There are all kinds of options for seasoning a Blackstone griddle but which oil is the best? What does seasoning a Blackstone griddle even mean and how?
In this article, we will be reviewing all kinds of options including a couple things not to do when seasoning the Blackstone. So lets get to it.
What Does Seasoning a Blackstone Griddle Mean
The Blackstone griddle, as many of you are probably aware, is a very popular griddle that is used to cook on. With that being said, the cold rolled steal top needs to be properly cared for or it will rust.
If it isn’t seasoned properly, it won’t carry the non stick properties that we all love to cook with. Seasoning a Blackstone can be done using many different methods.
My personal favorite method is using extra virgin olive oil. I not only season the Blackstone with this oil, but I also love cooking with it.
When seasoning a new Blackstone griddle I prefer a cheaper oil such as vegetable oil. This is because it takes multiple coats of oil and you are just creating that strong base to cook on.
What Do I Season My Blackstone Griddle With
I’ll go into further detail below, but as I’ve already mentioned, extra virgin olive oil is my favorite oil to not only season the Blackstone griddle, but to cook with.
It is a little more expensive than vegetable oil or canola oil but I think the extra cost is worth it. This is due to the flavor of the extra virgin olive oil, a couple health benefits that I’ll go into below and it has a fairly decent smoke point.
What Is an Oils Smoke Point When It Comes to the Blackstone
One might ask, why is an oils smoke point relative to cooking? Straight from Blackstone themselves, they describe the smoke point of an oil as the temperature at which the fats in the oil that are being used starts to break down.
Once broken down, the fats in the oil free radicals and acrolein which is the chemical that gives food that gross burnt taste.
So lets take a look at many different oils that have been used to season the Blackstone griddle and see what each of them have for a smoke point.
Vegetable Oil
Vegetable oil is similar to canola oil in the fact that canola oil is a singular type of vegetable oil and vegetable oil is a blend of other oils. Vegetable oil has a smoke point of 400-450 which is a little less than the canola oil.
If you are a health nut, I believe that canola oil is preferred over vegetable oil because it is lower in saturated fat, but both are good options to cook and season with on the Blackstone griddle.
With that being said, I believe that vegetable oil is the most popular oil to not only cook with, but to season the Blackstone Griddle with.
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Extra virgin olive oil is my personal favorite oil to not only season the Blackstone with, but to also cook with. It has a smoke point of 350 – 400 degrees which is lower than other popular oils such as vegetable oil.
I favor extra virgin olive oil for a couple reasons. First, it has more health benefits then vegetable oil. For example, Extra virgin olive oil is said to be high in antioxidants and contains anti-inflammatory compounds which vegetable oil isn’t.
Extra virgin olive oil also contains some other nutrients like vitamins E and K. It also isn’t overly processed like vegetable oil. Vegetable oil is processed to the point that it really doesn’t have much of a flavor in which it loses a lot of these health benefits and, personally, I enjoy the flavor of extra virgin olive oil.
Olive Oil
Olive oil is similar to extra virgin olive oil in which it is just processed more which actually gives it a higher smoke point. Olive oil has a smoke point of 375 – 425 degrees Fahrenheit. It is another great option to use as either a cooking oil or Blackstone seasoning.
It is just more refined than extra virgin olive oil. Being more refined, it is also more neutral in flavor similar to vegetable oil.
Avocado Oil
Avocado oil will also have a mild taste to it that is different from the other oils. It has a great smoke point of 520 degrees Fahrenheit. When it comes to nutrition, it is similar to extra virgin olive oil and is said to carry properties that have been said to lower cholesterol and blood pressure.
With that beings said, it isn’t use much to season or cook with on the Blackstone solely due to the price tag of it. It is quite a bit more expensive, but another great option if you are OK with paying the higher sticker price.
Peanut Oil
Peanut oil is very popular in a lot of Asian cooking and it too has a great smoke point coming in at 450 degrees. As one could guess, it does have a little bit of a nutty flavor to it, but it too carries a lot of good health benefits.
