Learn how to season a Blackstone griddle in this easy step-by-step guide! Plus, get tips for maintaining the griddle seasoning for a perfect non-stick surface!
![seasoning a blackstone griddle with tongs and paper towels](https://theflattopking.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/how-to-season-blackstone-griddle-1.jpg)
Seasoning a Blackstone griddle can be one of the most intimidating parts of owning this awesome piece of outdoor cooking equipment. Most people are afraid that they’ll do it wrong and then their griddle seasoning will just flake off or their griddle surface will be too sticky. Or maybe you’re jumping into the griddle game and you don’t even know that you have to season the griddle in the first place.
But don’t worry… in this post I’ll give you step-by-step instructions for how to season a Blackstone griddle, whether it’s brand new and you’re doing the initial seasoning or you’ve had it for years and you just need to do “maintenance seasoning”.
This guide will give you everything you ever wanted to know about how to season a Blackstone griddle, including what oil to use, how many rounds of seasoning you need, and detailed steps for how to season a Blackstone griddle or other rolled steel flat top grill so that you get a nice and smooth non-stick finish… and be sure you check out this post for how to clean your flat top grill next!
What Does it Mean to Season a Griddle or Flat Top Grill?
Seasoning is the process of building up layers of baked-on oil or fat on the surface of your griddle, similar to seasoning a cast iron skillet. The seasoning on the griddle plate acts as a protective layer and creates a nonstick cooking surface, and it naturally wears out over time, so it’s necessary to maintain and replace those layers with proper maintenance.
Seasoning a griddle actually occurs through a process called “polymerization”. Polymerization occurs when the right oil or fat is heated at high enough temperatures to form a hard dark surface on your griddle.
Certain fats are better for polymerization, which is why it’s important to choose the right oil for seasoning your Blackstone griddle or Camp Chef flat top grill. (We’ll talk about which oils to use in a minute).
*This post contains affiliate links, which means if you click a link and make a purchase, I earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Read my full disclosure and terms of use for more info.
Watch Me Season a New Blackstone Griddle
If you’re more of a visual learner, then you can watch the full video of How to Season a Blackstone Griddle here… I’ll walk you through the entire process start to finish:
Why You Need to Season Your Griddle
When you’re cooking on a griddle, you’re constantly going through layers of seasoning… It’s just natural during the cooking process. You’ll notice that after a handful of cooks, the surface of your griddle will start to look discolored and you’ll see areas that are more bronze or brown in color instead of black. This is the breaking down of your layers of seasoning, and it’s nothing to worry about…
But, you need to remember that seasoning is an ongoing process. You’ll need to Here’s why:
To prevent rusting
A proper seasoning can help protect your griddle’s surface from rust by repelling water. The better seasoned your griddle is, the less chance you have of water penetrating the seasoning layers and reaching the metal surface.
To create a non-stick surface
Think of your griddle surface as a piece of styrofoam… Styrofoam has small cracks, crevices, and bumps, and if you were to pour some scrambled eggs on it, the eggs would seep into those cracks and get stuck there. The same thing goes with your flat top grill surface, except the unevenness on your griddle surface is microscopic.
Applying very thin layers of seasoning (or baked-on oil) helps to fill in those microscopic rough parts on the metal’s surface to create a non-stick, smooth, and glass-like surface. So instead of your food getting stuck in those small cracks and crevices, it just sits on top of the seasoning layers.
What is the Best Oil to Season a Blackstone Griddle?
Before you start the seasoning process, you need to make sure you have a good griddle seasoning oil. Just like seasoning cast iron, high heat oils work best because they won’t burn and they create a nice, strong seasoning layer on your griddle. Solid vegetable shortening is also a great choice because it’s inexpensive and easy to find. Plus, it has a higher smoke point as well. Many cast iron enthusiasts also swear by shortening as a seasoning oil.
My favorite oil to season with is this avocado oil because of its high smoke point, mild flavor, and versatility in a variety of cooking methods… I like to season and cook with the same oil so that I don’t have excess bottles cluttering up my kitchen. I have also had great success with high-heat grapeseed oil.
I’ve got a full post on the best oils to use for griddle seasoning here. Just be sure that you DON’T use one of these for seasoning a Blackstone griddle:
Griddle Seasoning Tools
Besides the seasoning oil or shortening, you will also need a few other items when seasoning your griddle or flat top grill. Here are the seasoning tools that I use and recommend:
Paper Towels
You may have heard people suggest NOT to use paper towels on your griddle because they can leave little pieces of lint behind, but not all paper towels are created equally. I prefer to use the Costco brand of Kirkland paper towels because I find them to be more durable than other brands.
