed or flax seed oil work best. I use flax seed. the key to success is to put on a THIN coast, burn it off, let the unit cool all the way down...repeat about 6 times.
I tried your method and as I was using the 800 sandpaper I saw what looked like seasoning or maybe built up oil rubbing off. I continued and then used the steel wool. After wiping it off with water the surface is feeling sticky and not slick. Should I continue to remove all of the seasoning before I finish with a final coat of oil? I do not like how it feels sticky when I touch the surface. HELP!!!
Thank you for watching and especially for taking time to comment! Its hard to say why it is sticky. Usually, that is the result of too much oil used during the previous seasoning process. I recommend you start from scratch. I would use a grill stone and take most if not all of the seasoning off. Then, using a high temp oil like flaxseed, grapeseed, avacado or even regular olive oil re-season it. My method in this video was intended to just remove the scratches made by utensils and resore a previously good seasoning. Also, my method included a final high heat seasoning with a thin coat of oil to finish the process. Remember...THIN COATS that you burn off till they stop smoking. Several cycles of this process and you're good to go. It's an ongoing process. Every time I finish cooking I clean off the surface, spread a thin coat of olive oil on it, burn that off and then finish with a coat of oil for storage. Next cook, I wipe that off and cook. Hope this helps.
Next With Dave Thanks for responding so quickly! I am still here at the griddle and I will try to remove some of the seasoning. I’m noticing that underneath the build up is a really smooth surface. When I finish I will season with flaxseed oil which I used previously. I will report back. Thanks
Does this work for cast iron as well?
Abraham, thanks for watching. I haven't tried it on cast iron but that's a good question. I've got a 14" cast iron skillet I'm going to try it on. I think it will work because we're really just smoothing out the carbon surface so the effect should be the same. If you try it before I do, please post the results for all of us to learn from. Thanks again!
Dave, looking for advice. I recently got the blackstone 36 griddle and seasoned it according to blackstones instructions. It's seasoned pretty good but foods like chicken, rice or noodles will kind of stick and gunk up.
Will this method fix that?
Any additional advice?
Logan, Thanks for watching for your question! Not sure which oil you use for seasoning but I've switched to Flax Seed Oil. I find it gets harder than other oils. The down side is that sometimes it flakes off so I look for that before i cook and will hit the surface with a quick wipe of steel wool then rinse and apply a little Olive oil. I've switched to regular Olive oil instead of Extra Virgin oil. It has a higher smoke point and a good flavor. EVO is for salads. One of the things I think is important in the seasoning process is the cool down period. Also to season with a THIN layer of oil letting it burn all the way off. Lastly, I use very thin spatula's and drywall knives. I sharpen them and round the corners. This way I can really get under the food carmelization and it comes off with the food instead of staying on the griddle as gunk. Hope this helps. Keep an eye out for more tools and tips coming soon. We just did a few more videos and they are in editing now. Thanks again and good eating!
NextWithDave thanks for the reply. I've been using grape seed oil. But this is good info and much appreciated. And I agree I found that drywall knife works well for scraping. thanks again for the videos
So when this surface is brand new-it's not smooth? Saw a new one at Lowes today, and the surface was far fron smooth. Looks like it had a texture like cast iron.
Chalemi, Thanks for watching and for your question. The new griddle top will not be smooth. I think Blackstone does this so the seasoning has a better surface to stick to. Once you get it seasoned with oil and fats from cooking, the top of the seasoning will be smooth. You can make it even smoother and more non stick using some very fine steel wool to "polish" it. After you do the steel wool, put a thin layer of flax or grape seed oil on it, heat it up till it smokes, wait till it stops smoking, let it cool all the way down and you're ready to go. Thanks again. Dave
Try using cooking spray
Whenever I use paper towels it leaves fibers behind. I've tried different types of paper towels with the same results. Maybe I should stop looking too closely.
