How Do Blackstone Griddles Work?

  • Jun 26, 2018

How Do Blackstone Griddles Work?

Have no clue whatsoever what a griddle is? It's a flat top that locks-in juices in meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. From toast to steak - with a seared crust, tender core, and intense flavor! Want to learn more about the basics and benefits of cooking up on this outdoor cooking machine? Get to know all the technicalities of a griddle but in a fun, easy way. You'll know all about these machines without the boredom! Well, read up this article with the 6 essentials of griddles and how they compare to other cookers out there.

#1 The Flat Top

The surface is where all the action happens. It's where you do your cooking. You throw down a raw burger. It heats up, sears, and tenderizes. In a few minutes it's ready to eat - delicious. Ok, those are the results you get from a flat top. But what exactly is a flat top? On a Blackstone it is a plate of cold-rolled steel, which is the smoothest steel out there. That means no dents, bruises, holes or whatever. Smooth like silk. And the flat top cooks food by heating up. The BTUs conduct evenly through the whole surface, so there are no cold spots. You can bet a burger cooked at the top right corner is just as good as a burger right in the middle.

#2 The Grease Collector

And now that you know what a flat top is, time to learn about this thing that gets full of grease. Well, there's a reason it exists - so much that Blackstone created and patented it! Since flat tops have no grates, all that juice from the meat locks-in the food. But, there's always some left over - that's when the grease collector makes its move. If you hate stress and dirty cooking appliances, those days are over. All you need to do is gently scrape the grease toward the collector. It's that easy. All the mess is in a single cup that you wash out with little trouble at a sink.

#3 The Burners

The burners bring in the heat. This is the crew in charge of the BTUs and getting that food cooked. But where do they get all that firepower from? Gas Griddles can reach a scorching 60 thousand BTUs! All the power comes from the propane. That lil' canister right by the griddle. Hook it up, and you're sold. All you need to do is push the igniter for quick, blazing cooking. Push the ignition and let the propane burn. On Blackstone griddles, you have multiple burners, which means multiple heat zones. Low, medium, medium-high, and high temperatures - all at the same time.

#4 The Heat Controls

The heat controls are dials. But they are more than that - as soon as you turn one, you become master of the heat. The heat is no longer unpredictable. Folks that cook up on grills have no control over the firepower of the charcoal. The fire dances as it pleases - think of all that food lost because of flare-ups. On a Gas Griddle, the heat is at the control of your fingertips. From high to low, you precisely pick the heat you need. If you want burgers cooked in a flash AND veggies cooked slowly at the same time - only on a gas griddle you can do that. Learn more in our article about griddle temperatures.

#5 Portable Machines

Griddles from Blackstone are portable. Every unit - large to small - can fold and go anywhere. All you need to do is fold those legs and put it in the trunk. Go anywhere. Dream of serving a delicious meal at the tailgate? Griddles have you covered with their quick assembly, cooking, and no stress cleaning. And griddles are the champ at the campsite. Cook up all the meals you need from sunrise to sunset. Start with pancakes, fill up on tacos, and go to sleep with some burgers. Simple, quick and efficient.

#6 Cooking Versatility

Griddles cook a lot of meals. For breakfast, you can cook pancakes, quesadillas, tacos, and french toast. And when it comes to lunch, you cook hot dogs, burgers, steak, chicken, and even pasta. Why not for dinner make it special - cook up seafood like tuna and shrimp to perfection. You can cook that and a lot more. The possibilities are endless. And the quality is professional. Steakhouses use griddles for seared, prize-worthy taste. And seafood venues keep their meals tender on the inside with a crust to die for on the outside. This quality is possible because of the uniform heat of the flat top. No meal is left undercooked. And the flavor is because of the searing. The juices don't drain out - they sink in and infuse into the ingredient for a tender, savory meal.

Comparing to Other Outdoor Cooking Appliances

Above is a description of a gas griddle. But there are other griddles out there. And other outdoor cooking appliances. The first is the electric griddle. It's small and fits on any kitchen counter. Heats up like an electric water heater - a glowing red rod of 4-5 KW of heat. The heat isn't distributed evenly since it focuses around the rod in the center. That means a lot of cold spots. Hey, don't forget the costs with electricity bills too! Second, you've got the charcoal grill. It's what most folks have in their backyard. Cooks food slowly and with a distinguished, smoky flavor. You have no control over the flames, so it takes a lot of practice to cook ingredients evenly. Flare-ups happen all the time, which can char a patty into charcoal. And a lot of juice is lost through the grates, making your meals dry. Third, you have Teflon griddles for stoves. These transform stoves, ovens, and grills into a flat top for cooking. That means you can cook pancakes, tortillas, quesadillas, and more. But since it's made with Teflon, it's not durable - you can only use silicone or wooden tools. Anything else makes a scratch. And it can release dangerous components under high heat.

More Stuff You Should Know About Griddles

Ok, you learned the essentials of the griddle. You know all about the flat top, its heat controls, and all its cooking potential. But, there are a few more things to learn:

Seasoning

Ever seen a blackened cast-iron pan on which food doesn't get stuck? Well, that's because of seasoning. It turns your griddle into a non-stick surface. That means cook up eggs without the compromise. Or remove any debris from the flat top without stressful scraping. And the seasoning happens with the oil. All you need to do is heat up the griddle, let it darken, and then oil it up. We have a seasoning guide with all the details.

Cleaning

The only time you ever use soap on a griddle is when it's brand-new. That means straight out of the box, never cooked on! Learn more on our griddle care guide. So, if your griddle is brand-new, wash it up with a bucket of soapy water. Then, scrub the water on the surface with a towel - when done, all you need are paper towels to dry up.

Storage and Care

How you store the griddle is essential. Blackstone products are built to last a lifetime, with stainless steel and industrial-grade materials. But if it'll last that long, is all up to you. You need to care for your griddle. Not too much. Not too little. Just the right amount. And that care starts with the right place. If you are a regular outdoor cooker, store your griddle somewhere easy. That means no mess, and close to the backyard. You should be able to roll it outside without the stress. Nothing gets you down more than hassle to get food cooking. But when you pick this storage place, ask yourself two things: Is it dry? Is it chilled? Cool places are safer for the propane tank, and dry places avoid rust. When it comes to rust, seasoning and correct storage are essential. You also need a canvas cover to protect the griddle from the elements. Oil up the griddle correctly, and store it right - that'll keep the rust away. But if you ever have trouble, we have a guide to remove rust from griddles.

Have any questions about griddles? Leave a comment below! And if you already have a Blackstone griddle show it in action - post your photos on social media with #GriddleNation and #BlackstoneGriddles.

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