How to Start and Season a New Blackstone Griddle

Follow these steps to start and season your new Blackstone flat-top griddle before using it for the first time.

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 3

Total Time 3 15

1 container Blackstone Cast Iron Conditioner or high smoke point oil such as grapeseed, flaxseed, or avocado

Before seasoning the top of the Blackstone griddle, gently clean it with mildly soapy water and a sponge or shop towel. Don't use too much soap or scrub too aggressively. You just want to get off any surface dust, debris, and sticky residue from the factory before you start adding layers of seasoning.
Rinse and dry the surface thoroughly.

Your new Blackstone comes with a foil liner for the grease bucket. Occasionally the liner will have a small hole in it which would allow grease to leak out. To prevent this, fill the foil liner with water and hold it up to check for holes.

Install the AA battery into the ignition knob and make sure the griddle control knobs are in the "OFF" position.
Attach the propane hose regulator to the tank and open the valve on the top of the tank. Make sure to start with a full tank so that you do not run out of propane in the middle of seasoning.
Turn one of the griddle control knobs to the "IGNITE" or "HIGH" position while pressing and holding down the ignition button. You should hear a rapid clicking sound to know the electronic ignitor is working, and then see a flame come up across the burner, signifying a successful start-up. Repeat this step with the other burner(s).
If you hold the ignition button for more than 5 seconds and nothing ignites, turn the knob back to OFF and wait 30 seconds for the gas to dissipate before you try again, especially if you can smell the gas. You don't want a large buildup of gas under the griddle before the ignitor makes a spark.
Let the griddle run with all the burners set to HIGH for about 15-20 minutes to remove any more factory residues or protective coatings.

While the griddle is still hot with all the burners on HIGH, apply 2-3 tablespoons of oil or cast iron conditioner to the center of the griddle.
While wearing your high heat BBQ gloves, spread the oil around evenly using the BBQ tongs and a wadded up paper towel. Make sure to get into all the corners and along the edges and sides. It's better to apply multiple THIN layers of seasoning rather than fewer THICK layers.
Let the oil smoke off and once it has completely stopped smoking, usually after about 15 minutes, repeat the process with the next layer of seasoning.
Repeat the oil application and heating process several times to build up a strong seasoning layer. Blackstone recommends 3-4 layers, but we actually do about 6-7 layers on our griddles for a more even, darker color from edge to edge.
Once the final layer has stopped smoking, you can turn the griddle off, close the valve on the propane tank, and let the surface cool down

We recommend never using soap on the Blackstone surface. To clean your griddle after cooking, while it's still hot, scrape off any food particles with a flat scraper.
You can use a squirt of PLAIN water to help get off any stuck on sugars with your scraper.
Wipe down the metal surface with a paper towel and your BBQ tongs to get off any last remaining bits of food.
Apply a light coating of oil and spread it around the cooktop just like when you seasoned the griddle initially. Let the oil completely burn off and stop smoking before you turn off the heat.
Once cooled, you can put on a full-contact silicone mat, followed by the hard cover and your canvas soft cover.

Every few months, or after heavy use, coat the surface with a thin layer of high-smoke point oil or Blackstone Cast Iron Conditioner and heat it until it smokes.
You can repeat with 2-3 more layers if needed.