You’re videos inspire me to do more cooking on my griddle. The info you provide is priceless, your experience and knowledge really shines through. Thank you! I’m a retired Coast Guard and I thank you for your service to our country!
I enjoy watching your videos. Your going to be my go to guy for griddle information. I also enjoy how you and the Mrs. are doing it together. My wife likes that too. Keep up the good work.
Paper towels can leave a ton of lint in the seasoning causing more lamination. The blue stop towels leave less. The best is definitely using tea towels, bandanas, or equivalent for your final wipe down. Almost all fats are great for seasoning but for year end storage or limited use, I have found grape seed oil to work best over the years. I'm with you 100% on avocado oil being the go to for cooking. Something I don't see mentioned enough is avoiding cooking sprays at all costs! Although some of your videos drive me insane, I keep coming back for more. Great job, keep them coming!! 👊🏻
I am brand new to the flat top world. I was lucky enough to come across your channel. I lightly sanded it, cleaned it and seasoned it like 5 times. Then I started to cook on it. Breakfast was the first thing I cooked. I did have some stickage on the potatoes and eggs. Was not sure if I did anything wrong or if that is normal and will get less and less as the seasoning builds. I’m going to try my hand at burgers tonight. Thanks for all the info it was been awesome watching you and your lovely wife. Keep them coming.
Sounds like your doing just fine...no doubt it happens...YOU are 100 correct...at this point just keep cooking fatty foods...thanks so much for the support
I had to watch several bad videos on cleaning griddles until this guy. Clean as you go is a aerospace manufacturing practice I learned and it makes sense to get it done while hot.. You obviously know what your talking about. Thanks for this insightful tutorial.
Oh I’m so excited to get my flat top tomorrow! Lol, I bought it for my husband… But I think it’s gonna be mine. 😂I have watched so many of your videos and cannot thank you enough for all the information. I think I am ready.
Told you I’d watch your videos. This is a great one for me being a novice. And did I hear correctly, “that’s what we did in the Navy”. I’m a retired HT1.
I’ve had my Blackstone for a week now & after watching your videos I’ve been cleaning as I go. So far I have not used water to clean it & the surface looks better each time I cook. When I 1st read the title of the channel my 1st thought was “Ya right” well after watching your video & others in my opinion your are top notch. There are others that I enjoy too. There are also a bunch that just like hearing themself talk. Some say drink a beer, make a video even if the information is wrong. I do believe Neal knows what he’s talking about, with his videos being both informative & entertaining. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Just found your channel and subbed…thank you for these videos. I just got a 16 inch two burner camp chef flat top for my Tahoe…learning how to season and care for it now
As an old Boomer I have watched Wafflehouse cooks for 50 years as i sit at the counter. Clean as you Go is the Best advice! Please also tell folks that the rag or paper towel you finish up with does not have to be pristine clean! I also remember when the cook would dump ice on the grill....later I saw they changed it to a thick wet rag to steam of their grill. thanks !
I love your channel, good advice, clean conversation. I come to your channel because it’s wholesome and entertaining. Just a newbie but if and I mean if, I need to use water, I will FIRST nuke the water in the microwave to get it hot, but not scalding to where it may burn my hand, then I put in my bottle and use it to help clean my mess on my flattop. That way I don’t have to worry about ruining the top.
NO....not at all...you CAN use water...but I dont want to teach it like that...its more of ZONE watering....imagine your griddle in 4 pieces...then add water to one section...clean...then move to next section...just dont douse the whole griddle with water
One of the most important things I look for when watching these video's on cooking or maintaining the flat top is, does the person doing the video know the correct way or just doing it their way. I guess both works, but i prefer the correct way. You and Amy have taught me the Navy way, and I have confidence thats the correct way. Keep up the good work. I trust your judgement.
Thanks Randy...I appreciate that...dont know if you have watched more videos but I preachin the them seems like lately clean as you go...and if you watch closely in videos that during the cooks you will see dirty griddle and clean in the next second right in the same clip because thats what I am doing...
Wow I was number one to like this video . As you can see I lead a busy life. Watch plenty tv. I wanted a campchef 6 burner griddle but can't afford it so I bought a Blackstone. I like it but I have. 2. Three burner camping stoves from campchef already. But human nature all ways want to upgrade. Thank you Frank from montana.
@@TheFlatTopKing I love the campchef more then blackstone cause I have had campchef stoves for about 20 years . I use it every year at the quigley shoot in Forsyth montana every year . it works great . one is called the explorer the other one is called the tundra . like I said we as human's must upgrade every so often , or we all would be living in tents ,! Ps Do you have a p.o. box I would like to send you something.. Thank you Frank from montana.
Great video. Intend to use tap water it even sometimes warn/hot water in my squirt bottle. But cleaning as you go and letting it cool is good advice. I too have used flattops in the military. Clean as you go was an absolute rule.
I enjoy your videos.. Thank you for sharing. My wife recently bought me a Blackstone which I haven't used yet but your videos will help me get through the process of seasoning and cleaning after use..
Hi! I have learned several things that will help me keep my flat top in good shape in the future. My issue is that my son seasoned my new 22" flat top and now EVERY time I cook, the food comes off with all kinds of black color to it. I tried eggs and they were SO ugly, tasted okay, no burnt flavor, they were just covered in ugly black oil I presume. How can I stop this and start over with the seasoning - re-seasoning process?? Thanks for your help and I can't wait to watch all your other video's! Tana
Hey guys, and thank you for the awesome videos:-) Today I picked up a 36 and I'm about to give my starter 22 to my son. :) I will also give him a link to your channel 😎
I watch when the dudes at Benihana do to clean the grill, they use a spritz of water and a wet cotton towel to scrub after scraping it with the steel blade. They do that over and over and over every day and their grills are perfect. I tried the same method on my new Blackstone, and it works really well.
