Don't Make This Expensive Mistake With Your Blackstone Griddle

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When Roger Dahle founded Blackstone Products in 2008, he helped bring open-air cooking on a flat-top into the mainstream. Blackstone outdoor griddles, which are the size of a barbecue grill, are up to the task of cooking breakfast, lunch, and dinner, while backyard grills are traditionally reserved for late afternoon and evening hours. However, being outside fixtures, the griddles are equally vulnerable to the weather. Leaving your Blackstone unprotected in the rain is an expensive mistake you do not want to make.

The flat-top griddle is made from steel, a combination of iron and carbon, and when iron is exposed to water and oxygen, it rusts. This is why a weather-resistant cover is one item that every new Blackstone owner needs to buy. Even a little water can cause rust to form, and a lot may worsen the corrosion, limiting the lifespan of your griddle. Seasoning the cooktop creates a coating that helps prevent moisture from getting at the steel, but if you live in a wet climate or your region is prone to storms, or you plan to leave your griddle out all winter, then a proper cover for the entire unit is essential.

If you find rust on your Blackstone griddle, it's not the end of the world. Even if you have been following proper Blackstone griddle cleaning habits, it is very hard to keep moisture entirely away, so rust will likely happen at some point. Luckily, getting rid of it is not that difficult. With just a few simple household items and a bit of elbow grease, your griddle will be back in full form in no time. Blackstone even sells an eight-piece griddle-cleaning kit that will get you started.

When removing rust from your Blackstone griddle, you first want to turn the griddle on high for about 20 minutes, which helps to loosen the rust, then turn it off. Keeping the griddle dry, don a pair of heat-resistant gloves and use your metal scraper to thoroughly scrape away all of the rust. (You can also let the grill cool completely before you continue.) Push the debris into the grease trap or carefully wipe it off. Then add a few tablespoons of cooking oil to the griddle and use a pumice stone to thoroughly wipe the whole cooking surface down. Follow this by wiping up all the oil and waste with paper towels or shop cloths. Add more oil and repeat this last step until the towels start to come away clean. Finish by reseasoning the griddle.