These benefits include vitamins, antioxidants but has been known to cause inflammation due to a high amount of omega-6 fats. With that being said, it is still another option to not only cook with, but to season the Blackstone griddle with.
Keep in mind though, you’ll also be paying a higher dollar for this oil, similar to avocado and flax seed oil.
Flax seed Oil
Blackstone used to recommend flax seed oil for its initial seasoning because it has such a low smoke point at 225 degrees and it is a good food grade oil. According to Blackstone, it was originally preferred because it would burn off at a faster rate and naturally create a hard seasoning.
It was later determined that it was harder for the end users. Plus flax seed oil is much more expensive. So due to this, they started recommending other oils and ultimately created there own for resale.
Canola Oil
Canola oil, which is a singular type of vegetable, oil has a smoke point around 450 -470 degrees Fahrenheit. This oil is a vegetable based oil that is probably one of the most popular oils used amongst all the griddlers.
Not only is the smoke point towards the higher end, but it is usually cheaper than the other oils which also contributes to why it is one of the more popular oils used on the Blackstone.
Grape seed Oil
Grape seed oil has a smoke point of 390 degrees. It too is a viable option for cooking and seasoning the Blackstone. It also carries great health benefits, but is also high in omega-6 fats like peanut oil.
It has similar flavor to extra virgin olive oil, but the price tag is much higher. So for me, I’ll stick with the extra virgin olive oil.
Sunflower Oil
Sunflower oil is another great option that has a high smoke point of 440 degrees. I’ve never personally tried this one due to the price tag on the bottle, but it is said to be a great oil for seasoning the Blackstone.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil has a smoking point around 350 – 400 degrees Fahrenheit and could be another option for seasoning the Blackstone. I have not personally tried this, again, due to the price tag it carries at the store.
It is also known to have a high amount of saturated fat in which, according to webmd, could lead to high cholesterol increasing the risks of heart disease and stroke.
Other Do and Don’t Do for Seasoning the Blackstone Griddle
Butter
Butter has a smoking point around 300 – 350 degrees Fahrenheit. With that being said, butter should be avoided when seasoning the Blackstone Griddle. You can cook with it, but butter just can’t create that durable coating the Blackstone really needs.
Crisco
Surprisingly, Crisco is actually a good product to use for seasoning the Blackstone. It has a high smoke point of 490 degrees. It can be done by just adding a couple Tablespoon and spread evenly across the griddle with a paper towel or micro fiber towel if you notice that the paper towel is falling apart.
Lard
While lard isn’t an oil, similar to Crisco and butter, it can in fact be used to season the Blackstone. With that being said, lard has a lower smoke point of 370 degrees.
This would be OK to use on lower temperature foods like eggs. It wouldn’t be recommended for higher temperature cooks, such as smash burgers, which you would probably end up with a burnt taste instead of a tasty seared ground beef patty.
Can You Season a Blackstone Griddle with Bacon Grease?
The short answer is no. In referencing Blackstone’s site, bacon shouldn’t be used to season a Blackstone because it contains many other preservatives such as, but not limited to salt and sugar.
If you are looking to season your Blackstone with an animal fat, Blackstone recommends using pure lard which avoids all the other preservatives. As mentioned above, lard isn’t commonly used though due to the smoking point not being as high as some of the other oils.
What Should a Seasoned Blackstone Griddle Look Like
A new and unseasoned Blackstone will come a slate gray color. When you are done seasoning it, it will turn black and and continue to get darker as you cook on it. It will have a shiny oiled sheen to it leaving it ready for a perfectly stick resistant cook.
You can watch this video to see the process along with the finish results.
Ben has a bachelor’s degree in construction engineering. When not constructing or remodeling X-Ray Rooms, Cardiovascular Labs, and Pharmacies, you can find him at home with wife and two daughters. Outside of family, He loves grilling and barbequing on his Big Green Egg and Blackstone Griddle, as well as working on projects around the house.
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