How to Season a Blackstone-Style Griddle (First Time and Re-Seasoning)

Nov 10, 2026 ByJohn White

Season a new flat-top griddle with a one-time soapy wash, then several very thin coats of oil heated until they smoke and darken the steel. Later cooks need only a thin oil wipe.

A new steel plate that looks blotchy after the first attempt was usually coated too thick, or it was washed like a skillet after the first cook. Seasoning is not a polish you pour on. It is a thin layer of oil heated until it binds to the metal, repeated until the plate darkens.

How to season a flat-top griddle for the first time

Wash a new plate with soapy water, rinse, and dry it. Heat until the steel browns, wipe on a very thin coat of oil, and heat until the oil smokes and then stops. Repeat for three or four coats, until the plate is dark. After later cooks, a thin oil wipe usually suffices.

That sequence follows official first-use guides, including Blackstone's complete seasoning guide and Weber's first-time seasoning article. Both start with a one-time soapy wash, insist on a thin coat of oil, and repeat the heat cycle until the surface is dark. The exact clock for each coat is not identical in every manual, so watch the oil: it should smoke, then the smoke should fade, before you add the next thin coat or shut the burners down.

What seasoning actually is

Official Blackstone copy describes seasoning as burning off organic compounds in the oil and leaving a polymer that bonds to the plate. The point is a darker, more stick-resistant surface that also helps protect the steel from moisture. A thick, shiny puddle is the opposite of that. Blackstone's guide is blunt: a thick coat can chip later and leave sticky residue.

Step by step for a new plate

Set the cooker outdoors, confirm the gas connections, and keep the area clear. The NFPA grilling safety page is a short public checklist before any first burn-in.

1. Wash once with mild dish soap and water to remove manufacturing and shipping residue. Rinse thoroughly. This is the only routine that should use soap on a new carbon-steel or similar plate, unless a later rust-repair procedure in the maker's manual says otherwise.

2. Dry the plate, then heat it on high. Blackstone's guide says to expect the top to start browning in about 10–15 minutes. When the color changes, turn the burners off before you oil, or follow your own manual if it oils on a cooler plate. Either way, the plate should be dry.

3. Apply a very thin coat of oil with paper towels held in tongs or heat-resistant gloves. Wipe as if you are trying to take the oil back off. Cover the cooking face and, where the manual says so, the inside edges.

4. Turn the heat back up and wait until the oil smokes and then stops smoking. Blackstone's complete guide describes a longer smoke window of about 30 minutes on that coat; other official pages describe 10–15 minutes until smoking stops. Use the visual: the plate darkens, smoke rises, then it calms down.

5. Repeat the thin coat and the heat cycle until the surface is dark brown to black. Official Blackstone pages describe about three to four rounds for the initial seasoning, then a final thin wipe of oil or conditioner as the plate cools, plus a cover for storage.

Which oil to use, and which to save for food

Fat	Smoke point on Blackstone's oils page	Usual role
Canola oil	450–470°F	Common, neutral choice for seasoning or cooking
Vegetable oil or shortening	Not listed with a number there; named as a seasoning option in the seasoning guide	Allowed for seasoning coats in that official list
Flax oil	Not listed with a number on the oils page; named in the seasoning guide	An official seasoning option; follow a thin-coat method
Olive oil	375–425°F	Listed as a possible seasoning oil; less ideal for the hottest cooking
Avocado oil	520°F	High-heat cooking and searing
Butter	300–350°F	Flavor at lower heat, not a first-seasoning coat

Blackstone also sells its own Griddle Seasoning & Cast Iron Conditioner and lists it first in official instructions. You do not have to use a proprietary bottle; the same pages say regular cooking oils will work if the coat stays thin. For a deeper oil comparison, see best oil for a flat-top griddle. The source table above is Blackstone's cooking oils article.

After the first seasoning: how often you need to do this again

Blackstone's "how often" guide is clear that regular cooking continues to build the layer, and that a thin coat of oil or conditioner after cleaning is the maintenance step. You should not need to repeat the full first-use, multi-coat burn-in after every meal. You may need a fuller re-seasoning if the surface is dull, sticky from old thick oil, or bare after rust removal.

If rust has already appeared, do not try to hide it under more oil. Go to how to remove rust from a griddle top, then come back to the multi-coat process.

Everyday cleaning is what protects the work you just did

The companion routine — scrape while warm, use a little water if needed, dry, and oil lightly — lives in how to clean a flat-top griddle. Official care pages also warn against oven cleaners and harsh detergents on a seasoned plate. If the plate will not heat evenly, or a burner stays weak, that is a fuel or regulator problem, not a seasoning one: see griddle not getting hot or low flame.

Storage, covers, and rust prevention

Let the plate cool, keep a thin oil film on the steel, and cover the cooker. Official Blackstone care copy emphasizes a cool, dry storage spot and a heavy cover, especially in humid climates. Do not store a damp plate and do not leave standing water on the steel.

Weber's rust note for its own griddles makes the same basic points in shorter form: season as instructed, scrape after each cook, apply a thin layer of neutral oil, and keep the unit covered. The brand-specific steps can differ; the dry-and-oil habit does not.

A first-cook suggestion after the plate is dark

Once the surface is dark and the last coat has cooled, you can cook. A simple, fatty meal is a common next step because it keeps building the layer. It is not a required ritual, and it is not a substitute for the official multi-coat start. If the plate still looks streaky, add another thin coat and heat cycle rather than scraping it back to bare metal.

Current patio cookers are grouped in the grills and griddles collection. For the rest of the cluster, start at the outdoor griddle guide.

FAQ

Do you put oil down every time you cook on a Blackstone-style griddle?

A thin film at the start of a cook helps most foods, and a thin coat after cleaning protects the steel. You do not need a thick layer either time. Official guides treat that post-cook wipe as the regular maintenance, not a full re-seasoning.

Can you use Dawn dish soap on a Blackstone griddle?

Official first-use instructions call for a soapy wash on a brand-new, uncooked plate, followed by a thorough rinse. After the plate has been seasoned and used, care guides recommend water and a scraper instead of detergents or oven cleaners, which can strip seasoning and leave a residue.

What not to do on a Blackstone griddle?

Do not season with a thick puddle of oil, do not soak the plate, and do not use oven cleaner on a seasoned surface. Do not store the plate wet or uncovered in a damp place. Those mistakes, not ordinary cooking, are what usually undo the work.

How do you season a grill compared with a griddle?

Open grill grates are brushed and may be oiled lightly, but they are not usually built up with multiple polymer coats the way a carbon-steel or cast-iron plate is. Follow the manual for each surface. A grate and a plate on the same combo still need two different care habits.

Blackstone is a trademark of its respective owner. Big Horn Outdoors is not affiliated with or endorsed by Blackstone. Weber is a trademark of its respective owner. Big Horn Outdoors is not affiliated with or endorsed by Weber.