Ever wonder if you can wash a griddle or flat top grill? Maybe you are curious if you can use soap when washing your Blackstone griddle. Well, we’ve taken the time to read the manuals and apply our own personal experiences to answer this for you correctly. So, let’s sort out how to wash your griddle.
A griddle can make preparing a large helping of food fast and easy. The mess created by cooking a delectable breakfast of eggs, bacon, and biscuits on your griddle can be a little discouraging.
The good news is that washing a griddle is not as difficult as you may think. With a metal scraper or spatula, some warm water, some cooking oil, and a little elbow grease you can wash your griddle in no time. If your griddle was made by Blackstone, Blue Rhino, Camp Chef, or another company, the same simple care instructions apply,
Why You Should Not use Soap To Wash A Griddle
One of the most important things to know before you set out to wash a griddle is that you should never use soap. If you want the surface of your griddle to remain smooth and rust free, you should avoid soap at all costs.
Even if the surface of your griddle is made out of heavy-duty steel, there is a good chance that it has a finish that makes it similar to a cast iron skillet. If you wash your griddle with soap, the built-up seasoning will quickly begin to degrade.
Once the built-up seasoning is compromised, food is much more likely to stick to your griddle. There is also a chance that your griddle will chip, which will promote the formation of rust and other impurities. More on seasoning your griddle here.
HOW To Wash A Griddle
The first step to washing a griddle is to scrap off any food residue. It is easiest to remove any baked-in food if your griddle is warm and dry. Make sure that your griddle isn’t too hot during the scraping process so that you can avoid accidentally burning yourself.
Use a metal spatula, metal scraper, or another gentle scouring tool to remove any lingering debris. It is best to avoid a hard scouring pad that could potentially mark up the surface of your griddle. Many companies, such as Camp Chef and Blackstone, feature tools that are designed to clean griddles.
Once you have removed most of the food residue from your griddle, pour some warm water over the surface of your griddle in order to remove any stubborn food remnants that may remain. You can repeat the scraping and watering process as many times as you need to in order to remove all remaining food residue.
Pay special attention to the corners and sides of your griddle. The corners and sides are the areas of your griddle that are easily overlooked and the most prone to rust.
Once your griddle has cooled down, you can use a cloth or paper towel to wipe down the surface of your griddle. Make sure that your griddle is sufficiently cool once you attempt to wipe it down in order to avoid burning yourself.
Once the surface of your griddle is smooth and residue free, it is vitally important to coat your griddle with a layer of oil to help reinforce your griddle’s seasoning. Vegetable oil, flax oil, or Camp Chef’s Cast Iron Conditioner will work. Make sure the surface of your griddle is cool enough to safely touch. Evenly spread a thin layer of oil across your griddle. You can use a paper towel or cloth to soak up any excess oil. Once you have cleaned off any lingering oil, your griddle will be clean and ready to store in a cool, dry place.
If you wash a griddle after each use, it will serve you well for decades. Just like any other kitchen utensil or cooking surface, regular care and cleaning will ensure that your griddle cooks your favorite food to perfection.
With the right tools and a few easy steps, rust and imperfections are easy to avoid. Here is a link to Camp Chef and how they recommend to clean a camp chef griddle, click here.
Regular cleaning can help you bypass baked-in food that is as rigid as cement. If you take 10-30 minutes to wash a griddle after each use, you can escape a painstaking hour of attempting to rehabilitate a rusted griddle.
A griddle is one of the easiest cooking tools to care for if you commit to regularly washing it. If you avoid harsh detergent and potentially damaging scouring pads, your griddle will last as long as your favorite cast iron skillet. Check out this walkthrough from Blackstone Products on how they recommend cleaning a Blackstone griddle.