Blackstone Griddle Mastery: 10 Essential Lessons from Three Years of Outdoor Cooking Excellence
For several years, the idea of owning a Blackstone griddle simmered in the back of my mind. My family members were already seasoned Blackstone enthusiasts, constantly praising their griddles’ incredible versatility and the vast array of delicious outdoor cooking recipes they explored. Their enthusiasm was contagious, and soon, my curiosity was piqued. As someone who had long relied on a trusty wood pellet grill for my outdoor culinary adventures, I decided it was time to branch out. I was ready to embrace the flat steel surface of a Blackstone griddle and discover a new dimension of outdoor cooking.
(Please note: We have no affiliation with Blackstone. This review reflects the honest opinion of the writer, based on three years of personal, hands-on experience using a Blackstone Griddle. While we sometimes include links to products for informational purposes, we do not receive any commission if you purchase a Blackstone. We encourage you to share your own experiences and opinions in the comments section below, especially if there are things we’ve overlooked or if you have a different perspective – your insights are always welcome!).
Initially, a concern lingered about the potential for an extensive cleaning regimen and increased maintenance demands. Despite this apprehension, I took the plunge, primarily motivated by the quest for the perfect Blackstone Philly Cheesesteaks. Looking back three years later, I remain incredibly grateful for that decision. Owning a Blackstone has fundamentally transformed my approach to outdoor cooking, evolving it from an occasional event into a regular, enjoyable habit. This journey has been a remarkably tasty one, filled with valuable lessons and countless delicious meals. Whether you’re currently weighing the pros and cons of acquiring a Blackstone or already have one sitting unused on your patio, I sincerely hope my experiences will inspire you to fire it up and cook something amazing very soon.
Here are 10 invaluable insights I’ve gained after three years of consistent Blackstone griddle use
1. Outdoor Cooking Doesn’t Have to Be Time-Consuming
I’ve always cherished outdoor grilling, striving to make it a routine several times a week, especially during the warmer summer months. However, my traditional grilling methods often turned the act of cooking into a significant event rather than an activity easily integrated into a busy schedule. This extensive routine frequently led to me grilling less and less, resorting instead to batch cooking indoors just to savor grilled food for a few days at a time.
While batch cooking served its purpose, the Blackstone revolutionized my perspective on outdoor meals. What I truly adore is how effortless it is to pull out the Blackstone for a quick cooking session. It doesn’t demand a huge time commitment. I can now spontaneously cook a much wider variety of foods, from breakfast to dinner, at a moment’s notice. Whether my family gathers around the dining room table or enjoys a beautiful day dining al fresco, the Blackstone makes outdoor cooking incredibly convenient and efficient. This ease of use means I now utilize it far more frequently than I ever anticipated, transforming outdoor cooking from a special occasion into an everyday delight.
2. You Can Cook an Entire Meal on the Blackstone – Dessert Included!
As I’ve delved deeper into the diverse range of recipes possible on the Blackstone, a significant realization struck me: you can genuinely prepare an entire, multi-course meal all in one place. In the past, my grilling routine involved a chaotic dance between the backyard and the kitchen, with main dishes on the outdoor grill and various side dishes simmering on the stove inside. This constant back-and-forth was far from ideal.
The Blackstone, with its expansive cooking surface and intelligently designed independent heating zones, eliminates this complexity. I can now effortlessly cook everything simultaneously, from appetizers to the main course and even dessert, without ever stepping foot indoors. This consolidated approach allows the food to receive consistent attention, resulting in perfectly cooked dishes and a much smoother, less stressful cooking process overall.
Beyond a juicy steak, you can transform the griddle into a versatile kitchen. Imagine crispy frozen fries, perfectly smashed potatoes, and an assortment of vibrant, fresh vegetables all cooking alongside your protein. What truly astonished me was discovering the griddle’s capacity for desserts. From warm, gooey cookies to a festive s’mores pizza, and even sweet fruit tacos encased in a delightful cinnamon sugar shell – the Blackstone proves it can provide a delectable finish to any meal, making it an all-in-one outdoor culinary powerhouse.
3. Propane Makes Cooking Easier Than Expected
My Blackstone journey marked my first venture into using propane for outdoor cooking. While intrigued by its potential, I admit I was initially quite intimidated. This apprehension led me to first purchase an all-electric Blackstone griddle, hoping to ease into the experience. However, that setup simply didn’t deliver the powerful, consistent cooking experience I was seeking. After a short period, I returned it and decided to bravely embrace propane.