I have also used blue mechanic’s paper towels or “shop style” paper towels for applying oil to my griddle, and I have no complaints about those either.
Squirt Bottle
If you’re using a liquid seasoning oil instead of solid shortening, then you’ll probably want to add your oil to a squirt bottle first. I find that the squirt bottle helps to control the flow and amount of oil that you add to the griddle much more so than just pouring the oil from the bottle. And when seasoning a flat top grill, you definitely don’t want to apply too much oil at one time.
You can also have one squirt bottle full of water to clean your griddle before starting the seasoning process.
*You can check out some of my other favorite griddle accessories here!
Grill Brick (Optional)
If you’re re-seasoning a griddle that is in bad shape with rust and areas of flaking, then you’ll need a grill brick. I’ve got a full guide for how to fix a rusty Blackstone griddle here.
Metal or High-Heat Tongs (optional)
You don’t NEED tongs to help with seasoning a griddle, but they do help to elevate your hand from the hot griddle surface. Most often when applying thin layers of oil to my griddle, I use long handled tongs to grab the wad of paper towels and distribute the oil across the surface, in the corners, and around the outer edges of my griddle.
When Should You Season Your Griddle or Flat Top Grill?
Going through the complete seasoning process every single time that you cook on your Blackstone griddle is not necessary. Most of the time you’ll simply apply a thin layer of oil to the surface of your griddle after cooking and be done.
But occasionally, you’ll have to go through the full seasoning process. Here’s when I recommend that you season the griddle:
- when you have a brand new Blackstone griddle – You’ll definitely want to season the griddle before your first cook.
- after cooking very sticky or sugary foods – You can just do one coat of seasoning after cleaning.
- when your food starts to stick – This is a tell-tale sign that it’s time to season the Blackstone griddle.
- every 10-15 cooks for regular maintenance
How to Season a Blackstone Griddle – Step by Step
Before we get into the full guide for how to season a Blackstone griddle, I want to make a distinction… Seasoning a brand new Blackstone griddle is different than seasoning your griddle for regular maintenance.
The Blackstone griddles do NOT come pre-seasoned right out of the box like the Camp Chef flat top grill or other griddle brands. So you’re starting from scratch and you need to build up multiple layers of seasoning before actually cooking on the griddle for the first time.
But don’t worry, the process is very easy. Just follow these steps:
Step 1: Clean and dry the griddle surface.
Before you can apply fresh layers of seasoning, you need to be sure that the surface of your flat top grill or griddle is clean and dry. You can go here to see how to clean a Blackstone griddle.
*Note – If you’re seasoning a brand new Blackstone griddle, then you will probably want to use hot soapy water for the initial cleaning before you start the seasoning process. However, if you’re only applying some seasoning layers for maintenance or re-seasoning, then you probably won’t need soap. You should be able to just squirt the griddle down with some water and use paper towels to wipe it clean.
For my brand new Blackstone griddle, I used an old rag to apply some hot soapy water to the cool griddle surface. Then, just wash it down well, being sure to get in the corners also.
After you’ve wiped it with soap, just use a squirt bottle of water to rinse the griddle surface. You may have to rinse it a few times to get all of the soap off. Then, use paper towels to dry the griddle off completely.
Step 2: Turn your griddle on and allow it to preheat for about 10-15 minutes.
I’ve seasoned at least 12 different griddles at this point, from all different brands including Weber, Camp Chef, Traeger, Pit Boss, Halo, and of course, Blackstone.
Most of the griddle brands that I am familiar with recommend turning the griddle on high and allowing it to heat up for about 10 minutes. Just be sure to check the owner’s manual to make sure the same is true for your specific flat top grill.
After about 15 minutes of preheating, this is what the surface of my brand new Blackstone looked like. You can see the darker black coloring in the center of the griddle:
Step 3: Apply a thin layer of seasoning oil to your flat top grill.
When the griddle is hot, squirt on the seasoning oil of your choice and rub it in to the surface with a wad of paper towels. You should focus on applying an even, thin layer of oil to the grill and make sure that there aren’t any areas of pooled oil. If the oil is too thick, it will become sticky after heating instead of completely curing on the surface. If you’re using Crisco shortening, then a good spoonful for each seasoning layer should be good.
*CAUTION – The oil will be VERY hot, so when you’re rubbing it into the griddle surface, be sure that it doesn’t splash up in the corners and burn your hands.
And don’t forget about the sides and outside edges! Wipe those down with the oiled paper towels also.
