It takes more than one round to season a new griddle, so put your gloves back on (or grab your tongs) and spread a second coat of oil. The oil will quickly begin to smoke, which is what you want. The smoke carries away most of the organic components of the oil, leaving behind the polymers that form the non-stick coating you’re after.
I used two extra-wide Blackstone spatulas to smash the burgers until I heard that satisfying sizzle. When the burgers were done, I topped them with cheese and toasted some buns on the other side of the cooking surface. I built the burgers right on the flat-top, and I really did feel like a professional line cook for a moment. Once the grill was well-seasoned, I went all in and cooked breakfast for the Test Kitchen team at the office. I wanted to see just how well the Blackstone performed when cooking multiple foods at once. So, I loaded up the flat-top with pancakes, fried eggs and bacon.
All of the griddles we selected have burners capable of providing the output needed to reach high cooking temperatures and evenly heat the cooking surface. While Blackstone’s most common grill size is 28 inches, the company also makes smaller 17-inch models as well as large 36-inch griddles. A 28-inch griddle has about 528 square inches of cooking surface, which is enough to cook for up to six people. Larger 36-inch flat-top grills have around 750 square inches of cooking surface, which is enough for gatherings of eight or more people. Blackstone’s smaller tabletop models, which have around 300 square inches of cooking space, are suitable for up to four people. Keep in mind that Blackstone’s griddles can take up a fair amount of real estate on a deck or patio, so be sure to consider the griddle’s overall size when shopping for one.
As expected, the eggs finished first, so I moved them to a less hot area of the griddle to keep warm. I loved being able to keep an eye on everything at once and move things around as they cooked. The prep cart blackstone flat top grill has a spacious stainless steel prep surface, an additional foldable side shelf, and a convenient storage drawer. Plus, say goodbye to searching for trash bags and paper towels thanks to the built-in holders.
Though these grills are portable, moving them is a two-person operation since they can weigh upwards of 100 pounds or more. Other features make this griddle mobile, including legs that fold into the bottom and two large casters that allow for rolling the grill short distances to and from a vehicle. Blackstone also eliminates one end table, opting instead for a handle. This design makes it easier to lift and roll the grill, while also making it more compact by shortening its overall length.