Seasoning In Your New Griddle

[CMTiger]

Any advice from you long time cookers? The general advice is to use an oil with a high smoke point (I have avocado) and to use a few tablespoons to cover the surface and let it burn off 3-5 times. But there’s some variation online as to the specifics.

1. Does the oil go on after it’s hot or prior?
2. After letting it burn off do you let it cook completely or just throw on another coat?
3. What temp do you guys season at?
4. Do you gently wash with soap/water and dry before?
5. Is fretting about all of this overkill?

 

[Murphy's Law]

I cleaned mine with some light soap just to get any oil from shipping and then turned to high. Once hot I put a little oil on and let it burn off, and did that about six times, never letting the griddle cool. Make sure to get the sides too.

I have used the Blackstone seasoning and avocado oil. Heard grape seed is good too.

I keep a small bottle of avocado oil nearby so I can add a light layer after each cook.

 

[Shedd]

I did mine like I’ve always done cast iron pots and pans. I did wash it with dawn to get the shipping oils off then dried it. I then coated it with lard, then turned the heat up to high and let it smoke until the smoke stopped. I only did this once in the 9plus years I’ve had it. I do from time to time add a thin coat of lard after I have cleaned it sometimes. When I clean mine I’ll do it after a messy cook like fried rice and such. After cooking while it’s hot i scrape it off then I pour some water on it then I use a folded rag while pressing it down and moving it to scrub (don’t try holding rag with hands the steam is really hot and will burn you. The water evaporates fairly quickly but it cleans it good. I keep a rag handy so regular greasy cooks like burgers or bacon, while it still hot I scrape the grease and scraps off then I wipe it down by hand carefully to add a thin coat over it. I have several buddies that have griddles and they do things about like I do, I guess it’s what works best for you.

 

[CMTiger]

So on a scraper…..bevel side up or down??

 

[Shedd]

So on a scraper…..bevel side up or down??

Honestly I don’t really pay attention to it, works good either way. I used to keep a putty knife handy so when the edge of the scraper gets gummed up (it will frequently) I would scrape it off into my grease container but since mine is in my porch/outdoor kitchen and isn’t near the outside I changed my grease container out and rigged up a foil pan like my Webber uses, my Blackstone is older so my grease goes out on the front right corner. I just scrape my scraper edge on the edge of the griddle and it all falls in the pan. Sorry so long of reply.

 

[CMTiger]

Thanks for your response…..long replies always welcome

 

[RayClem]

Whether you let the griddle cool down between coats is up to your\.

The critical thing is to make sure that each coating of oil you apply is very thin. Apply oil and wiper off all the excess. Then allow the oil to polymerize until no more smoke is coming off the griddle surface. Then apply another coat. If you apply oil in a thick layer, the polymer layer can chip off. Applying thin coats allows the polymer layer to build up slowly into a robust protective layer. I did 5-6 coats with mine.

 

[primeone]

I just picked up some of the Traeger Grill Conditioner and so far it's worked well. After letting the oil burn off, I let the griddle cool down completely before starting another round.

Amazon.com

 

[BobbyQ]

So on a scraper…..bevel side up or down??

I use one of these.

https://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Scraper-Chopper-Griddle-Spatula/dp/B01ISF0XGY/ref=asc_df_B01ISF0XGY?tag=bngsmtphsnus-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=80608063550960&hvnetw=s&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4584207590130789&psc=1

But I wear heat resistant leather gloves to scrape. I recently had to restore mine due to inactivity and some rust buildup. My griddle can get very hot quickly. I measured over 600 once. I use an IR thermometer to check the surface to keep it between 450 and 500. Once I removed the loose crud with a wire brush and cleaned up I gave it four coats. I just waited for the smoke to stop and started over. No cool down. Definitely need to clean the shipping oil. Mine was thicker molasses in winter. Had to hit it with simple green and wire brush.

 

[RayClem]

I just picked up some of the Traeger Grill Conditioner and so far it's worked well. After letting the oil burn off, I let the griddle cool down completely before starting another round.