Step 4: Wait about 5-10 minutes until the smoke starts to slow down, then repeat as needed.
This is the most important step for how to season a Blackstone griddle, and it’s the step that most people never actually do. If you never heat your oil to its smoke point, then the polymerization process doesn’t happen, and the layers of oil never actually get baked on to the surface.
And while it DOES take a little extra time, this step is not difficult.
Once your oil has been smoking for about 5 minutes, you should start to notice a decrease in the amount of smoke. Sparing you all of the chemistry speak, that’s because the oil is basically turning into the hard layer of seasoning. The smoke will start to slow down and the griddle will not be smoking as much as before. You should also notice that the surface of your griddle appears slightly darker than before.
If you’re seasoning a new Blackstone griddle, then the darker patch in the middle will start to grow wider with each seasoning layer. Don’t be surprised if after 5 seasonings, your corner areas are still bronze in color instead of solid black. The Blackstone griddle seasoning will continue to build as you cook on it.
After the smoke has dissipated, you can go ahead and apply another thin layer of oil or Crisco and repeat the process again, allowing the smoke to build and then eventually dissipate after a few minutes. Then applying another thin coat of oil. Here’s what my Blackstone griddle looked like after 3 seasonings:
The number of times that you need to repeat the process largely depends on the condition of your griddle surface.
I recently re-seasoned my brother-in-law’s rusty Blackstone griddle for him, because it was in rough shape. He hadn’t used it or even lifted the lid in over 3 months, and it had started to rust. I went through the seasoning process about 4 times on his Blackstone, and then it was good as new and ready to cook on once again.
When I seasoned my brand new Blackstone griddle, I applied about 5 layers of seasoning to get it to this stage:
You’ll notice that the outer edges are more of a bronze or darker gold color… That’s completely fine! The griddle surface should still be well seasoned and non-stick at this stage, and the color will continue to darken as you cook more and more meals on it.
When you’re happy with your flat top grill seasoning, go ahead and turn off your griddle. Then, apply a final coat of seasoning oil or Crisco while the griddle is still warm. This final coat won’t actually burn off, but rather it will act as a protectant for the surface until you cook on it again.
Step 5: Maintain the Blackstone griddle seasoning by rubbing the surface down with an oiled paper towel after each use.
As I mentioned before, after each use you should clean the griddle surface (probably just with a good squirt of water and a wipe down), and then apply a thin coat of seasoning oil.
Then, when your griddle preheats for the next cook, the surface should get hot enough to polymerize that thin layer of oil to create another layer of seasoning.
I hope this guide helps you to be more confident when seasoning your griddle or flat top grill, whether it’s brand new or you just want to make sure that you’re keeping it in tip top shape.
If you’re a Pinterest user, be sure to PIN these instructions for later:
And for more Blackstone griddle care and maintenance tips, or to get some general tips for griddle cooking, check out these posts:
Comments & Reviews
Jay upright says
I have a new Weber griddle and attempting to season it. After two time it shows tiny white spots after it cools. .What am I doing wrong. I thought I was following your instructions. Thanks for you advice and the videos. Jay
John W Chamberlain says
Here is a link to the colors of steel at different temps. https://sheffieldgaugeplate.co.uk/blog/steel-temper-colour-chart/
The reason the color moves slowly across the grill is the specific temp required to turn the metal to colors has not been met. You my never change the outer edge to deep purple because the temp required may not travel to the outside edge.
I have worked with metal during my work life and enjoy seeing straw, yellow, blue and purple bands on the metal I am working.
John W Chamberlain says
I have used a Stainless Griddle and clean it with a pumice, salt, oil and H2O every time I am done cooking. First I oil the hot griddle then add salt as an abrasive. I then use the brick to remove cooked on oil and food. I only move in one direction except across the back where I move side to side. I use burlap to remove all the oil, salt, and pumice dust. Then when the surface is still hot enough to boil water I cover the surface with clean water and let it boil away. The oil left from the cleaning process bubbles up to the surface of the boiling water and form a white scum. When the water had evaporated I remove the oil scum with a paper towel. I never apply oil to the Stainless surface to store the griddle. If I did the oil goes rancid and gummy….very had to remove. These grills are only used 2 or 3 times a year hence not “seasoning” after use.
Rebecca says
I decided to look up a “how to” video on seasoning a new Blackstone after I started the process on my own. Needless to say, I didn’t do the sanding to get a smooth surface before I started. Any way to go back and do that, or is it not 100% necessary? I did look at Blackstone’s website and didn’t notice that instruction there.