I almost agree...remember one big difference...these are NOT stainless steel griddles and should be treated different That being said I wish I could have created a different video about that and touched more on adding water to clean. Yes I do it as well its just not necessary all the time and if taught to clean as you go and understanding griddle temps, it can save a ton of time and maintenance
Thank you! You and your wife have the best relationship… would it be possible for her to do a cook and then have her narriiate or your twll heer how to clean as you go. I am a strong and amazing cook. But your videos of you all cooking together as a family really helped my brain understand the deets (if that makes sense). I know ow you all have the “extra” fans but it’s great to have a channel which has actually helped me. So that is an idea. 😍
just got the 28" blackstone for my birthday. your videos have been super informative and helpful for me getting started in the flat top world. I love your content sir, keep it up!
So when you finish cooking and cleaning and give it a quick re-season, should you let that oil burn off again like you did in the first seasoning? Great videos by the way!
On my most recent video...i did a quick cleaning....I showed how much water I used... not much I can tell you that...and I cleaned after a sticky cook...check out sweet and sour chicken...
I was lucky enough to catch your tip on cleaning as you go and it has worked great. Watching temps is the constant of using the griddle, on that I'm still learning. Turning off burners seems to be a good technique so far. That said, I rarely use any setting above low.
I had an Aunt stay with my family when I deployed so she could take care of my kids while my wife worked. 15 months go by and my Aunt clean everything, bless her heart. Miss cleans everything, she got to my cast iron pans I have many pans and a flat top, my wife told me this before I got home from the airport. I thought "no biggie." Boy was I wrong, she bout scrubbed a hole in each pan because she said she couldn't get the black off. Many started rusting by the time I was able to re-season everything. My poor pans 😢 😭
Hi videos are great love watching them. I am a new flat top owner. I started using paper towels, but it seems like when I use the paper towels It leaves a lot of little tiny pieces of paper towel on the flat top How do I solve this problem thank you.
I just got my blackstone and seasoned it but did not sand it. Can I still sand it? Do I need to? My bacon stuck to the grill and I’m not sure what I did wrong. Did 5 seasonings with small amounts of oil. Let it burn off each time. And cool at the end. Like you suggested. Thank you. Love your videos!!
I did the same thing as you just showed,moved the food around and I have a 3 burner portable gas griddle and I keep 1 side open so I could you move the food to the cool side so I can clean where I just cooked the food and scrape and clean so it won't be hard to clean when I get done cooking
Brand New to griddle cooking… we mostly eat fish and Chicken. Will that be ok to interchange the food? Or will the the ‘seasoning’ from the fish get on the chicken?
36 inch Blackstone for 2 years...I lightly scrape while cooking and then steam with water while hot...no rust or season flaking in 2 years....water to steam is fine. No warping either. Season has held super solid. Not sure why so many people hate on the steam method. Mine is not discolored at all in 2 years of using this method.
Thats a great seasoning for sure...I think its all about miss information and what HISTORY has done vs actually changing with times...there are actually people how think you cant use water on cast iron either...so I think that spills over...
Just got a flat top from a buddy. Got a char grilled 4 burner. I love it! I did notice that it seems like after every cook I see bits of season chipping away. Is there something I am doing wrong to cause this? I follow your videos and am very gentle with the tools. Any ideas?
I have a video on why your seasoning sucks...this should really answer the necessary steps...I would also point you faster to my Grill Brick video...this will show exactly what I think needs to happen since you are mentioning chipping in the seasoning..
My griddle looked clean after I did my first seasoning of it. But, when I started cooking an onion on it a few days later the onion picked up a bunch of small black dots. It looked like I sprinkled it with superfine pepper. How do I clean the griddle to get rid of that?
Question. Just used my Blackstone for the first time. I seasoned 6 thin layers of avacado oil before cooking. I cooked breakfast and cleaned up (as a went along and at the end). I really scraped all the food pieces and put water down and scraped more. I maybe should have more but immediately after putting the water on I had brown spots. We panicked and thought it was oxidation (in retrospect it was probably bacon grease?) and wiped up the water really well. I then added a thin layer of Avacado oil and let it cook on high until all the smoke cleared up which took a lot longer than it did with the initial season. After all of this, I can still see faint outlines of the bacon’s initial placement. It might be just a hair sticky too. Did I mess something up? Can it be fixed?
How often after cooking, cleaning and applying a very thin coat of oil, do you raise the temperature to 500+ degrees to let the grill surface smoke and add another layer of seasoning?
Does the flattop undercarriage need any maintenance? Seems like rust could form under there. Thanks for the lessons. Im looking hard at getting one of these.
Nope...not that we know of...they all will develop some rust underneath...but if you try to season the underneath it will just burn off from the direct heat..
You mentioned a wash rag and a dish towel.. I figured the dish towel was the towel you use to wipe off your utensils during the cook… beef, pork, chicken etc … if so, I was wondering how you would clean that towel. You said you use water and soap and just rinse it.
Brow wipe. I wasn’t the biggest fan how it turned out. Oh well. Hey Bob. I just filmed a cook on Picanha . Honestly I can’t believe I haven’t had it before. Definitely a do again.
@@TheFlatTopKing Good on ya! It is a nice cut with good flavor. I typically hang mine in my Bronco drum to simulate the Brazilian skewer method. Looking forward to your method and outcome.
My first time I used my Blackstone, I made a London Broil that I had marinated in soy sauce. I tried to clean as I went, but I now have a couple of spot that have burnt on. What do I do to get those spots off now?
Loving all your videos and recipes but currently have a stainless steel flat top grill…not much choice in uk and struggling to find cleaning/seasoning tips…do I just clean with a brick after each use?…any advice much appreciated!
Well i dont think you have to brick after every use...light cooking I would wipe off and keep oiled...but anytime it builds up yeah you will have to brick it..it honestly depends on usage and what you are making..
I am just starting out with flat top griddling so thanks for the great videos. Do you re oil the griddle on low heat after cleaning it on each use or do you re oil only on an as needed basis??
On your flat top your left my right the discoloration, is that because of seasoning issues or just usage? Can that be fixed? Basically what’s your thoughts on that. My griddle has a few spots like that and I was wondering your opinion when this Happens or how it happens. Thank you!!
100 seasoning...it comes and goes...just like cast iron..just clean very well and add some oil and burn it off....or just pay attention to that area when cooking...all my griddles so far have done it...