As someone whose prior outdoor cooking experience was exclusively with charcoal or wood pellets, the transition to propane was surprisingly swift and seamless. It took only a few griddling sessions to become fully comfortable with its operation and truly appreciate its undeniable ease of use. Not only did I discover the sheer convenience of propane, but I also quickly fell in love with the precise and immediate control it offers over heat levels. My Blackstone heats up in mere minutes, and I can visually gauge the intensity of heat radiating from each setting. This clear feedback has been instrumental in helping me master the dials for optimal cooking temperatures, making every meal a success.
4. Griddle Cooking Retains More Flavor
If you’ve ever savored a meal prepared in a classic diner, you’ll understand that there’s an undeniable magic to food cooked on a well-seasoned griddle. This flat-top cooking surface seems to imbue everything prepared on it with a unique, rich flavor profile. From a perfectly fried egg with crispy edges to a golden-brown, cheesy grilled sandwich, the griddle plays an essential, often understated, role in elevating the taste of the food.
Beyond the depth of flavor imparted by a properly seasoned griddle, its flat design offers a crucial advantage: it prevents precious fats, savory juices, and marinades from dripping away into flames or ash. Instead, these flavorful liquids remain on the cooking surface, simmering and caramelizing around the food. This process means that the ingredients are essentially cooked in their own delicious juices, which are then reabsorbed, resulting in incredibly moist, tender, and intensely flavorful dishes. This is particularly beneficial for cuts of meat that are prone to drying out quickly, such as delicate chicken breast, ensuring every bite is succulent and packed with taste.
5. Cleaning the Blackstone Isn’t Complicated
One of my initial hesitations before purchasing a Blackstone was the perceived complexity of its maintenance. However, soon after getting my griddle, I quickly realized that the upkeep was far less extensive than I had imagined. The key to effortless cleaning lies in tackling it immediately after each use; this ensures it takes only a few minutes. Much like caring for a prized cast-iron skillet, you must refrain from using soap on the Blackstone’s seasoned surface, except for the very first wash before its initial seasoning. The manufacturer explicitly recommends this singular soapy wash to prepare the griddle for its seasoning layers.
Initially, I worried about keeping the griddle spotless, especially after cooking particularly messy recipes. But with the right Blackstone cleaning tools, maintaining a pristine cooking surface is remarkably easy. Specialized scrapers and non-abrasive scrubbers quickly remove food residue and build-up, much like the process for a traditional grill. The only unique step for a Blackstone is applying a thin layer of cooking oil after cleaning to protect the seasoned surface and prevent rust. This entire cleaning and oiling process typically takes no more than 10-15 minutes, which is significantly less time than I had originally anticipated, making post-meal cleanup a breeze.
6. You Can Effortlessly Feed a Crowd
When I first ventured into the world of Blackstone, I opted for a smaller 22-inch model, believing it would perfectly suit my usual small-batch cooking needs. However, it quickly became apparent that even this compact griddle offered a surprisingly generous and highly efficient cooking area. The flat surface design of the griddle allows you to utilize virtually every square inch for cooking, maximizing your capacity far beyond what traditional grates might offer.
Whether you’re batch cooking meals for the week for ultimate convenience, or hosting a large gathering of loved ones for a special occasion, the Blackstone proves to be an exceptional tool for serving up delicious food quickly and efficiently. The independent heating zones further enhance this capability, making it incredibly easy to cook different proteins or dishes simultaneously without flavor cross-contamination. Imagine beef burgers sizzling on one side while chicken burgers, hot dogs, or vegetarian options cook on the opposite side. This thoughtful design ensures all your guests have a fresh, hot variety of food to choose from, making entertaining a stress-free and enjoyable experience for everyone.
7. Start Your Temperature Lower Than You Think You’ll Need
One of the most valuable lessons I learned about griddle cooking is the importance of starting with a lower temperature than you might instinctively apply to a traditional grill. Because the thick steel cooking surface of the Blackstone heats remarkably evenly and retains heat exceptionally well, you generally don’t need to crank it all the way up to achieve that perfect sear or thorough cook. The radiant heat from the griddle works wonders even at moderate settings.