Donald says
Thank you for the tips
I tried following you step by step but I think I may have messed up
What do I do if I ended up with spots that look thicker than others
Thomas B says
Just purchased my griddle and followed the steps you provided. After cleaning griddle and drying I turned on heat at low for 5 minutes then turned up too high for another 15 minutes and had no griddle color change. I did 6 seasonings using avocado oil at high heat and the griddle color never changed. Is my griddle seasoned or did I mess something up?
Kevin Walsh says
looking forward to seeing great results
Wayne Buckler says
Thank you for all the time you spend and effort putting all this great info together… iy has been VERY helpful!
I’m to the flat top cooking… just finished putting my Blackstone together and getting ready to season… It’s a model 1984, 36″ 4 burner.
Good afternoon, I haven’t found this info anywhere, not even in the manual that comes with it. It tells you it’s on there but doesn’t speak how to remove it… it just goes into the seasoning process.
The griddle top and sides both inside and out are pre-treated with soy oil as a protective coating during storage and shipping. How should that be removed?
Thanks in advance for your help and again, for all the great items you have shared.
Wayne from Alabama!
Diane L says
Thank you, extremely informative!
Quick question, you spplied another oil layer after you had finished seasoning is the grill still on? Or dobyou ket it cool before you applied that last coating
Also after each use i know yiu ckesn it but do you wipe it with oil while it is still hot but you have turned iff gbe grill?
Nicholas says
Wow, what a great page and video to get me started with my new Blackstone! I feel I’m also a little partial to this site since I’m a fellow Sailor! Fair winds brother!
Jeff says
I appreciate the time you took to do this for beginners like me.
Dave says
My family just bought our first flat top. Your seasoning instructions were most welcome, thank you!
Chris Kulesza says
The most honest seasoning video out there. Too many videos that have other flash and boohaha stuff. You both are the real deal
Trent Moss says
Super helpful information for seasoning my blackstone. I have had mine for a few years now and your videos/recipes have been awesome for trying out new meals. Appreciate all your content!
Dan Cotey says
Hey Neal!
I’m new to the Blackstone but very experienced cooking. I appreciate your honesty and insight on griddle care and maintenance.
I haven’t tried too many of your recipes yet but really enjoy watching you cook. Keep doing what you’re doing because it’s quite inspirational.
Paul Howard Jr says
#TheFlatTopKing is the MAN! Thanks Neil I want to win that grill all the way from Jacksonville,FL
Mac Macauley says
Thanks, you have definitely upped my flat top game and all your tips, expertise, and recipies are changing my families favorites for sure. keep it up please.
Mark Woodard says
I noticed that you said that you cranked it up on high. How does the griddle top get warped? Is it prolonged high heat? How can l make sure this warpage doesn’t occur?
Bill Lipson says
Can a weber be seasoned the same way you did the Blackstone.
Neal says
Yes, absolutely! But, with the Blackstone griddle I sanded it down a bit to knock off the higher rough spots… with the Weber griddle, there’s no need to do that because the surface is so smooth right out of the box. Just wash down with warm soapy water and then dry it well, and you can start the seasoning process. Side note- I have been using grape seed oil lately for seasoning, and I’ve had great results. Avocado oil and grape seed oil are both great seasoning oils.
Duane says
I accidentally poured too much oil on my new blackstone during my second round of seasoning. I got some sticky parts because I could not wipe it up fast enough. I turned off the griddle and stopped. What should I do now?
Mike says
Your screwed Duane. You need to go buy a new Blackstone. Sorry my friend.
John Smith says
I don’t think that is true. Call Blackstone for right corrective action, which will likely be to treat like reconditioning so you can get undesired buildup off. You may need to wash down and use low grit sandpaper. But again BlackStone should have a good answer. Good luck.
Trey (LTC, USA, Ret.) says
Enjoyed you reviews and tips! Just got a Coyote 30″ Flat Top with stainless griddle. https://coyoteoutdoor.com/product/30-flat-top-grill/
It is supposed to be 304 stainless and according to their care instructions, doesn’t need seasoning. Is this legitimate? https://coyoteoutdoor.com/how-to-clean-a-flat-top-grill/#:~:text=But%20for%20those%20looking%20to,onto%20your%20hot%20grill%20surface.
I know Military Chefs know their way around a variety of flat tops! What would be your recommendation here?
Mike says
My recommendation is – Join the submariner service. They have the BEST chefs and BEST food by far (morale something, something)…
Eric says
Looks pretty easy. When my griddle gets here I’m confident after watching you that the seasoning will go great.
Thank you,
Eric