Peter, thanks for your comment. If there are fibers, I think that the pre-cook oil and wipe down will cause them to get suspended in the oil and wiped away. Just guessing but I personally don't think it is a problem. Anyway, I'd rather use paper towels than deal with washing dirty, greasy nasty old rags. No way my wife would let them in the same washer we do our clothes in. Just my opinion but you know the saying about opinions...thanks again for watching and commenting. Dave
Peter, have you tried using the blue shop towels? Those have far less fibers and are much more durable than standard white paper towels. You can do much more surface work before they start breaking down.
Wouldn't a grill brick work just as good?
Hi Steve. Thanks for watching and for your comment. Yes, lots of people use the grill brick to clean the surface. However, to me, it seems the grill brick will leave a surface scratch about equivalent to a 320 grit abrasive.. You can either leave it alone and let the seasoning fill in the scratches or take the next steps I show in the video. Either way, the main thing is to cook, have fun and EAT! Thanks Dave
@@NextWithDave Thanks Dave. Enjoy watching your shows. I'm new to the griddle so I'm eager to learn everything I can.
Any concern about machine oil residue left on the surface that is used in the manufacturing of steel wool and is imbedded the final product ?
Nope, not concerned at all. The process ends with a thorough wash with water and then with a high heat re-season with oil which is wiped away. The amount of machine oil that might be left on the griddle would be so minuscule that it is of no concern to me. But , thanks for asking.
No matter how much I follow the seasoning instructions, my coating ALWAYS flakes off. I spend over $20 for a small bottle of organic flax seed only. I've just run out of options 🤔
Hi Kleo. I feel your pain and many others have the same problem. I'm not sure why that happens but it happens to me too. At that point, you need to take it all off down to the bare metal. Doesn't mean you have to sand the entire surface down, which would be best, but at least the area where the flaking is occurring. You can use a grill stone and elbow grease or a sander. Either way, when you re-season be sure to use THIN coats that you burn off till it stops smoking. Let t it cool down some and then another thin coat. I do 6 cycles. Hope this helps and thanks for asking. Dave
It shedding off it's old coat it call build up needs to be scraped off and re-season.
Dave...have you tried doing desserts?
Thank you for watching and especially for taking time to comment! Not yet but I have done some griddled pineapple which is really good. I'll try to think up some deserts and do some vids. Thanks for the suggestion!
I wish you were my dad.
Thank you for watching and especially for taking time to comment! I hope you have real life positive influencers in your life. If not now, then seek them out at church, School and other places. Reach out to them and ask them to mentor you. Good luck!
I am getting confused on the cleaning of a grill. I have seen where restaurants clean each night with very abrasive, or chemical cleaners, ending up with a shiny grill. I thought the griddle needed the seasoning to have a non stick finish, (same as a cast iron skillet) where you clean like you do here, so that old burnt grease doesn't affect the taste of the food, (flakes, burnt or bitter tasting)...any help, or your take on this would be very much appreciated.....
Bittyboo52, Thanks for watching and for your question. The griddles you see them taking all the way down to the bare metal are usually stainless steel like they use in the Japanese restaurants. The Blackstone griddle is a cold rolled steel and is meant to have a layer of seasoning on it. I do a quick pass with fine steel wool and water before every cooking session. Then wash / wipe it off, put a thin coat of oil on it and start cooking. Hope this helps, thanks.
THANK YOU! That does answer my question. I know you have to season a cast iron skillet or everything will stick, glad to know it is about the same for cold rolled steel....Love watching your videos, the hubby and I have learned so much.
Okay, there is nothing wrong with the right oils or fats, animal fats are EXTREMELY healthy, then avocado oil, olive oils and palm oil. I usually use avocado oil to season with and lard and butter to cook with. Vegetable oils and seed oils are highly inflammatory and cause cancer. Please ask your wife to investigate the Ketogenic diet, read the Big Fat Surprise by Nina Teicholz, the Case Against Sugar by Gary Taubes. Our ancestors did not consume vegetable oils, it takes a process and chemicals to get oil out of corn, soybeans and canola seeds, and humans are not meant to consume that crap. Great video by the way, good tips, 👍.
Thank you for watching and especially for taking time to comment!
Use good quality oil not vegetable or corn. Use olive,avocado or good quality animal fats to cook with much more healthy you need good oil to lead a healthy life.
Thank you for watching and especially for taking time to comment!
Goofball