Many griddle owners wonder what is the best way to season a griddle. And while it may seem overwhelming, nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, seasoning a griddle is about as easy as cooking on it.
In this article, we’ll cover the hows and whys to ensure a prepped and ready cooktop every time.
Why Season a Griddle?
It’s important to keep your griddle seasoned so that it is able to maintain an optimal, non-stick cooking surface. Seasoning will also prevent the griddle from forming uneven coloring or rust and will ensure a long life for your product.
Old and regularly used griddles sometimes form a natural seasoning layer thanks to the cooking process. However, new griddles need to be seasoned before their first use. The good news is seasoning a griddle for the first time is exactly the same as seasoning a regularly used griddle.
How to Season Your Griddle Step by Step
Now that you know why to season your griddle, let’s learn how to properly season your griddle every time. You’ll just need:
- Your griddle
- High smoke point oil
- Paper towels
- Kitchen tongs or high temp grill glove/mitt
This process will be the same for seasoning a griddle you’ve already used and how to season a new griddle. Read on for our step-by-step guide for how to season a griddle:
1. Clean Your Griddle
Before you even begin seasoning, it’s important to work on a clean, debris-free surface. This will ensure your seasoning oil penetrates the entire cooking surface. We posted a recent article about how to properly clean a griddle, so check it out to learn more.
2. Level Out Your Griddle
Once your griddle is clean, use your griddle’s built-in level to ensure your cooking surface is even. This will help keep your seasoning oil evenly layered and avoid pooling.
When the bubbles on your level are center aligned, your griddle should be parallel to the ground. You are good to go on to the next step.
3. Turn All Burners to High
This is where things start to heat up. Turn all of your griddle’s burners to high heat and leave them heating for around 10-12 minutes. You may notice your griddle’s surface starting to smoke. This is totally normal, so don’t panic!
Simply close the griddle’s lid and let it do its thing. Once the 12 minutes are up, open up your lid and drop the cooking temperature down to medium heat.
4. Apply Oil
Next, select a food-safe cooking oil with a high smoke point. This is what you’re going to apply to the griddle’s cooking surface, so ensure that you’re choosing a food-safe oil that you trust.
There really isn’t any one best oil to season a griddle. As long as it smokes as expected, you’re well covered. For a good seasoning oil with an appropriate smoke temperature for the seasoning process, we suggest:
- Cultured oil
- Avocado oil
- Ghee
- Olive oil
- Coconut oil
- Vegetable oil
With your oil selected, pour a few tablespoons of oil evenly across the entire surface of your griddle. Next, take a paper towel that’s evenly rolled or folded and prepare to spread thin layers of oil with the paper towel. For safety, we recommend holding the paper towel with cooking tongs or a grilling glove to ensure your hands are properly protected from the grill’s heat.
As you spread your oil, apply it in an even, edge-to-edge layer across the entire flat top surface. Take extra care to ensure the oil also covers the griddle’s interior lips, as those are just as prone to rusting as is the flattop.
Your griddle will soon begin to smoke. Again, don’t worry; that’s just part of the process. Simply let the oil do its thing, wait for the smoke to dissipate, and then move on to step five.
5. Reapply Oil
Once the smoke has dissipated, that’s your cue to apply your next coating of oil. If your paper towel became dirty or torn, now is the time to replace it with a fresh piece.
For your oil reapplication, you can follow the same process you did in step four. Simply apply another layer of oil until the smoke clears.
Repeat this step as many times as you like until your cooking surface has your needed coloration and seasoning level. It’s not really possible to apply too many layers of oil to your griddle, as long as you’re following the proper seasoning method. So, go crazy!
6. Cool It Down
Once you’ve applied your necessary layers of seasoning, simply turn off the heat, close the lid, and wipe your brow. Boom – your griddle is seasoned and you’re done!
Now, your griddle is ready for its next non-stick cooking session.
Shop the Best Griddles from HALO!
There’s nothing better than a sizzling griddle and the open air. HALO Products Group offers griddles that are right for every cooking task.
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