We just bought our first pit boss deluxe griddle, and we cured it for the first time, following a video. The oil is all on the center, it’s all yucky. Is that how it’s suppose to be
YES>>>>those are for stainless steel.....not rolled steel...the difference is bigger than night and day...this is like cast iron..it needs seasoning...
Thank you! If only I can send a picture. I have been scrapping, wiping and using Blackstone seasoning after every cook. I do that as it’s cooling down. Should I be leaving the heat on? Plus, we have been cooking on it everyday for a week or more. And it looks like some areas are chipping. I am afraid to use too much water or scrap it hard. So not sure if it’s residue or it’s from me scrapping that’s it’s breaking the flat top. Thanks if you having any tips. First timer here lol.
Yeah thats just a part of it...I am going through that right now on my Camp chef and will be doing a video soon on it... your griddle seasons itself 3 ways...before during or after....just keep that in mind. You might now need to heat up after a cook depending on what you cooked
Proud to say I cooked my first smash burgers tonight on my new Blackstone that I got for Christmas😀 Watched this video and clean up worked perfectly. I do have one question though. After scraping, I noticed the grill top showed little marks of silver throughout where I scraped. Is that where the seasoning scraped off or is this not normal?
That is awesome! Could be a bur in the scraper...could be not as tuff seasoning since its new....could be the type of oil used when seasoning...I have noticed that vegetable oil leaves my griddle brown when scraped... it could be uneven pressure being applied and lastly could be and uneven griddle top... Just keep an eye on it and see if we can figure it out...
Thanks so much for taking the time to respond! It really looks like the unseasoned top underneath coming through. It’s not bad, just little spots of it. I seasoned it with the blackstone seasoning first and seemed to work well. I used olive oil yesterday when cooking and felt i used adequate pressure and didn’t scrape unevenly. I just didn’t want to be doing something wrong and ruin my top.
As a blacksmith I really have to agree about not pouring water onto hot iron, if any kind, and cast iron in particular. When you see a blacksmith quench steel or iron we are not "cooling" the metal. We, usually, are tempering the hardness. You don't do it right and you can run a piece. Just fyi
I have cooked with cast iron for many, many years, so I agree with the drill completely. Just a question, if I may. In the video with the first cleaning, there was still an obvious stuck food spot on the left side of the grill (from my perspective), and cleaning after the pork chops, the whole right side looked like there was residue left. I never leave this type of obvious residue on my cast iron. Please comment!
These griddls hit more sunlight then most indoor cast iron...if not all debris was off thats one me...i rewatched an I personally thought it was the coloring of the griddle...you are correct...get it off...
@@TheFlatTopKing I wondered if it might be the sunlight. Thanks for the reply. I just bought a flat top grill "topper" (I guess you could call it), for my two burner Camp Chef cooker, and was in the process of getting it seasoned while watching your videos. I could tell when it looked about right, after about 5 or 6 processing times, and I fried a couple of eggs on it. They slid around like they were on greased glass. I believe it is good. Thanks for your excellent videos!!
I have one. I have never used it on my flattop but im sure you can. I just always stress the importance of clean as you go. But by all means try it. I would try steam first though.
What I would like to see is for us 1st timers who have already made a mess making chicken stir fry with soy sauce. What is best way to clean up the dried on sugars and have it ready for next cooking.
I just cooked some sliced pork roast on my new camp chef griddle , it stuck so bad it actually peeled when I tried to turn it , I mean stuck bad , was it to hot ? Not hot enough ? Its preseasoned and I put oil down , luckily it cleaned up ok
I have a video when I received mine for the fist time...i actually seasoned over top of the original seasoning because i didn't not trust it...I think yours just need more attention...the heat should not have been a problem
so many varied opinions---I trust you....are you saying wipe all the oil and grease off when done? I see people suggesting that we shouuld put a thin layer of oil on and then cover it with a mat
THAT depends on what oil is left over..typically animal fats will go bad if not used fast enough....you can absolutely leave on...just have to use it...so it really depends on what fat is used last
New to all of this, and want to know.... Dumb question: After you season after the cook, and you turn your flat top on low for a few minutes, I guess til a bit of smoke rolls, then you turn it off. Do you let it cool before you close the lid, or shut the lid right after you turn it off?
I'm really enjoying your content as I research cooking on a griddle. In the past couple of videos it seems like your grill top is not level. As you are scraping it, it sounds like it moves up and down on one side. Is that correct or what are we hearing? Is this something to expect?
I know my deck leans to the right as you see it but I haven’t noticed it rocking up and down. Im cooking on it tomorrow ill check it out. My deck leans that way. I move my flattop all the time for my weber and other table. So i don’t spend the time to correct it every time. Thanks for the kind words.
Just bought 3 burner Razor Griddle, paid $90 on clearance down from $280, at Camping World. But paid $30 for membership. So King do you have any experience with this model ,and information greatly appreciated 🙏 . Subbed to your channel, great info here.
Good stuff! Hey Butch I personally do not...but if you haven’t join our FB group...The GRIDDLE GROUP on Facebook..tons of people have em and will be glad to reach out...
So when you wipe it down with the paper towel, and the paper towel gets all that brown stuff on it, the griddle is safe to cook on and eat the food? Happens to me so I'm curious. Thanks.
@@TheFlatTopKing thanks man I truly appreciate it. I’ve been trying to get this crap off for the last 45 minutes 😂. My concerns were about the animal fat going rancid and making us sick
Hey brother I wanted to know (I have the 22 inch blackstone) how long can you leave the blackstone on high with out any food on it. For example I bought the dome and rack you have and wanted to cook a pizza like in an oven. That might take about 20 minutes so leaving it on high it will smoke but I don't know if it would damage The Griddle itself because of being in high heat without anything being cooked on it thank you very much for your help I again love watching your videos and I am the Navy guy that sent you a comment a while back take care of my brother
Yeah thats a tuff one. I don't think griddle pizza is worth the effort. Some things in my honest opinion are just stretched too thin. Can you do it Yeah, IS it worth it NO. I have tried several times and have been unhappy. The dough just cant get the 360 degress it needs to help the top. Plus you are risking your flat top on high as well. $250 griddle, vs a $10 pizza. Just my opinion
I seasoned my flat top with Crisco according to your instructions. The first thing I cooked on it was burgers but they seemed to stick to the griddle. I also applied avocado oil prior to cooking the burgers (they were Bubba burgers). Any idea why they stuck to the griddle and were hard to scrap off? Is this normal? Thanks!
