Buying a new Griddle or Flat Top Grill is exciting, it opens a whole new world of cooking. But, do you need to season the griddle? Yes, if your griddle came with a cast iron cooking surface (see below regarding stainless steel surfaces) must be seasoned correctly to ensure a non-stick cooking surface remains.
Some manufacturers “pre-season” the griddle and advertise it’s ready to go out of the box. However, it’s debatable if it’s a true, griddle king seasoning standard.
Season Your Griddle First
Getting this step right, BEFORE that first meal can mean the difference in the long-term use of the griddle. Let’s look at the types of Griddle surfaces and see if yours needs a proper seasoning. Cooking on the Griddle is an experience, and fair warning, once you get the hang of it, you will be trying to cook EVERYTHING on it. It’s a bit addicting, to be honest.
Of all the current big players in the Griddle game, the three biggest are Blackstone, Camp Chef, and Blue Rhino. Let’s look at each of these and see which ones need to be seasoned.
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Why Do We Season Griddles and Flat Top Grills?
Seasoning griddles is the same process your grandparents used on their trusty cast-iron skillets. The seasoning process creates a hardened barrier between the bare skillet iron and the food you are cooking.
The seasoning gets built up over time with each cooking experience and over years and years of proper use, your seasoning becomes a bullet-proof, non-stick surface barrier that works better than most fancy “non-stick” pans you get from the store, and let’s be honest, most of those lose their non-stick abilities after a few months. With a griddle and proper seasoning, your griddle will NEVER lose its non-stick ability.
From the Blackstone Products Griddles Website:
Just like a cast-iron skillet, with some care and maintenance, your griddle top will last you a very long time. The first major step is seasoning. A proper seasoning will not only provide your griddle top with a natural stick-resistant surface, but it will also protect it from unwanted moisture, which can cause rust/corrosion. Read More
From the Camp Chef Flat Top Grills Website:
As a premium cast iron manufacturer, we only use all-natural iron and test our products for toxins to ensure quality in every piece. All Camp Chef cast iron comes pre-seasoned with an all-natural seasoning made from 100% plant oils, giving our cast iron a dark finish that is ready to use right out of the box.
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From the Blue Rhino Griddles Website:
Yes, seasoning your griddle after every use is very important. Further details can be found in the owner’s manual. It should be noted that this is for cast iron cooking surfaced griddles and flat top grills.
Some other types of griddles come with a Stainless Steel Surface and those do NOT require a seasoning. All of the above-mentioned manufacturers use a Cast iron (or rolled steel) cooking surface. More info about leaving your new griddle outside can be found here: Can You Leave Your Griddle Outside?
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What To Do If You Lose Your Seasoning On Your Griddle?
From time to time, you may need to remove the seasoning and re-season your griddle. This happens when you leave your griddle out in a humid area without a cover and rust builds up. You may also need to remove the seasoning if your griddle becomes excessively sticky due to too much oil (more on that here).
If you are required to remove the seasoning on your griddle, you will need to re-season your griddle like its new. Make sure you fully clean your griddle to remove all the oil oil before you start the seasoning process over. Trying to season a griddle with old oil on it will just lead to a sticky griddle that doesn’t cook well.
Must-Have Griddle Accessories:
Conclusion
So, to wrap this up and not waste any more of your time so you can get out there and start grilling, YES, you must season your cast iron griddles and flat top grills. If you are not sure about how to season your griddle or want to learn the Griddle King Method, check out this excellent guide. Griddle King, out.
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