Moreover, precisely because the surface distributes heat so consistently, it’s surprisingly easy to overcook or even burn your food if you’re not careful with the initial temperature. My experience has taught me that it’s always easier, and far more forgiving, to incrementally increase the heat if your griddle isn’t hot enough. Conversely, cooling down an overheated griddle or rescuing food that has become too dark or charred on the outside while remaining raw in the center is a much more challenging endeavor. A simple trick I often employ is to start cooking at a lower temperature to ensure the food cooks through evenly, then finish it off with a quick blast of higher heat for a beautiful crust or caramelized finish. This approach offers much greater control and consistently superior results.
8. Utilizing Temperature Zones Saves You Time
One of the features I genuinely adore about cooking on the Blackstone is the brilliant design of its independent temperature zones. Unlike traditional grills that often feature a single heat control for the entire cooking surface, the Blackstone is thoughtfully divided into distinct areas, each governed by its own dedicated dial. This intelligent separation means you don’t even have to heat up the entire griddle if you’re only preparing a small batch of food, saving both time and propane.
These versatile temperature zones also become invaluable once your main dishes are cooked. By setting one side to a very low heat, it transforms into an ideal holding space for finished food. This ensures everything remains wonderfully hot, fresh, and perfectly melty until it’s time to serve, eliminating the need to rush or worry about food getting cold. Furthermore, these additional cooking zones are perfect for those crucial last-minute finishing touches. You can simultaneously warm tortillas, toast buttered smash burger buns to golden perfection, or quickly soften some onions, all contributing to getting your delicious meal on the table in significantly less time and with greater ease.
9. Prepping Ingredients Ahead of Time Is Key
To truly maximize the efficiency and enjoyment of your Blackstone griddle, advanced planning and ingredient preparation are absolutely essential. In my early days of griddling, I frequently found myself making frustrating dashes back inside for forgotten items or condiments. I quickly learned that having all ingredients and necessary accessories meticulously prepared beforehand is the cornerstone of a smooth, stress-free outdoor cooking experience.
Given how rapidly food cooks on the griddle, you’ll often discover that you need all components of your meal ready and available simultaneously. For straightforward dishes like burgers, this might simply mean having your buns, cheese, and toppings neatly organized. However, for more intricate recipes, particularly those you might not be accustomed to cooking outdoors, such as Blackstone Chicken Fried Rice, the planning becomes even more critical.
You’ll need to think ahead about your serving dishes, ensure garnishes are washed and prepped, and consider how to keep your prepared ingredients covered and protected outdoors until they’re ready to hit the hot griddle. My personal strategy involves preparing all my ingredients and neatly arranging them in prep bowls, often covered with plastic wrap. Additionally, I use a large baking tray as an efficient way to carry everything I need – including all utensils and clean serving platters – outside in one trip. This meticulous method ensures everything is conveniently nearby and ready for action, allowing me to fully immerse myself in the joy of the cooking process and ultimately saving a significant amount of time.
10. The Possibilities Are Endless
When you first embark on your Blackstone cooking adventure, it’s beneficial to begin with high-quality, reliable recipes that provide clear guidance through the initial learning curve. However, once you become comfortable and confident in using your griddle, that’s when the real fun truly begins: allowing your culinary creativity to soar. Don’t feel confined to specific foods or traditional cooking techniques that you might associate with griddles.
Embrace the freedom to experiment and try new things, just as you would in your indoor kitchen. Discovering unique seasoning blends, experimenting with different cuts of meat, and finding innovative ways to adapt your cherished family recipes for the griddle can be an incredibly fun and rewarding experience. The Blackstone truly unlocks endless opportunities to explore new foods and cooking styles. You might even uncover dishes you never imagined could be prepared on a flat-top griddle. This spirit of culinary creativity will undoubtedly enhance your overall cooking experience and lead to a bounty of delicious, memorable meals for yourself, your family, and your friends.
Blackstone cooking is renowned for being simple, straightforward, and perhaps most importantly, incredibly enjoyable. In practically no time at all, you can master the art of creating an astounding variety of delicious meals, perfectly suited for feeding a small family or an entire crowd. Whether you’re a complete newcomer to the Blackstone world or still deliberating which Blackstone griddle is the perfect fit for your lifestyle, I hope these invaluable tips and lessons I’ve gathered over my three-year journey will inspire and empower you to elevate and truly savor your outdoor cooking experience!