Amazon.com

Similar products are offered by Blackstone, Buzzy Wax, Camp Chef, Caron & Doucet, CharGriller, Clarks, Crisbeem, Heritage, Knapp, Lodge Cast Iron, Reqtec, and Walrus Oil. They all contain some type of vegetable oil with beeswax in some formulations.

For those who feel better about paying more for the Traeger brand, it will certainly work, but so will others, including inexpensive vegetable oils from your local grocer. It is best to avoid oils that have a low smoke point like flaxseed oil, sesame seed oil, and walnut oil . It is also best to avoid oils with very high smoke points like avocado oil, corn oil, palm oil and coconut oil. Plain vegetable oil, which is typically made from soybeans, along with grapeseed oil and canola oil have a smoke point of 400F and should work well.

 

[Shedd]

Similar products are offered by Blackstone, Buzzy Wax, Camp Chef, Caron & Doucet, CharGriller, Clarks, Crisbeem, Heritage, Knapp, Lodge Cast Iron, Reqtec, and Walrus Oil. They all contain some type of vegetable oil with beeswax in some formulations.

For those who feel better about paying more for the Traeger brand, it will certainly work, but so will others, including inexpensive vegetable oils from your local grocer. It is best to avoid oils that have a low smoke point like flaxseed oil, sesame seed oil, and walnut oil . It is also best to avoid oils with very high smoke points like avocado oil, corn oil, palm oil and coconut oil. Plain vegetable oil, which is typically made from soybeans, along with grapeseed oil and canola oil have a smoke point of 400F and should work well.

I’m old school, lard works great.

 

[Shedd]

I use one of these.

https://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Scraper-Chopper-Griddle-Spatula/dp/B01ISF0XGY/ref=asc_df_B01ISF0XGY?tag=bngsmtphsnus-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=80608063550960&hvnetw=s&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4584207590130789&psc=1

But I wear heat resistant leather gloves to scrape. I recently had to restore mine due to inactivity and some rust buildup. My griddle can get very hot quickly. I measured over 600 once. I use an IR thermometer to check the surface to keep it between 450 and 500. Once I removed the loose crud with a wire brush and cleaned up I gave it four coats. I just waited for the smoke to stop and started over. No cool down. Definitely need to clean the shipping oil. Mine was thicker molasses in winter. Had to hit it with simple green and wire brush.

My Blackstone is well over 10 years old, the original one with folding legs for tailgate, it’s a 36”. I seasoned it with lard when I first got it, I’ve never had to season it again. It’s like grandma’s old frying pan, has some chipped places but nothing sticks to it. I keep waiting on it to stop working for an excuse to buy a new one, I think it’s going to out last me. Lol

 

[RayClem]

I’m old school, lard works great.

Lard has a smoke point around 370F, so it will work as well. Southerners often have lard in the pantry; others might not, but it is readily available.

The very best Southern biscuits are made from lard and White Lily flour milled from soft red winter wheat. Most flour is made from hard winter wheat and has a higher protein content. The two flours produce biscuits with different textures. The White Lily biscuits will be fluffier. Of course, YMMV (your mileage my vary).

 

[Shedd]

Lard has a smoke point around 370F, so it will work as well. Southerners often have lard in the pantry; others might not, but it is readily available.

The very best Southern biscuits are made from lard and White Lily flour milled from soft red winter wheat. Most flour is made from hard winter wheat and has a higher protein content. The two flours produce biscuits with different textures. The White Lily biscuits will be fluffier. Of course, YMMV (your mileage my vary).

That’s the way I make my biscuits. Lard is a staple in my house. I also save my bacon grease too. My grandmother was a great cook and luckily she shared her knowledge with me.

 

[RayClem]

That’s the way I make my biscuits. Lard is a staple in my house. I also save my bacon grease too. My grandmother was a great cook and luckily she shared her knowledge with me.

Since you are from SC, I thought that might be the case. I grew up in VA with my grandmother living with us. She learned country cooking using old school methods. Her biscuits, pie crust and fried chicken were wonderful. In contrast, she overcooked vegetables until they were mush.