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How to level Blackstone griddle
A level surface is integral to optimizing your experience cooking with your Blackstone griddle.
When the griddle is properly leveled, the cook has the most control over the cooking surface which creates the best environment for producing the desired results.
An uneven surface adds additional variables that the cook must deal with, such as hot and cool spots on the griddle, and oil rolling away and pooling in corners and along the sides.
Leveling the griddle is a pretty straightforward process.
The easiest way is to simply place a level on top of the cooking surface, with the burners turned off of course.
If there is some tilt, small pieces of cardboard or thin wood can act as shims to bring the unit to a level plane.
If the griddle is on natural ground, then you can always dig into the ground slightly or pile up mulch or pea gravel to make any necessary adjustments.
Why should you level a Blackstone Griddle
To utilize the Blackstone’s full potential, it needs to be leveled.
This is for safety reasons as well as to get the most out of your food.
There is enough to think about when the griddle is fully loaded with several kinds of food, so an uneven griddle poses the risks of tipping and having food fall off or worse, causing injury.
A level griddle creates the best surface with uniform heat across the entire cooktop, which allows the cook to manipulate the surface if needed and create different temperature zones.
What does leveling a Blackstone Griddle do
Leveling the griddle does a few important things.
First, it eliminates the chance that an accidental bump could knock the griddle over, spilling the food on the ground and sending an open flame onto potentially flammable surfaces.
If using oil, a level surface prevents pooling which could cause flare ups as well as dry spots which could cause food to stick to the cooking surface.
An even cooktop helps bring the best performance out of the griddle as the heat will be distributed uniformly across the cast iron.
This will yield the best conditions for controlling the various types of food on the griddle and prevent items from cooking too fast or too slow, which can throw off the entire meal plan.
Can a griddle be resurfaced?
A Blackstone griddle can absolutely be resurfaced and reseasoned, and it is a good idea to refresh the seasoning from time to time.
If your griddle top is peeling or rusted don’t despair, it is a fairly easy fix that just requires a bit of time and some elbow grease. A griddle scraper, griddle stone, or some steel wool will take off the rust or old seasoning that has built up and peeled.
Use some water and a scraping tool to remove the layer covering the cooktop, but you’ll want to avoid soap since it does not work well on cast iron.
Once you scrape the surface clear and wipe it clean with water, you need to re-season the griddle.
To accomplish this, you’ll need some cooking oil, a pair of tongs, and some paper towels.
Heat up the cooking surface and spread a thin layer of oil onto the griddle. Gripping a paper towel in the tongs, spread the oil evenly on the surface and let the hot cooktop go to work breaking down the oil.
Repeat this process 2-3 more times and the griddle should be properly seasoned. The telltale sign will be when the surface changes color. The griddle should then be back to optimal condition.
Why is my Blackstone griddle warped?
Griddle tops can warp, which can be frustrating.
This is a function of the cooktop’s steel source material that makes cast iron, which expands and contracts as it is heated up and cooled down.
Some slight warping is normal, especially when breaking in a new griddle. There are some things you can do to prevent excessive warping however, most of which involve avoiding big temperature swings.
Try not to preheat the griddle for longer than necessary, and if possible let foods that are taken from the refrigerator come up to room temperature before placing them on the griddle.
This will minimize the changes in temperature and reduce the chances of warping. Using large amounts of water to clean the griddle can also cause warping.
Use the griddle scraper and stone as those tools are made specifically for the job. Finally do not put frozen food on the griddle as it can stress the metal.
Final Thoughts
The Blackstone griddle is a fantastic tool in the outdoor cook’s arsenal. Keeping the griddle surface level, clean, and seasoned will produce the best results cook after cook.
A little bit of effort on the cook’s part will go a long way towards keeping the griddle in top shape and churning out fantastic food.
Robert is a certified Pitmaster, with over a decade of experience in smoking the best meats you’ll ever feast upon. He also has a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas at San Antonio. When he’s not researching technical topics, he’s most likely barbecuing in his backyard.