Not exactly sure. Which video are you referring to. I just seasoned my Blackstone less than a week ago and then my first cook i just filmed cheesesteaks. I didnt notice any thing i would have done different. You can tell in the cook that nothing stuck. If you are referring to the Camp Chef video they come preseasoned and I think would make it more full proof. Honestly it would be hard to know with out seeing the cook. Did you preheat the griddle enough. Not familiar with Bubba Burgers. Do you think it was the crust that you want doing a smashburger. If so that take a little getting use to to make sure the crust came off. If things are sticking one thing we did in the Navy was preheat your griddle, add your avocado oil and add about 5/6 eggs for a 36in griddle and smash and scramble right on the flat top. Smash the eggs in the griddle. Let the eggs kinda over cook and keep spreading all over the griddle. Scrape off with scraper get all eggs back off and reapply oil.
@@TheFlatTopKing Thanks for the quick response. I was referring to the Camp Chef Flat Top Grill Review and First Seasoning video. I actually have a Camp Chef 4 burner griddle. I did preheat the griddle on low. It may have been the crust from the Bubba burgers (frozen patties) that stuck to the griddle. I also cooked cheesesteaks with peppers, onions and mushrooms but those seemed to not stick to the griddle. I enjoy your watching your videos so keep up the good work. Thanks again for the feedback, Matt.
I wouldn’t say very but I understand. Cook cook and cook more. The more u scrape and clean and burn the smoother it will get. Just like cast iron. Always finish with a thin coating of oil and pre heat slowly. About med/low.
Great cleaning and seasoning techniques. My question is, in the real world you don't want to spend your time cleaning while your guests or family are enjoying the food you prepared. Can you wait awhile to clean? Maybe even the next day. If you wait is the technic the same? Thanks
Yes… cleaning as you go will speed up That process. Mines has been dirty for 3 days because the extreme cold. Just warm up. Allow the fats to become loose. Add water if needed and make sure you bring to a high temp. 400 plus for any bacteria
Grab the detailed instructions here...theflattopking.com/how-to-clean-a-flat-top-grill/
You’re videos inspire me to do more cooking on my griddle. The info you provide is priceless, your experience and knowledge really shines through. Thank you! I’m a retired Coast Guard and I thank you for your service to our country!
Well....first thank you for your service...secondly...thank you...appreciate that..
I enjoy watching your videos. Your going to be my go to guy for griddle information. I also enjoy how you and the Mrs. are doing it together. My wife likes that too. Keep up the good work.
Awesome! Thank you! We appreciate the support
Dude thanks so much for this explanation man, really helps out. And thanks for your Navy service, from an Army vet. Hooah!
Thanks for your service as well...cheers
Paper towels can leave a ton of lint in the seasoning causing more lamination. The blue stop towels leave less. The best is definitely using tea towels, bandanas, or equivalent for your final wipe down. Almost all fats are great for seasoning but for year end storage or limited use, I have found grape seed oil to work best over the years. I'm with you 100% on avocado oil being the go to for cooking. Something I don't see mentioned enough is avoiding cooking sprays at all costs! Although some of your videos drive me insane, I keep coming back for more. Great job, keep them coming!! 👊🏻
HHAHAAHAH win some loose some...just keep coming back
The Chosen avocado spray is just oil and compressed air NOT chemical propellants. No harm no foul.
@@damiangrouse4564 I was referring to pam and all the other various knock offs. Chosen is good sh!t.
@@kurplop3589 i guess I haven’t got the videos were anything other than chosen is used
Well Shit I was using soap and water, under low heat! Until I noticed some rust starting to develop in some areas! Crapola
I thought I was The Flat Top King, but I've seen a few of your videos, and clearly I am mistaken. I shall sub now. Thank you!
You are! Just a name...others were taken...thanks for the sub..
I am brand new to the flat top world. I was lucky enough to come across your channel. I lightly sanded it, cleaned it and seasoned it like 5 times. Then I started to cook on it. Breakfast was the first thing I cooked. I did have some stickage on the potatoes and eggs. Was not sure if I did anything wrong or if that is normal and will get less and less as the seasoning builds. I’m going to try my hand at burgers tonight. Thanks for all the info it was been awesome watching you and your lovely wife. Keep them coming.
Sounds like your doing just fine...no doubt it happens...YOU are 100 correct...at this point just keep cooking fatty foods...thanks so much for the support
I had to watch several bad videos on cleaning griddles until this guy. Clean as you go is a aerospace manufacturing practice I learned and it makes sense to get it done while hot.. You obviously know what your talking about. Thanks for this insightful tutorial.
Hey I appreciate that Dwight..
I am a beginner, and your videos have helped a lot
Thanks Douglas...
Oh I’m so excited to get my flat top tomorrow! Lol, I bought it for my husband… But I think it’s gonna be mine. 😂I have watched so many of your videos and cannot thank you enough for all the information. I think I am ready.
Told you I’d watch your videos. This is a great one for me being a novice. And did I hear correctly, “that’s what we did in the Navy”. I’m a retired HT1.
First thanks for your service...Cheers to many days at sea...CS2 SW....4 years...east coast
@@TheFlatTopKing
And yours as well! I was West Coast and Panama Central America.
As an owner of an FTG600, this is my go to channel. Great content all around. Keep up the good work!
I’ve had my Blackstone for a week now & after watching your videos I’ve been cleaning as I go. So far I have not used water to clean it & the surface looks better each time I cook.
