Seasoning an outdoor griddle is an essential process to help protect the cooking surface and enhance the flavor of foods cooked on it. Proper seasoning creates a natural non-stick surface. Learning how to season a new outdoor griddle, as well as maintaining the seasoning over time, helps ensure delicious grilled foods for years to come.
Why Seasoning Is Important
Seasoning an outdoor griddle serves multiple important purposes:
- Protects the cooking surface – Outdoor griddles are often made from cast iron, carbon steel, or stainless steel. Seasoning creates a protective coating to minimize direct contact between the food and the bare metal. This helps prevent corrosion, pitting, and rust.
- Provides a non-stick surface – The seasoned patina gives foods a slick surface to cook on. Food is less likely to stick, making cooking and cleaning much easier.
- Enhances flavor – As oils are heated and polymerized into the pores of the metal, they provide a subtle smokey flavor. This gives foods a light barbecue taste.
- Prevents food from absorbing odors – The seasoning barrier prevents smelly odors from becoming imparted into subsequent foods. It keeps everything tasting clean.
- Makes cooking more enjoyable – Food slides around easily, veggies don’t stick and tear, meats get appealing char marks, and cleanup becomes a breeze. Who doesn’t want that?
How to Season a New Griddle
Follow these steps when seasoning a new outdoor griddle for the first time:
Clean the Cooking Surface
It’s important to remove any protective oils or residue from the manufacturing process. Start by washing the cold griddle with hot, soapy water and a spatula or grill brush. Rinse thoroughly.
Some people also like to scrub it with a paste of coarse salt and vegetable oil. The abrasive salt helps remove impurities for a super clean start. Rinse and dry it very well after scrubbing.
Apply a Thin Layer of Oil
Rub a thin coating of high smoke point oil all over the cooking surface using a paper towel or soft cloth. Good oils to use include:
- Grapeseed oil
- Avocado oil
- Refined coconut oil
- Vegetable oil
- Canola oil
Make sure to coat the entire surface, edges, sides, and backsplashes. Get oil into every pore and crevice. Allow any excess oil to drip off.
Heat the Griddle
Turn the burners to medium-low heat. As the griddle slowly heats, the oil will begin to smoke. Once smoking lightly, turn the heat up to medium-high.
Heat the oiled griddle for about 15-20 minutes. Keep heating until the oil stops smoking. You want the oil to bake into the pores, not burn off.
Allow it to Cool
Turn all the burners off and let the griddle completely cool. The metal needs to contract for the seasoning to properly harden. Allow at least an hour for it to cool fully.
Repeat Oil and Heat Cycles
For a thick, resilient patina, repeat the oiling and heating process several more times. The more layers, the better the non-stick surface becomes.
Aim for at least 3-5 cycles on a brand new griddle. Each round will deepen and darken the seasoning. Wipe off excess oil between rounds.
Seasoning Tips
- Use very thin coats of oil. Too much can become sticky and goopy.
- Choose high smoking point oils. Lower temp oils can burn off too quickly.
- Heat slowly to allow the oil to penetrate. Rushing it may burn off the oil.
- Let it cool fully after each round to harden the polymerized oil.
With proper prep and patience, you’ll have a gorgeously slick cooking surface ready for grill marks!
How to Maintain Seasoning
A well-seasoned griddle gets better over time. Follow these tips to maintain and build up the patina:
Cook Often
Frequent use prevents the seasoning from flaking. Each cook session further bakes in oils and blackens the finish. Use your griddle a lot!
Oil After Cleaning
After cooking, clean the griddle thoroughly while still warm. Apply a fresh micro-thin oil coat before storing.
Clean with Care
Avoid abrasive brushes or cleaners which can scrape off seasoning. Instead, use a plastic bristle brush and hot water.
If needed, use salt as a gentle scouring agent. Rinse and dry thoroughly.
Don’t Flambé
Avoid flambéing or burning off food bits. This ruins seasoning. Instead, use a metal spatula to gently scrape off any stuck-on foods.
