The Greasy Mistake Beginners Make On Blackstone Griddles

Blackstone griddles are generally seen as being high-quality appliances (they're the market leader for a reason). However, they do require some maintenance, and those new to cooking with these griddles often find themselves making a few mistakes, such as not properly removing leftover oil and grease. To avoid this mistake, simply ensure you're cleaning the cooktop after using it.

The optimal way to clean a Blackstone is to use a spatula or scraper (metal works best) to collect leftover food, oil, and grease, then clean up the residue with paper towels. Next, add warm water, scrub with a dish sponge or scouring pad, and dry with more paper towels and/or a cloth. Finish the cleaning by emptying the grease cup. While dish soap is known for breaking up grease, Blackstone suggests skipping soap or other cleaning products, explaining that water alone is sufficient. 

But why is it so important to clean up cooking grease and oil? Well, if you leave remnants of these on the griddle, they'll build up over time. This can result in a sticky cooktop, bad smells, an unpleasant taste being incorporated into your food, and even rust. The grease could also drip onto your patio or deck, causing damage like permanent staining. Additionally, skipping clean-up may reduce the lifespan of your Blackstone griddle. Although it sounds counterintuitive, Blackstone recommends seasoning the griddle with oil after cleaning. This won't cause the issues related to not cleaning up oil from cooking and can actually extend the appliance's lifespan.

Now that you know how to stop excess oil and grease from building up, what else do beginners need to know? Firstly, you may be tempted to let the griddle get cold before cleaning. Instead, let it cool to a warm temperature, then start scraping, as the slight heat should loosen residue. By following this rule when cleaning your Blackstone, keeping the cooktop spotless will be much quicker and easier.

Another thing new griddle owners should understand is the importance of cooking at a medium heat to start before gently increasing the temperature if needed. Griddles get hot quickly, and using a temperature that's too high can cause ingredients to overcook or burn, affecting food taste and increasing clean-up time. Because the cooktop gets so hot, you'll also want to avoid low smoke point oils, especially when using higher temperature settings. Sugary marinades can cause issues as well because they caramelize quickly and then burn, harming the cooktop and food quality. 

Tomatoes are another type of food to avoid cooking on a Blackstone, as are ingredients coated in wine, citrus juice, or vinegar. These are all acidic and can cause the cooktop to flake and non-stick properties to degrade. Despite there being foods to avoid, another beginner mistake is sticking to standard grilling foods like burgers. From using your griddle to make a pancake breakfast to cooking quesadillas, French toast bites, and even popcorn, stepping out of your grilling comfort zone is recommended!