Cleaning A Blackstone After Cooking

Blackstone Griddles are some of the world's best flat top grills. Learn how to take care of your griddle's cooking surface, preventing the buildup of rust and grease over time. This cleaning tutorial will walk you through everything you need to know, including burner care, grill seasoning, and rust prevention.

blackstone griddle with meat cooking on it and installed propane tank — Photo: Blackstone

Blackstone's range of outdoor griddles are perfect for outdoor grilling, but just like with any kind of cooking station, frequent use can lead to the buildup of grease, wear, and even rust. Here's how to clean your Blackstone griddle, and prevent it from the risk of wear.

After a big cooking session the last thing you might want to do is clean up. This process is even more tedious with grills.

Burned on food. Grease. Charred flakes. It's a tough chore.

It's important to stay regimented with cleanup however. Poor care will lead to your grill degrading over time. Make cleaning your flat top grill or griddle a habit and you'll get the most out of your cooking area.

Look after your grill, and your grill will look after you.

meat cooking on blackstone griddle — Frequent use can easily lead to buildup of fat, grease, and even mold. Photo: Blackstone

Taking care of a griddle isn't tough. Every type of cookware needs some sort of upkeep, and a Blackstone is no different.

Blackstone grills are exceptionally durable, but they're not invincible. Wash it thoroughly and sensibly, and you'll keep it protected for years.

In this guide I'm going to show you how to clean your Blackstone griddle, and reduce the risk of wear, rust and mold.

Let's get into it!

How to season a Blackstone griddle

One of the best things you can do to your grill before you even use it is season it. Don't be thrown by the terminology here: this isn't a process of adding salt to its surface. Instead, it's where we apply a thin layer of oil to the surface of the griddle. We then heat the oil and allow it to set.

What this does is create a thin layer shield over its surface, helping to prevent food sticking to it, and protect it against the threat of rust or wear.

It's a process that we use for all of our barbecue smokers, and grills should be no different.

Simply fill a bucket with warm soapy water, and use a dishcloth or rag to wash down the surface of the grill. This will help to remove any residue or dirt from it being in storage.

Leave the griddle out to dry for about an hour.

Now it's time to start seasoning it. Apply a thin layer of oil across the surface of the grill, and use a cloth to spread it as evenly as possible. Cover every inch of the griddle, working into every area you can.

Turn the heat up on the griddle, onto medium-high heat. Allow it to heat and for the oil to smoke.

Once it starts to smoke, turn the heat off and allow it to cool. Wash down once again with warm soapy water. Allow to dry completely.

Your griddle is now ready to use.

Blackstone grill before and after cleaning

How to clean a Blackstone grill

The best action to take is always preventative, so always aim to clean the griddle after each use.

Blackstone has their own brand scrapers that are great at doing the job for this. They're pretty inexpensive, and I find that for the sake of protecting the warranty is often best to stick to branded tools. Check it out here.

Allow the grill to cool completely. This time, just use warm water and wipe down with a cloth. Try to avoid using soapy water, as continual use will slowly degrade the quality of the griddle surface.

Allow it to dry completely, and then store away in a dry and cool place.

Be sure not to store it away if it's still at all wet. This is asking for trouble as the combination of water, air and steel will inevitably lead to rust.

Steer clear of cleaning products like oven clear or detergents. They're too corrosive and will likely lead to rust or degradation of your Blackstone. Not only this, but they're prone to leaving chemical traces. This can even yield some pretty unpleasant flavors in your meat further down the line.

Also steer clear of abrasive scrubbers. For obvious reasons, they can severely damage a lot of different types of cookware, and your griddle is no different. It might be tempting to use them when you're dealing with burned-on food but stick to simple washcloths. Trust me.

Blackstone griddle maintenance tips

Be sure to preheat the griddle for 10 or so minutes prior to every use. Not only will this make cooking easier, but it will help reduce to risk of meat sticking to the surface of the griddle when you try to remove it. This will make it far easier to clean after use.

For the same reason, use a good amount of oil when cooking. This will help stop the meat from sticking, and will further protect the surface of your griddle.

How to do a deep clean on your Blackstone griddle

While a good wipe down after each use can help prevent a lot of forms of wear, you will need to do a thorough deep clean every now and then.

Grill cleanliness is important for more reasons than just obsessiveness. Any leftover fat can stick on and then cook the next time you use it. This can be dangerous as it will create more smoke and generate unstable flare-ups.

Another reason is that an unclean grill can lead to unpleasant odors, which can permeate your meat and leave it inedible.

Finally, mold can easily develop where food is left on the grill surface. This is not just unpleasant, but also dangerous.

As a general rule, I recommend doing a deep clean on your grill every couple of weeks.

Cleaning Blackstone griddle burners

The burners sit underneath the griddle surface and are the heat source for your grill.

Most burners are guarded with protectors, and also have the cooking surface above them. This makes them fairly well protected against wear. However they are not immune from it, and general use can still lead to a buildup of grease and dirt.

So let's clean them.

Remove the grill top from the body of your Blackstone. There should be a latch that allows you to do this.

Remove the burner guards and simply soak them in warm water, and use a sponge to wipe them down. Once washed, wipe them with a clean towel and leave them out to dry.

How to remove rust from Blackstone griddle

If rust has started to develop on your grill's surface, don't fret. We can do our best to eliminate most of it.

Warm up the grill to allow the rust to dissipate slightly. Apply a few drops of oil and lemon juice to the surface, and use sandpaper to lightly wipe off whatever rust you can.

To wipe the rest of the grill, use a solution of water and vinegar. This is especially good at removing grease from the surface. Use a sponge to wipe down.

How to clean a Blackstone griddle

The best way to remove wear and rust building up over time on your Blackstone Griddle!

You will need:

Scraper
Sponge
Cooking oil
Lemon juice
Sandpaper

Instructions

Allow griddle to cool completely after use. Use warm water and a cloth to wipe down the griddle. Avoid using soapy water or other corrosive cleaning products, like oven cleaner or detergent. Allow griddle to dry completely in a dry, cool place.
Once dry, unhook the cooking surface latch in order to remove the griddle surface and burner protectors. Soak burner guards in warm water. Wipe down with a sponge. Wipe with a clean towel and leave to dry.
To remove rust, warm up the grill to a moderate temperature. This will allow the rust to dissipate slightly. Turn off heat. Squirt a few drops of cooking oil and lemon juice to the cooking surface. Use sandpaper to gently wipe off the remaining rust.
To remove grease, combine warm water and a few drops of vinegar in a small bowl. Wipe down griddle with sponge and solution.