Remove Rust Spots
If rust appears, scrub spots vigorously with steel wool. Immediately re-oil those areas to protect the newly exposed iron.
Touch Up Seasoning
To boost areas that look dry or dull, do a mini seasoning round by oiling and heating just those spots.
Storage Considerations
Cover cooled griddles if storing outside. Rain can wash off protective oils. Avoid putting away still wet.
Troubleshooting Seasoning Issues
Even with proper seasoning, you may still encounter some sticking or cleaning frustrations. Here are some common problems and solutions.
Food Sticks
- Allow griddle to fully preheat before cooking.
- Use a thinner layer of oil for stickier foods like eggs or pancakes.
- Gently scrape with a spatula while cooking to loosen food as needed.
Dry, Patchy, or Flaky Areas
- Oil affected areas and re-season. Focus heating on troubled spots.
- Cook oily foods like bacon or sausage to help recondition.
Rust Colored Streaks or Spots
- Scrub vigorously with steel wool to remove rust.
- Immediately re-oil and re-season rusted portions.
Blackened Oil Buildup or Stickiness
- Scrub with hot, soapy water to remove gummy deposits.
- Rinse, dry, and re-apply ultra-thin layer of oil before heating again.
White Bare Spots
- Seasoning flaked off exposing bare metal.
- Scrub spots with steel wool or coarse salt to rough up surface.
- Oil and re-season just those affected portions.
Burned On Food Residue
- Soak in hot water to loosen, then scrape gently with a spatula.
- Avoid burning grease or sugary sauces next time.
Rancid Oil Smell
- Scrub with soap and water to remove rancid oil residue.
- Season with fresh oil, ensuring not to over-oil the griddle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Still have some seasoning questions? These answers should help!
How often should I season my outdoor griddle?
- Brand new griddles need 3-5 initial seasoning rounds.
- After that, just do occasional touch ups as needed.
- Re-oil after each use to maintain the patina.
What’s the best oil to season a griddle?
- Oils with high smoking points (400°F+) work best.
- Good choices are grapeseed, vegetable, avocado, refined coconut oils.
- Avoid olive oil or butter which can burn and get sticky.
Do I need to wash my griddle after each use?
- Yes, you should still wash after cooking. This prevents rancid oil buildup.
- Use hot water, a gentle scrub brush, salt, or towel to clean.
- Make sure to re-oil before storing after washing.
How do I get rid of rust spots on my griddle?
- Use steel wool and elbow grease to vigorously scrub off rust.
- Immediately re-season those spots to protect from future rust.
Why is my well-seasoned griddle getting sticky?
- Built up oil, grease, or food residue can create stickiness.
- Scrub griddle with hot, soapy water. Rinse and dry thoroughly.
- Re-oil and heat to re-polymerize a smooth, non-stick patina.
How can I make pancakes stop sticking?
- Fully preheat griddle before adding batter.
- Use a thin layer of butter or oil right before pouring pancakes.
- Loosen edges with a spatula as they cook.
Key Takeaways for Seasoning an Outdoor Griddle
- Seasoning protects the metal, provides non-stick cooking, and enhances flavor
- Wash then oil brand new griddles before initial high heat seasoning
- Slowly heat oiled griddle, allow to cool fully, and repeat oil/heat cycles
- Maintain seasoning by frequent cooking, oiling after use, and gentle cleaning
- Issues like stickiness or rust can be remedied by scrubbing and re-seasoning
- With regular use and touch-ups, griddle seasoning will continue improving
Properly seasoning an outdoor griddle may take some time and effort, but it is well worth it. Follow these tips to get the most out of your griddle. Bon appétit!
Conclusion
A properly seasoned outdoor griddle can make cooking fun, easy, and flavorful. Take the time to season new griddles. Use oils with high smoking points heated slowly. Cook on it often and care for it gently. Re-oil after each use. Stay on top of seasoning maintenance and minor upkeep. A well-loved griddle develops a natural non-stick patina that makes steaks sizzle and veggies char beautifully with ease. Get out and grill on that seasoned griddle! Delicious meats, veggies, or breakfast foods are waiting.