When I 1st read the title of the channel my 1st thought was “Ya right” well after watching your video & others in my opinion your are top notch. There are others that I enjoy too. There are also a bunch that just like hearing themself talk. Some say drink a beer, make a video even if the information is wrong. I do believe Neal knows what he’s talking about, with his videos being both informative & entertaining. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Hey I truly appreciate that....really...thank you
Just found your channel and subbed…thank you for these videos. I just got a 16 inch two burner camp chef flat top for my Tahoe…learning how to season and care for it now
they thats awesome...really appreciate that...cheers
As an old Boomer I have watched Wafflehouse cooks for 50 years as i sit at the counter. Clean as you Go is the Best advice! Please also tell folks that the rag or paper towel you finish up with does not have to be pristine clean! I also remember when the cook would dump ice on the grill....later I saw they changed it to a thick wet rag to steam of their grill. thanks !
Awesome video! So glad I found your channel on tik tok. Ordered 8 items from your attached links. Thanks again for the tips!!!!
Yes sir...reach out if we can help...thanks for the support
I love your channel, good advice, clean conversation. I come to your channel because it’s wholesome and entertaining. Just a newbie but if and I mean if, I need to use water, I will FIRST nuke the water in the microwave to get it hot, but not scalding to where it may burn my hand, then I put in my bottle and use it to help clean my mess on my flattop. That way I don’t have to worry about ruining the top.
NO....not at all...you CAN use water...but I dont want to teach it like that...its more of ZONE watering....imagine your griddle in 4 pieces...then add water to one section...clean...then move to next section...just dont douse the whole griddle with water
One of the most important things I look for when watching these video's on cooking or maintaining the flat top is, does the person doing the video know the correct way or just doing it their way. I guess both works, but i prefer the correct way. You and Amy have taught me the Navy way, and I have confidence thats the correct way. Keep up the good work. I trust your judgement.
Thanks Randy...I appreciate that...dont know if you have watched more videos but I preachin the them seems like lately clean as you go...and if you watch closely in videos that during the cooks you will see dirty griddle and clean in the next second right in the same clip because thats what I am doing...
I cook a lot using cast iron pans and skillets, so I transitioned easily to the Camp Chef and cleaning it as I go. Love your channel!
Much appreciated. Thanks Kyle
Wow I was number one to like this video . As you can see I lead a busy life. Watch plenty tv. I wanted a campchef 6 burner griddle but can't afford it so I bought a Blackstone. I like it but I have. 2. Three burner camping stoves from campchef already. But human nature all ways want to upgrade. Thank you Frank from montana.
Your funny Frank. Thats twice now you have been number 1. Do u have a preference on the blackstone or camp chef or are they to different to compare.
@@TheFlatTopKing I love the campchef more then blackstone cause I have had campchef stoves for about 20 years . I use it every year at the quigley shoot in Forsyth montana every year . it works great . one is called the explorer the other one is called the tundra . like I said we as human's must upgrade every so often , or we all would be living in tents ,! Ps Do you have a p.o. box I would like to send you something.. Thank you Frank from montana.
I do. Let Amy check tomorrow to make sure its still active.
Great video. Intend to use tap water it even sometimes warn/hot water in my squirt bottle. But cleaning as you go and letting it cool is good advice. I too have used flattops in the military. Clean as you go was an absolute rule.
Yes sir...thanks Anthony...where did you serve
@@TheFlatTopKing I was in the Marines for 20 years. Cooking on a flattop seems like second nature.
I enjoy your videos.. Thank you for sharing. My wife recently bought me a Blackstone which I haven't used yet but your videos will help me get through the process of seasoning and cleaning after use..
Glad you like them!
Hi! I have learned several things that will help me keep my flat top in good shape in the future. My issue is that my son seasoned my new 22" flat top and now EVERY time I cook, the food comes off with all kinds of black color to it. I tried eggs and they were SO ugly, tasted okay, no burnt flavor, they were just covered in ugly black oil I presume. How can I stop this and start over with the seasoning - re-seasoning process?? Thanks for your help and I can't wait to watch all your other video's! Tana
Hey guys, and thank you for the awesome videos:-)
Today I picked up a 36 and I'm about to give my starter 22 to my son. :)
I will also give him a link to your channel 😎
Hey thanks Hugh.....always appreciate that...
I watch when the dudes at Benihana do to clean the grill, they use a spritz of water and a wet cotton towel to scrub after scraping it with the steel blade. They do that over and over and over every day and their grills are perfect. I tried the same method on my new Blackstone, and it works really well.
I almost agree...remember one big difference...these are NOT stainless steel griddles and should be treated different
That being said I wish I could have created a different video about that and touched more on adding water to clean.
Yes I do it as well its just not necessary all the time and if taught to clean as you go and understanding griddle temps, it can save a ton of time and maintenance
Thank you! You and your wife have the best relationship… would it be possible for her to do a cook and then have her narriiate or your twll heer how to clean as you go. I am a strong and amazing cook. But your videos of you all cooking together as a family really helped my brain understand the deets (if that makes sense). I know ow you all have the “extra” fans but it’s great to have a channel which has actually helped me. So that is an idea. 😍
Awesome video! As a retired Navy vet (74-94; retired CTMCS) I appreciate your Navy service.
just got the 28" blackstone for my birthday. your videos have been super informative and helpful for me getting started in the flat top world. I love your content sir, keep it up!
ty
So when you finish cooking and cleaning and give it a quick re-season, should you let that oil burn off again like you did in the first seasoning? Great videos by the way!
Just got a new flattop. Loving it.
Awesome
Yep, always clean as you go
I tend to use a real scraper and clean while it's hot. He is absolutely right about cleaning while you go and treat it like cast iron.
thanks bud....
Great video. I’ve learned so much from watching. Go Navy!!
Hey thank you...Go Navy
You made it look simple... I liked the tip that you rub oil on outside... I did watch other videos that liked to use allot of water... Any thoughts?
On my most recent video...i did a quick cleaning....I showed how much water I used... not much I can tell you that...and I cleaned after a sticky cook...check out sweet and sour chicken...
