Blackstone Griddle Mastery: Tips for Perfect Cooking Every Time

Griddle cooking is an art, and like all arts, it requires the right techniques to truly shine. If you've ever been intrigued by the allure of the Blackstone griddle, you're in for a treat.

This guide is your passport to a world of culinary delights, where we demystify the process and share expert tips that will elevate your cooking game. Whether you're just starting out or looking to refine your skills, let's embark on this flavorful journey together!

Tips and Tricks to cook on a Blackstone Griddle

Cooking on a Blackstone griddle is not the same as cooking on a stove or grill. Here is what you can do to make your griddle cooking fun.

Gather everything that you need for cooking

Before starting cooking you must have all things ready. You will require varieties of ingredients and tools. A gas griddle cooks food quickly so you may not have sufficient time to chop vegetables or run around to get ingredients while food cooks. Moreover, it is not advisable to leave the griddle unattended. 

Keep tools and ingredients within your reach. The food you are going to cook should be ready to place on the griddle and ingredients measurement should be done in advance. All this will help you to pay focus on cooking which gives amazing results.

Cleaning a griddle is important

Use a scraper to scrape during cooking. Scrape the surface beginning at the top towards the grease trough. Always scrape the grill while cooking and afterward. Move food to different areas of the grill as it prevents food from sticking. Ultimately it makes cleaning of griddle easy. 

Preheating is necessary

Not only the griddle but every cooking surface needs preheating. Preheat on low or medium while you are getting ready with ingredients. Sometimes when you cook the food right out of a fridge, preheating the griddle at a higher temperature is required for a few minutes so that the griddle temperature does not suddenly drop by adding cold food. 

Slowly open the Propane tank valve

Weak flames are difficult to deal with and this can be because of your propane tank. Low or uneven flames can happen when you open the valve too quickly. This problem can be solved when you open the propane tank valve slowly. It helps in eliminating flame-related issues and gives consistent solid blue flame. 

If opening a propane tank slowly does not solve the issue, you disconnect the regulator from the tank and reconnect it. Hope this solves the issues however, if the problem persists, replace the regulator.

Take advantage of water

Always take advantage of water while cooking on a griddle. It is an important griddling component and necessary for steaming veggies. Water helps in softening stuck food and cleaning the surface.

Water is the best cleaning agent to remove stuck-on stubborn food. Cleaning eases when you pour water on food and let it soak for some time. This way you do not need a scraper to remove residue. Wipe the griddle with a paper towel and use oil coating before putting it back. 

When you want to steam veggies on the griddle, place vegetables and sprinkle water. Cover the vegetables so that steam gets trapped and steam your food. 

Use Spray bottle  

Using cooking oil in an adequate amount is necessary for cooking food. Now all types of cooking oils are available in a spray bottle and this helps in applying thin oil coating on food and cooking surface. Spray bottles do not need cleaning after finishing a task. This tip eases your work.

Use Thermometer and adjust the heat setting knob

Using the correct temperature to cook on a griddle is important for a perfect outcome. But cooking on a griddle is entirely different from any other cooking unit. It is not like you set the temperature for some minutes and sit back. Instead, you need to learn to gauge the temperature and know how food reacts to a specific temperature. 

One way to check the griddle's temperature is to put butter on it and if it starts burning and turning brown then it indicates that the temperature is very high and you need to lower the temperature setting. When butter melts and bubbles on the surface it means the grill is cold. You can also use a thermometer to check the temperature of the griddle surface. The temperature fluctuates when you add colder food to the grill surface.

Use a pan/pot on the griddle surface

You can use a pan and pot on the griddle surface. Cooking is not limited to using the griddle top and in fact, you can make broths, sauces, and liquid foods by putting pan and pan directly on the surface of the top. This eliminates additional efforts to run between the kitchen stove and back to the griddle because you can do it all in one place. 

Create different heat zones

Creating different heat zones is of great benefit when cooking foods because you can slide them into the cooler area once done and prepare the remaining part of the meal. Moreover, different food cooks at different temperatures. The entire meal can be cooked at one time because of different heat zone. 

A wire rack set can be used that can be served as a warming rack. This works well when a large quantity of food is to be cooked in batches such as grilled chicken breasts, bacon, pancakes, etc. 

Before the food is done turn off the grill

Turn off the grill a few minutes before the food is cooked completely. This helps in cleaning the flat top easily. Once you turn off the grill there is too much residual heat on the griddle surface that food continues to cook for some time. Turning the knobs off reduces the risk of burning food debris and sauces. The proper internal temperature of meat or pork should be reached. 

Disposable drip pans are essential

While cooking you must have encountered grease and leftovers. For hassle-free cooking, you require to dispose of this mess. Disposal of all unwanted things becomes easy when you have a foil drip pan. You can also use aluminum foil to clean out all traps and this makes cleaning easy. Once you dispose of the mess again make a new drip pan from aluminum foil and start your work. Blackstone provides a drip tray so you can easily dispose of leftovers and grease. 

Use burners Adequately

Even on the low-temperature setting, the grill gets extremely hot and in this case, people turn on one burner only. Especially when you prepare a small quantity of food, you turn on only one burner but re-think about this. Using one burner can cause an extreme difference in temperature on different sides of the grill which can buckle or wrap your griddle. You can turn on all burners at the lowest temperature settings when you use one burner.

The propane tank should not be overlooked

Always focus on the propane tank as it is an important part of the griddle but it is often overlooked. Some tips can help you manage a propane tank such as turning off the propane at the source. Always turn off the grill with the knobs and valve on a propane tank. This avoids gas leakage.

Use Parchment paper or wax paper to cover the griddle Cooktop

Cover your griddle cooktop using parchment paper or wax paper for added protection. Along with extra protection, it also prevents the grill from moisture and insects. You can clean the cooktop after cooking and apply a layer of oil. Once the griddle cools completely you can use parchment/wax paper on the griddle top. As usual, you can cover the griddle with a soft/hardcover.

Slowly bring the Flat top to the adequate temperature

Start burners on low when you turn on the griddle. You need to bring the grill to a higher temperature slowly. It is always a better idea to reach a higher temperature rather than do it fast. 

Bringing the cooktop to a higher temperature quickly can cause warping. So your cooktop may not settle properly on the base as it is no longer flat. This issue can arise even when you place any frozen food on the extremely hot flat top. Sometimes this issue resolves but many times you need to buy a new one. You can contact the manufacturer to get a new griddle top. To avoid all this hassle you should begin with a low temperature and let the cooktop heat slowly to reach a higher temperature.

Conclusion 

It is always fun to cook on a Blackstone griddle. You can use tips and tricks to cook on a griddle. All this makes cooking effective and easier rather than a hectic task. Always use these tips for convenience. A griddle can be your best cooking companion, especially outdoors. We hope all the tips and tricks help you in long run.