How to clean a Blackstone griddle after every cook (and fix rust)

Step by step: how to clean a blackstone griddle after every cook

Safety first. The steel top stays hot long after the burners are off, and water on a hot plate creates a burst of steam, so wear heat-resistant gloves and keep your face back. Turn the propane off at the tank when you are done, and empty the rear grease cup only after it has cooled.

1. 1

   Scrape while the griddle is still warm

   Turn the burners off, or to low if food is badly stuck. Hold a flat scraper at a low angle and push food scraps and grease toward the grease channel or trap. Warm grease slides off; cold grease smears.

2. 2

   Steam off stuck food with water

   Squirt a small amount of water onto stuck areas while the top is warm. It will sizzle and steam, which loosens the residue. Scrape again, pushing the dirty water into the grease trap.

3. 3

   Scrub stubborn spots with a pad

   If anything is still stuck, rub it gently with a griddle scouring pad and a little water or oil. Work in small circles and stop once the surface is smooth; you are removing food, not seasoning.

4. 4

   Wipe the top dry

   Wipe the whole surface with folded paper towels held in tongs or a gloved hand. Keep wiping until the towels come away with only light brown oil, not black flakes or crumbs.

5. 5

   Spread a thin coat of oil

   Pour 1 to 2 teaspoons of cooking oil onto the warm top and spread it over every inch, edges and corners included. Then wipe it as if you were trying to take it all off. A thin film protects the steel; a thick layer turns sticky.

6. 6

   Empty the grease cup

   Once it has cooled, empty the rear grease cup into the trash or a sealed can, not down a drain. Swap in a fresh foil liner if you use them.

7. 7

   Cover and store it dry

   Put on the hard cover or a fitted canvas cover once the griddle is cool. Store it somewhere dry; moisture under a cover is the usual cause of surface rust between cooks.

Can you use soap on a Blackstone griddle?

Not for routine cleaning. Blackstone’s care guide says to use soap only on a brand-new griddle before its first seasoning and to avoid detergents and oven cleaners afterward, because they break down the seasoning layer and can lead to corrosion.

The seasoning is oil that has been baked into a hard, dark coating on bare steel. It is what makes food release and what keeps the steel from rusting. Water and scraping remove food without harming it, which is why the routine above uses nothing stronger than water and a pad.

Wondering how to clean a flat top grill from another brand? The same scrape, steam, wipe and oil routine suits any seasoned carbon steel or cast iron flat top. If your flat top has a stainless steel, chrome or nonstick cooking surface, it is not seasoned the same way, so follow the cleaning steps in its manual instead.

How to remove rust from a Blackstone griddle

Heat the top to loosen the rust, scrape it off, scour with oil, and re-season. Surface rust is common after a griddle sits under a damp cover and does not mean the plate is ruined.

• Run all burners on high for about 20 minutes, as Blackstone’s rust guide describes, then turn them off and let the top cool enough to work on.
• Scrape the whole surface with a metal scraper until you no longer see loose orange flakes.
• Pour on 3 to 4 tablespoons of cooking oil and scour with a grill stone or fine steel wool. The oil will turn dark orange or brown.
• Wipe it off with paper towels and repeat the oil and scour until the towels come away clean.
• Re-season the griddle as described below before you cook on it again.

How to re-season after a deep clean

Re-season by baking on several very thin coats of oil until the top is dark brown or black. Blackstone’s seasoning guide describes the same routine for a new griddle.

Do this outdoors with good airflow, away from the house, as you would with any grill.

How to handle griddle grease safely

Keep the grease path clear and empty the cup once it cools. Grease that builds up in the channel or overflows the cup can catch fire, and NFPA’s grilling safety tips stress removing grease buildup from grills and the trays below them.

Never pour grease down a sink or storm drain. Let it harden in the cup or a can and throw it out. If you also own a grate grill, our guide to cleaning a grill covers burners and grease trays, and removing rust from cast iron uses the same oil-and-scour logic.

Mistakes to avoid

• Washing the top with dish soap or spraying it with oven cleaner after every cook.
• Letting the griddle cool completely before scraping, so grease sets into a sticky film.
• Leaving a thick layer of oil on the top, which turns gummy and attracts dust.
• Pouring cold water on a very hot griddle, which can warp the steel and throws up a burst of steam.
• Storing it uncovered, or under a cover while still wet, which brings on surface rust.