Great show know how's. I cooked Roadkill last nite it was greasy hard to clean off, I got out angle grinder with wire brush it worked awesome. 😅😅😅
Thanks bro ! Just bought my first flat top ! Love it, concerned I might wreck it when cleaning, your clips help tremendously salute sir
Great. Glad i could help. Reach out if you need anything
Still watching these older ones (videos). 👍
Glad you like them and thank you
Used to use pickle juice in a restaurant I worked at as a teenager. Cleaned very well.
was the griddle stainless steel...interesting
I was lucky enough to catch your tip on cleaning as you go and it has worked great. Watching temps is the constant of using the griddle, on that I'm still learning. Turning off burners seems to be a good technique so far. That said, I rarely use any setting above low.
Absolutely....great catch....the temps are hard but cleaning as you go can be taught to anyone
Really informative video on the do’s and don’ts of cleaning your flat top. Like seasoning your cast iron cookware after each use. Thank you sharing.
I had an Aunt stay with my family when I deployed so she could take care of my kids while my wife worked. 15 months go by and my Aunt clean everything, bless her heart. Miss cleans everything, she got to my cast iron pans I have many pans and a flat top, my wife told me this before I got home from the airport. I thought "no biggie." Boy was I wrong, she bout scrubbed a hole in each pan because she said she couldn't get the black off. Many started rusting by the time I was able to re-season everything.
My poor pans 😢 😭
Holy cow. Great thing you can always reseaon but what a chore. Hopefully lesson learned. What branch were/are you in
lol that story was amazing😂
@@TheFlatTopKing Army and then Army Bat Guard
Hi videos are great love watching them. I am a new flat top owner. I started using paper towels, but it seems like when I use the paper towels It leaves a lot of little tiny pieces of paper towel on the flat top How do I solve this problem thank you.
I just got my blackstone and seasoned it but did not sand it. Can I still sand it? Do I need to? My bacon stuck to the grill and I’m not sure what I did wrong. Did 5 seasonings with small amounts of oil. Let it burn off each time. And cool at the end. Like you suggested. Thank you. Love your videos!!
Ay bro you got me thru round 2 of the Rona. I had to sub.
Dang Sal Hope all is well. My 1 round was easy. We will see what else comes by. Thanks for the sub and welcome to the family.
Love the videos, they have been very helpful, one question, why do you oil the outsides of the grill at the end?
same reason as the inside...helps to keep it from rusting....helps repel moisture
I did the same thing as you just showed,moved the food around and I have a 3 burner portable gas griddle and I keep 1 side open so I could you move the food to the cool side so I can clean where I just cooked the food and scrape and clean so it won't be hard to clean when I get done cooking
really best way for sure...
You are an excellent teacher
thank you...
Outstanding 😊
Brand New to griddle cooking… we mostly eat fish and Chicken. Will that be ok to interchange the food? Or will the the ‘seasoning’ from the fish get on the chicken?
no that fine...just good cleaning and maintenance
Great information…were you a chef in the navy?
Yes...my last video was my first tribute to the food from there...pepper steak
Thank you for sharing this tip
Absolutely
Thank, great content. Glad i discovered it.
Welcome aboard!
36 inch Blackstone for 2 years...I lightly scrape while cooking and then steam with water while hot...no rust or season flaking in 2 years....water to steam is fine. No warping either. Season has held super solid. Not sure why so many people hate on the steam method. Mine is not discolored at all in 2 years of using this method.
Thats a great seasoning for sure...I think its all about miss information and what HISTORY has done vs actually changing with times...there are actually people how think you cant use water on cast iron either...so I think that spills over...
once again Well done👍
Thank you! Cheers!
Just got a flat top from a buddy. Got a char grilled 4 burner. I love it! I did notice that it seems like after every cook I see bits of season chipping away. Is there something I am doing wrong to cause this? I follow your videos and am very gentle with the tools. Any ideas?
I have a video on why your seasoning sucks...this should really answer the necessary steps...I would also point you faster to my Grill Brick video...this will show exactly what I think needs to happen since you are mentioning chipping in the seasoning..
My griddle looked clean after I did my first seasoning of it. But, when I started cooking an onion on it a few days later the onion picked up a bunch of small black dots. It looked like I sprinkled it with superfine pepper. How do I clean the griddle to get rid of that?
Question. Just used my Blackstone for the first time. I seasoned 6 thin layers of avacado oil before cooking. I cooked breakfast and cleaned up (as a went along and at the end). I really scraped all the food pieces and put water down and scraped more. I maybe should have more but immediately after putting the water on I had brown spots. We panicked and thought it was oxidation (in retrospect it was probably bacon grease?) and wiped up the water really well. I then added a thin layer of Avacado oil and let it cook on high until all the smoke cleared up which took a lot longer than it did with the initial season. After all of this, I can still see faint outlines of the bacon’s initial placement. It might be just a hair sticky too. Did I mess something up? Can it be fixed?
Thanks for showing how to clean.
Absolutely
How often after cooking, cleaning and applying a very thin coat of oil, do you raise the temperature to 500+ degrees to let the grill surface smoke and add another layer of seasoning?
Does the flattop undercarriage need any maintenance? Seems like rust could form under there.
Thanks for the lessons. Im looking hard at getting one of these.
Nope...not that we know of...they all will develop some rust underneath...but if you try to season the underneath it will just burn off from the direct heat..
Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Much appreciated.
I have gone thru only 30 of your vids and I have enjoyed every single one so far!
Great compliment. Ty.
Any input on the Rescue Brush for cleaning or just too much water?
Dont see a need...I personally have not used...been asked...just not for me...
When you talk about your “dish towel” is that the towel you also use to wipe your spatula after flipping raw chicken?
Been a while but I Don’t remember using chicken in this video
You mentioned a wash rag and a dish towel.. I figured the dish towel was the towel you use to wipe off your utensils during the cook… beef, pork, chicken etc … if so, I was wondering how you would clean that towel. You said you use water and soap and just rinse it.
Good tutorial and common sense lessons, better than many on UA-cam. Hopefully folks will see it an learn.
Brow wipe. I wasn’t the biggest fan how it turned out. Oh well. Hey Bob. I just filmed a cook on Picanha . Honestly I can’t believe I haven’t had it before. Definitely a do again.
