While this cooker is relatively hassle-free, there are some things you need to know before getting started. The most common sizes of Blackstone grills are the company’s 36-inch griddles and 28-inch griddles. While the 36-inch models are ideal for large parties, the 28-inch griddles are popular because they’re easier to transport. BTUs, which stands for British thermal units, is a measure of heat output. The greater the number of BTUs, the better able the grill is to evenly heat the cooking surface and reach the high temperatures necessary for searing food.
Combined with other Blackstone griddle cleaning accessories like, scrapers, scouring pads, and cleaning bricks and handles, you can maintain a well-running griddle long term. With griddles featuring extra built-in storage space, magnetic holders for utensils and more, your Blackstone griddle can be a culinary mainstay for years to come. Once you’ve found your griddle, check out our handy guide on how to set up and use your Blackstone griddle. BTU stands for British Thermal Unit – simply stated, it means how heat something can produce.
It’s easy to go to the store and see that Blackstone offers a TON of different accessories, from taco stand holders to burger presses… but don’t let that influence your decision on which gas griddle to buy. All three outdoor griddles, the Blackstone, the Camp Chef, and the Pit Boss, have grease traps that are easy to remove and replace for cleaning. And from my experience, all 3 grease traps are equally easy blackstone flat top grill to clean because they all have a non-stick coating. The small hole can get clogged with food debris, which may be difficult for flat top grill beginners. If you’re making a bunch of smash burgers or cheesesteaks and you want to melt the cheese, then having a hood can make it much easier. However, since the ceramic coated griddles haven’t been around nearly as long, the longevity is still in question.
I will tell you that Pit Boss sent me this griddle to use and review for free, but that in no way influences this review. One of the main reasons why I chose to buy my Camp Chef Flat Top Grill 600 was because it came pre-seasoned. As a residential griddle beginner, the thought of having to go through the entire seasoning process was a little daunting, so I chose the Camp Chef because it came pre-seasoned. In addition to the placement of the grease trap (front or rear), you should also consider the size and shape of the hole for the grease to funnel into and the overall design of the grease trap. Ryan at BBQ GRILLS is the friendliest and most helpful guy in the biz.
You don’t need much to enhance the flat top experience here. I ended up buying a couple melting domes and some special cleaning supplies. I almost pulled the trigger on a fancy cover but you’ll find out that the 5 piece kit satisfies almost every need that goes along with cooking on this thing. He would come over and cook me delicious meals right in my own kitchen.
Topped with a sunny egg, each bowl is an all-in-one meal that’s super satisfying. The large surface area of a Blackstone flat-top style griddle allows you to cook a big batch all at once, so it’s an affordable way to feed a crowd with minimal effort. While the recipe doesn’t take much work or time, we really encourage making the rice a day ahead. That way the gochujang-butter sauce will coat each grain evenly and the rice will crisp up for added texture. It stands to reason that the larger the griddle, the more it will cost.
“It can get really hot, so you can get a good sear on food, but it can get low enough so that you can soft scramble eggs,” she said. In addition, the flat surface makes it possible to cook foods otherwise impossible on a grill, including thinly sliced meats or vegetables and fried rice. Blackstone griddles come with additional features, including a bottom shelf, side shelf, attached cutting board, paper towel holder and more. We found the accessories to be beneficial when used but not game-changing. One feature we loved in testing was the front shelf for squeeze bottles of oil and water, which you will need regularly. As always, it’s important to practice extra caution when working with any cooking appliance, especially a new one.
Since pork chops cook so quickly, they’re a great option for cooking on the Blackstone grill. One of the more easy Blackstone griddle recipes for steak is for a Philly cheesesteak. One of my favorite ways to prepare chicken for easy weeknight meals is to make something like this recipe blackstone grills for chicken in tomato sauce. Fried rice is a very easy side dish cooked on a flat top griddle. I also find it easier to “pull” the grease and food debris towards me rather than having to “push” it away from me, as I have to do with the rear grease trap on the Blackstone griddle.