How to Season a Blackstone Griddle

To season a Blackstone griddle, wash the new steel top once with mild soapy water, dry it with burner heat, then wipe on a very thin coat of oil and run the burners on high until the oil stops smoking. Repeat that oil-and-heat cycle three to four times, until the surface is dark and smooth. Re-seasoning later uses the same cycle on a clean, dry top, minus the soap.

Propane and charcoal grills are for outdoor use only (NFPA), and no grill should be used inside a home, garage or camper because of the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning (CDC); for pellet and wood-fired models, follow your manual.

This guide on how to season a Blackstone griddle is built only from Blackstone’s own published instructions, which exist in several versions on the company’s site and do not agree on every detail. Below you will find one reconciled method, a side-by-side look at where Blackstone’s pages differ, and clear signs for when a re-season is worth the time.

What Seasoning Does to a Blackstone Griddle Top

Blackstone gas griddles ship with an unseasoned flat top made of cold-rolled steel, according to Blackstone’s article How Often Does a Griddle Need to Be Seasoned? Bare steel heats well, but food sticks to it and it rusts when moisture reaches it. Seasoning solves both problems.

Blackstone’s complete seasoning guide explains the chemistry in plain terms: heating a thin layer of oil burns off its organic compounds and leaves a polymer that bonds to the griddle plate. Stack several of those layers and you get the dark, stick-resistant surface Blackstone describes. The company’s Mastering Griddle Use 101 post adds that tops leave the factory coated with a rust-protective oil, which is why the first step is a wash, not more oil.

The seasoning layer also works as a moisture barrier. Blackstone’s rust article describes the oil layer as the thing that keeps water and oxygen away from the iron. In practice, a well-seasoned top and a rust-resistant top are the same top.

Before You Start: Supplies and a Safe Setup

Blackstone’s seasoning guide lists a short kit. Gather it before you light the burners, because the oil coats go on while the steel is still warm:

• A bucket of water and a little dish soap (for a new top only)
• A thick stack of paper towels
• Heat-resistant gloves or long tongs to hold the towels
• Oil for seasoning (see below)
• A full propane tank, since the process runs the burners on high for a long stretch

Which oil to use. Blackstone recommends its own Griddle Seasoning and Cast Iron Conditioner, but its guide states that regular cooking oils also work and lists canola oil, flax oil, vegetable oil, shortening and olive oil as options. Blackstone’s own summary is “thin, multiple layers.” In other words, how you apply the oil matters more than which bottle you pick.

Safety during a long, smoky burn. The first seasoning keeps a propane appliance on high heat and throwing heavy smoke for an extended period, so the basics matter more than usual. The NFPA Grilling Safety tip sheet, written for propane and charcoal grills, says to:

• Place the unit well away from the home and deck railings, and out from under eaves and overhanging branches.
• Keep children and pets at least three feet away from the cooking area.
• Never leave it unattended.
• Check the gas tank hose for leaks before the first use each year by applying a light soap and water solution. Bubbles mean a leak. If there is a leak and no flame, turn off both the gas tank and the appliance; if the leak stops, have it serviced by a professional before using it again, and if it does not stop, call the fire department. If you smell gas while cooking, get away from the appliance immediately, call the fire department and do not move it.
• If the flame goes out, turn off the burners and the gas, then wait at least 5 minutes before relighting.

Blackstone’s guide also calls for tongs or heat-resistant gloves whenever you spread oil on the hot plate, because your hand works close to the steel for every coat.

How to Season a Blackstone Griddle for the First Time

This sequence merges Blackstone’s three seasoning write-ups into one order of operations. Where the pages disagree, the next section shows how each choice was made.

1. Wash the new top once. Mix warm water with a little grease-cutting dish soap, wash the cooking surface to lift the factory oil and any dust from shipping, then rinse with clean water until no soap remains. Blackstone’s care guide limits soap to brand-new griddles and says to rinse thoroughly.
2. Dry it with heat. Light all burners on high for 10 to 15 minutes. This drives off the rinse water, and the steel will likely start to brown, which Blackstone describes as expected. Turn the burners off once you see the color change.
3. Wipe on a very thin coat of oil. When the top has cooled enough to work on safely, add a small amount of oil (the care guide suggests 2 to 3 tablespoons) and spread it with paper towels held in tongs. Cover every inch of the cooking surface, plus the sides and back. Then keep wiping as if you were trying to remove the oil completely. There should be no puddles and no dry spots.
4. Heat until the smoke stops. Turn all burners back to high. The oil will smoke and the steel will darken as the coating bonds. Leave the heat on until the smoke dies down; that is the cue to move on.
5. Repeat the oil-and-heat cycle. Add another thin coat, spread and wipe it the same way, and heat it until the smoke stops again. Blackstone says three to four coats turn the surface dark and smooth.
6. Add a final protective wipe. After the last coat, let the griddle cool slightly and wipe on one more light layer of oil or conditioner. Blackstone’s complete guide says this protects the steel against oxidation.
7. Cover it and store it dry. Blackstone recommends a heavy-duty cover and a cool, dry storage spot to keep moisture off the new seasoning.

How long it takes. Blackstone’s pages give 10 to 15 minutes per coat in two places and about 30 minutes per coat in its complete guide. With a 10 to 15 minute drying burn and three to four coats, that arithmetic works out to roughly 40 minutes on the fast end and more than two hours on the slow end, not counting cool-down time. Plan for an afternoon rather than a quick pre-dinner task.

Where Blackstone’s Own Instructions Differ

Blackstone publishes seasoning steps in at least four places on its site. They agree on the core idea (thin oil, high heat, repeat) but not on order, timing or coat count. The table compares them as published.