@@TheFlatTopKing Good on ya! It is a nice cut with good flavor. I typically hang mine in my Bronco drum to simulate the Brazilian skewer method. Looking forward to your method and outcome.
excellent how too ..
Glad you liked it
My first time I used my Blackstone, I made a London Broil that I had marinated in soy sauce. I tried to clean as I went, but I now have a couple of spot that have burnt on. What do I do to get those spots off now?
Kosher salt
I have trouble cleaning my camping griddle after heating baked beans. Maybe now that I have seen you clean as you go it won't be much of a chore.
Loving all your videos and recipes but currently have a stainless steel flat top grill…not much choice in uk and struggling to find cleaning/seasoning tips…do I just clean with a brick after each use?…any advice much appreciated!
Well i dont think you have to brick after every use...light cooking I would wipe off and keep oiled...but anytime it builds up yeah you will have to brick it..it honestly depends on usage and what you are making..
I am just starting out with flat top griddling so thanks for the great videos. Do you re oil the griddle on low heat after cleaning it on each use or do you re oil only on an as needed basis??
After each use if cleaned with water...if you make grilled cheese...or bacon or pancakes...just wipe clean and use the oils leftover...
On your flat top your left my right the discoloration, is that because of seasoning issues or just usage? Can that be fixed? Basically what’s your thoughts on that. My griddle has a few spots like that and I was wondering your opinion when this Happens or how it happens. Thank you!!
100 seasoning...it comes and goes...just like cast iron..just clean very well and add some oil and burn it off....or just pay attention to that area when cooking...all my griddles so far have done it...
@@TheFlatTopKing thank you 🙏
We just bought our first pit boss deluxe griddle, and we cured it for the first time, following a video. The oil is all on the center, it’s all yucky. Is that how it’s suppose to be
Here is my video on seasoning mistakes...ua-cam.com/video/RvEBaKZ8W-U/v-deo.html
I have a blackstone if you you use like cleaning packets would you have to re season?
YES>>>>those are for stainless steel.....not rolled steel...the difference is bigger than night and day...this is like cast iron..it needs seasoning...
Thank you! If only I can send a picture. I have been scrapping, wiping and using Blackstone seasoning after every cook. I do that as it’s cooling down. Should I be leaving the heat on?
Plus, we have been cooking on it everyday for a week or more. And it looks like some areas are chipping. I am afraid to use too much water or scrap it hard. So not sure if it’s residue or it’s from me scrapping that’s it’s breaking the flat top.
Thanks if you having any tips. First timer here lol.
Yeah thats just a part of it...I am going through that right now on my Camp chef and will be doing a video soon on it...
your griddle seasons itself 3 ways...before during or after....just keep that in mind.
You might now need to heat up after a cook depending on what you cooked
Proud to say I cooked my first smash burgers tonight on my new Blackstone that I got for Christmas😀
Watched this video and clean up worked perfectly. I do have one question though. After scraping, I noticed the grill top showed little marks of silver throughout where I scraped. Is that where the seasoning scraped off or is this not normal?
That is awesome!
Could be a bur in the scraper...could be not as tuff seasoning since its new....could be the type of oil used when seasoning...I have noticed that vegetable oil leaves my griddle brown when scraped... it could be uneven pressure being applied and lastly could be and uneven griddle top...
Just keep an eye on it and see if we can figure it out...
Thanks so much for taking the time to respond! It really looks like the unseasoned top underneath coming through. It’s not bad, just little spots of it. I seasoned
it with the blackstone seasoning first and seemed to work well. I used olive oil yesterday when cooking and felt i used adequate pressure and didn’t scrape unevenly. I just didn’t want to be doing something wrong and ruin my top.
As a blacksmith I really have to agree about not pouring water onto hot iron, if any kind, and cast iron in particular. When you see a blacksmith quench steel or iron we are not "cooling" the metal. We, usually, are tempering the hardness. You don't do it right and you can run a piece. Just fyi
Thanks for the info.
Sooooo...the oil thats the same temperature as the water doesnt warp it when you squirt it onto the same hot flat top???
thank you brother
Yes Sir
After oiling, you don't turn it on to burn off the excess oil like you would with a cast iron pan?
Not if its the last batch...I would not burn off the the oil on cast iron either...only if I m in the seasoning process...
Thanks great video
After I clean my Blackstone griddle after a cook do I half to heat it back up till it smokes
Not every time...I have a video on how to reseason your griddle...it shows the 3 ways to keep your griddle in great shape....
@@TheFlatTopKing thank you so much I’m from Arkansas really enjoy your videos
Great tutorial. Thanks
Yes Sir
I have cooked with cast iron for many, many years, so I agree with the drill completely. Just a question, if I may. In the video with the first cleaning, there was still an obvious stuck food spot on the left side of the grill (from my perspective), and cleaning after the pork chops, the whole right side looked like there was residue left. I never leave this type of obvious residue on my cast iron. Please comment!
These griddls hit more sunlight then most indoor cast iron...if not all debris was off thats one me...i rewatched an I personally thought it was the coloring of the griddle...you are correct...get it off...
@@TheFlatTopKing I wondered if it might be the sunlight. Thanks for the reply. I just bought a flat top grill "topper" (I guess you could call it), for my two burner Camp Chef cooker, and was in the process of getting it seasoned while watching your videos. I could tell when it looked about right, after about 5 or 6 processing times, and I fried a couple of eggs on it. They slid around like they were on greased glass. I believe it is good. Thanks for your excellent videos!!
@@leathersaddlehorse hey I appreciate the support. cheers to some good food in the future
What about using that chain link "Sponge" like lodge makes for cleaning?
I have one. I have never used it on my flattop but im sure you can. I just always stress the importance of clean as you go. But by all means try it. I would try steam first though.
What I would like to see is for us 1st timers who have already made a mess making chicken stir fry with soy sauce. What is best way to clean up the dried on sugars and have it ready for next cooking.
I have one working…, thanks bud
Lemon juice works great
I just cooked some sliced pork roast on my new camp chef griddle , it stuck so bad it actually peeled when I tried to turn it , I mean stuck bad , was it to hot ? Not hot enough ? Its preseasoned and I put oil down , luckily it cleaned up ok
I have a video when I received mine for the fist time...i actually seasoned over top of the original seasoning because i didn't not trust it...I think yours just need more attention...the heat should not have been a problem
Ok awsome , thank you for the quick response , I'm going to use it a lot this summer and keep up with the seasoning
so many varied opinions---I trust you....are you saying wipe all the oil and grease off when done? I see people suggesting that we shouuld put a thin layer of oil on and then cover it with a mat
THAT depends on what oil is left over..typically animal fats will go bad if not used fast enough....you can absolutely leave on...just have to use it...so it really depends on what fat is used last
@TheFlatTopKing ...Gravesend, canola or vegetable
Awsome videos
Thanks Edward
New to all of this, and want to know.... Dumb question: After you season after the cook, and you turn your flat top on low for a few minutes, I guess til a bit of smoke rolls, then you turn it off. Do you let it cool before you close the lid, or shut the lid right after you turn it off?
Absolutely...cook, clean oil and let the smoke roll...then just turn off...I let cool down before adding lid...
I'm really enjoying your content as I research cooking on a griddle. In the past couple of videos it seems like your grill top is not level. As you are scraping it, it sounds like it moves up and down on one side. Is that correct or what are we hearing? Is this something to expect?
I know my deck leans to the right as you see it but I haven’t noticed it rocking up and down. Im cooking on it tomorrow ill check it out. My deck leans that way. I move my flattop all the time for my weber and other table. So i don’t spend the time to correct it every time.
Thanks for the kind words.
Bacon fat is my choice ,makes it slick after frying 10 lbs of it.😁😁...good video
Just bought 3 burner Razor Griddle, paid $90 on clearance down from $280, at Camping World. But paid $30 for membership. So King do you have any experience with this model ,and information greatly appreciated 🙏 . Subbed to your channel, great info here.
Good stuff! Hey Butch I personally do not...but if you haven’t join our FB group...The GRIDDLE GROUP on Facebook..tons of people have em and will be glad to reach out...
So when you wipe it down with the paper towel, and the paper towel gets all that brown stuff on it, the griddle is safe to cook on and eat the food? Happens to me so I'm curious. Thanks.
Yes. Typically the brown will never fully come off. You can wipe for days with brown coming off. The heat will kill the bacteria while pre heating.
@@TheFlatTopKing thanks man I truly appreciate it. I’ve been trying to get this crap off for the last 45 minutes 😂. My concerns were about the animal fat going rancid and making us sick
Hey brother I wanted to know (I have the 22 inch blackstone) how long can you leave the blackstone on high with out any food on it. For example I bought the dome and rack you have and wanted to cook a pizza like in an oven. That might take about 20 minutes so leaving it on high it will smoke but I don't know if it would damage The Griddle itself because of being in high heat without anything being cooked on it thank you very much for your help I again love watching your videos and I am the Navy guy that sent you a comment a while back take care of my brother
Yeah thats a tuff one. I don't think griddle pizza is worth the effort. Some things in my honest opinion are just stretched too thin. Can you do it Yeah, IS it worth it NO. I have tried several times and have been unhappy. The dough just cant get the 360 degress it needs to help the top. Plus you are risking your flat top on high as well. $250 griddle, vs a $10 pizza. Just my opinion
Thanks brother for your help. I will take it to heart and not do it. I have a Presto Pizza that is specifically for making pizzas.
What we would do in the restaurant is cook it in the oven, then throw it on the flattop for the crust for a few mins.
I seasoned my flat top with Crisco according to your instructions. The first thing I cooked on it was burgers but they seemed to stick to the griddle. I also applied avocado oil prior to cooking the burgers (they were Bubba burgers). Any idea why they stuck to the griddle and were hard to scrap off? Is this normal? Thanks!
Not exactly sure. Which video are you referring to. I just seasoned my Blackstone less than a week ago and then my first cook i just filmed cheesesteaks. I didnt notice any thing i would have done different. You can tell in the cook that nothing stuck.
If you are referring to the Camp Chef video they come preseasoned and I think would make it more full proof. Honestly it would be hard to know with out seeing the cook. Did you preheat the griddle enough. Not familiar with Bubba Burgers. Do you think it was the crust that you want doing a smashburger. If so that take a little getting use to to make sure the crust came off.
If things are sticking one thing we did in the Navy was preheat your griddle, add your avocado oil and add about 5/6 eggs for a 36in griddle and smash and scramble right on the flat top. Smash the eggs in the griddle. Let the eggs kinda over cook and keep spreading all over the griddle. Scrape off with scraper get all eggs back off and reapply oil.
@@TheFlatTopKing Thanks for the quick response. I was referring to the Camp Chef Flat Top Grill Review and First Seasoning video. I actually have a Camp Chef 4 burner griddle. I did preheat the griddle on low. It may have been the crust from the Bubba burgers (frozen patties) that stuck to the griddle. I also cooked cheesesteaks with peppers, onions and mushrooms but those seemed to not stick to the griddle. I enjoy your watching your videos so keep up the good work. Thanks again for the feedback, Matt.
Charcoal king you are awesome. You take time to really explain everything. I just got my 600 and it is very rough. Is that normal? Thanks.
I wouldn’t say very but I understand. Cook cook and cook more. The more u scrape and clean and burn the smoother it will get. Just like cast iron. Always finish with a thin coating of oil and pre heat slowly. About med/low.
Are these griddles (Blackstone, Webber etc) cast iron like an iron skillet?
No… they are considered cold or hot rolled steel. But they are treated seasoned and maintained like cast iron
Great cleaning and seasoning techniques. My question is, in the real world you don't want to spend your time cleaning while your guests or family are enjoying the food you prepared. Can you wait awhile to clean? Maybe even the next day. If you wait is the technic the same? Thanks
Yes… cleaning as you go will speed up That process. Mines has been dirty for 3 days because the extreme cold. Just warm up. Allow the fats to become loose. Add water if needed and make sure you bring to a high temp. 400 plus for any bacteria
Thank you.