How the method above resolves those gaps:

• Smoke, not the clock, decides when a coat is done. The time per coat ranges from 10 to 30 minutes across Blackstone’s pages, but every version that gives a stopping point ties it to the smoke ending.
• Three to four coats. Two pages say three to four and the care guide describes three, so three is the floor. Add a fourth if the surface still looks light or uneven.
• Dry with heat before oiling. Two of the three detailed pages include a heat-only burn first, and the how-often page says it burns off the water and readies the top to accept seasoning.
• Oil the sides and back. The care guide calls for it, and the Griddle 101 post goes further and says to coat the bottom too. Any bare steel is exposed to the water and oxygen that Blackstone’s rust article names as the cause of rust.

How to Tell the Seasoning Is Done (and What Goes Wrong)

Blackstone’s pages describe the finished first seasoning as dark: “dark brown” in the complete guide, “dark black and smooth” on the how-often page, and close to fully black in the care guide. A brown or patchy top after three coats is not a failure. The care guide notes that regular cooking keeps building the surface, so color usually evens out with use.

Common problems, and what Blackstone’s instructions say about each:

• Sticky or tacky patches. Blackstone’s complete guide links thick oil coats to “a build up of sticky gunk.” The fix going forward is thinner coats, wiped until the surface looks almost dry.
• Chipping or flaking. The same guide names thick coats as the cause of future chipping. If flakes appear, the next coats need to be thinner, and the top needs a re-season (below).
• A dull or light spot after cooking. Blackstone’s how-often page says acidic foods such as lemons, limes, tomatoes, tomato sauce and vinegar can start to clean the griddle and degrade the seasoning. Clean up with plenty of water after those foods and wipe on a little oil when you finish.
• Burned-on dark residue. The same page says sugary sauces such as barbecue, teriyaki and sweet and sour concentrate and burn, so add them just before the food is done.

Keeping the Seasoning After Each Cook

Once the first seasoning is in place, cooking adds to it. Blackstone’s how-often page says that, with routine maintenance, a griddle should not have to be re-seasoned again. The maintenance step that protects the seasoning is the last one: when the cleaned surface is free of debris, oil and water, add about a tablespoon of oil, spread it in the thinnest coat possible with paper towels and tongs, wipe up any drops, then let the griddle cool and cover it. Cleaning methods themselves are outside the scope of this guide.

When to Re-Season a Blackstone Griddle (and When to Skip It)

A full re-season is the same oil-and-heat cycle repeated on a griddle you have already used. It makes sense in three situations:

• Back out of storage. Blackstone’s Griddling Pre-Season Checklist says that after a long layoff you should scrape the top, wipe or scrape off any surface rust, then season it well with oil, wipe it clean and season it again.
• After rust removal. Blackstone’s rust article ends its rust-removal steps with a fresh seasoning to rebuild the protective coat, followed by 3 to 4 tablespoons of oil as an extra layer. Removing the rust itself is a separate job; this guide covers only the seasoning that follows it.
• When the coating fails. Flaking, bare gray steel showing through, or food that sticks across the whole top despite good cleaning all mean the surface needs new layers. Blackstone’s care guide lists rust, chipping, flaking and loss of the non-stick surface as the results of skipped care.

Skip a full re-season if the top is dark and even, food releases normally and you are already wiping on a thin coat of oil after each cook. Blackstone’s care guide says the intensive seasoning is only needed the first time and that regular cooking maintains the surface. Extra rounds on a healthy top cost propane and time and, if the coats go on thick, can cause the sticky buildup Blackstone warns about.

How to Re-Season Step by Step

1. Scrape the surface clean of food residue and loose material. Do not use soap; Blackstone’s care guide reserves it for new griddles and warns it may leave residue that affects the taste of food.
2. Dry it with heat. Run the burners for several minutes so no water remains on the steel.
3. Wipe on a thin coat of oil across the top, sides and back, then wipe off the excess until no puddles remain.
4. Heat until the smoke stops.
5. Repeat at least once. The pre-season checklist calls for seasoning, wiping and seasoning again. Add coats until the problem area matches the rest of the top.
6. Finish with a light protective layer of oil once the griddle cools slightly, then cover it.

FAQ

How many coats does a new Blackstone griddle need?

Blackstone’s how-often page and its complete seasoning guide both give three to four coats, and the care guide describes three. Stop when the top looks dark and smooth.

How long does it take to season a new Blackstone griddle?

Blackstone gives 10 to 15 minutes per coat on two pages and about 30 minutes per coat on another, plus a 10 to 15 minute drying burn. With three to four coats, expect anywhere from about 40 minutes to more than two hours, plus cool-down time.

Do I need to wash a new Blackstone griddle before seasoning it?

Yes. Blackstone says the tops come coated with a rust-protective oil from the factory and recommends washing a new griddle with soapy water, then rinsing it. After the first cook, Blackstone says to stop using soap on the cooking surface.

Should I season the sides and bottom of the griddle top?

Blackstone’s care guide says to rub oil on the sides and back, and its Griddle 101 post says to coat both the top and the bottom before first use. Covering exposed steel helps keep moisture off it.

Why is my Blackstone griddle sticky after seasoning?

Blackstone’s complete guide links sticky buildup to oil coats that are too thick. Use less oil on the next coats and wipe each one until the surface looks nearly dry before heating it.

Do I have to re-season my Blackstone griddle after every cook?

No. Blackstone says the full seasoning is only needed the first time and that regular cooking maintains the surface. A thin coat of oil on the cleaned top after each cook is the routine step; a full re-season is for storage, rust or failing seasoning.

Seasoning a Blackstone griddle comes down to a clean start, oil coats thin enough to look wiped away, and enough heat to carry each coat past the smoke. Do it carefully once, protect the surface with a light coat of oil after each cook, and save the full routine for the times the top actually needs it.

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