Blackstone griddles are growing in popularity as they are excellent tools for BBQing. These griddles can have you cooking perfect meals in no time. However, you will need to store your griddle when the BBQ season is over.
So, how do you store a Blackstone griddle correctly?
Storing a Blackstone griddle is easy to do. You need to first thoroughly clean your griddle to ensure there is no food that could go moldy on it. Then place a waterproof cover on the griddle, and move the griddle to a cool, dry location, such as your garage or garden shed.
Can you store your Blackstone griddle outside, and if so, how do you store it? How do you look after a Blackstone griddle while it’s in storage?
We will discover these answers and more in this article, so keep reading!
How to Store a Blackstone Griddle
Having a Blackstone griddle is great for summer as you can invite family and friends over on a hot summer day for a great BBQ. A day like this is difficult to match and can be the highlight of the summer for everyone.
Blackstone griddles are easy to use, good quality, and worth the money you spend when getting one for yourself. One problem many people face when they have a Blackstone griddle is how to store it when you are not using it or over the winter.
People use their Blackstone griddles varyingly; some will use theirs every weekend, while others will only use theirs once a month.
No matter how frequently you use your Blackstone griddle, you will need to store it correctly to protect the griddle from the elements and other possible factors that could damage it. So, let’s go through how to store a Blackstone griddle properly to ensure your griddle lasts as long as possible.
Clean the Griddle Thoroughly Before Storing
Cleaning your Blackstone griddle is something you should do after every use, but it’s especially important if you are going to store your griddle for a long period.
After every use, you only need to use a brush to scrub the residue of food off the griddle, but if you are storing your griddle, you will need to do a thorough clean to ensure nothing is present on the griddle that could grow mold or encourage rust to form on the griddle’s surface.
To clean your griddle thoroughly before storage, you should pour some water on the griddle as it cools down from your last use, as this will loosen the dirt and make it easier to clean. Then let the griddle cool completely.
Scrape the residue off the griddle’s surface with a spatula or similar tool. Wipe the griddle down with a wet paper towel and dab it dry with a clean cloth.
Place a teaspoon or two of oil on the griddle’s surface and spread it around the surface with a clean paper towel. Your griddle is now thoroughly cleaned and slightly seasoned, which will help protect the griddle during storage.
Cover the Griddle
Once your Blackstone griddle is clean and seasoned, allow the oil to soak into the griddle’s surface for at least 2 hours before moving on to this next step. When the oil has had time to soak into the griddle’s surface, you now need to cover the griddle with a protective covering.
It is ideal to purchase a cover designed for your Blackstone griddle, like the Blackstone griddle polyester cover, as this will protect your griddle properly. However, you can buy a generic griddle cover as long as it offers sufficient protection from moisture.
When storing your Blackstone griddle, moisture is the biggest threat to the griddle. If water gets trapped in any part of the griddle, rust can easily start forming and damage the griddle.
Store in a Cool, Dry Location
When you have covered your Blackstone griddle in a watertight covering, you can move your griddle to its storage area. If you don’t have a covering for your griddle as you are trying to cut costs, this step is the most important for your griddle as it will help keep it safe and in good condition.
You should store your Blackstone griddle in your garage, or a garden shed. This will help protect your griddle from the elements, including rain and snow, that could harm the griddle. This will also help protect your griddle from any rodents that might try to seek shelter in your griddle over the winter.
How to Care for a Blackstone Griddle While in Storage
Knowing how to store your Blackstone griddle is only one-half of the equation, as you still need to care for your griddle while it’s in storage to ensure it stays in the best condition possible. You need to take certain precautions to help keep your griddle safe until you bring it out of storage again.
These precautions aren’t exactly necessary when your Blackstone griddle is in storage, but they will ensure your griddle is in the best condition possible and lasts you as long as it should. Let’s look at these precautions to keep your griddle safe during storage.
Keep the Griddle Clean
While your Blackstone griddle is in storage, you need to keep it clean. This is easier to do when you have a cover for the griddle, as the cover will help keep condensation, dust, and other debris away from the griddle.
If you don’t have a cover for your griddle, this is an important aspect of keeping your griddle in good condition. You should periodically wipe the griddle down with a paper towel throughout the storage time of the griddle.
You should check your Blackstone griddle at least once a month and wipe it down, as the condensations and dust can build up on the griddle and cause rust to develop.
Do Not Store Items on Top of the Griddle
When you store your Blackstone griddle in common storage areas like your garage, it’s easy to start piling things on top of the griddle. You should always avoid doing this as the items you place on top of the griddle can damage the griddle’s surface.
You should make a special space in your garage or garden shed to store your griddle, where it won’t become a table or shelf for other items while being stored. These items could crack the surface of the griddle, damage the griddles components, or damage the aesthetics of the griddle.
Store It Away from Water Leaks
Before you store your Blackstone griddle, you need to examine the storage area closely and ensure there are no water leaks or holes where rainwater can get into the storage area. If you store your Blackstone griddle in a garden shed, ensure it’s away from sprinklers that could spray water into the area.
You need to ensure that the storage area is a completely dry environment, with no chance of any water entering the area.
Can You Store a Blackstone Griddle Outside?
Now that we have gone through the best way to store your Blackstone griddle, you might be wondering if you can store your griddle outdoors.
Not everyone has the garage space to store a griddle, or even a garden shed, so can you still own a Blackstone griddle and keep it in good condition by storing it outdoors? It is possible to store Blackstone griddles outdoors if you need to and still keep the griddle in good condition.
Storing your Blackstone griddle outdoors will require a bit more effort to ensure the safety of the griddle, but if you put in the effort, your griddle will be perfectly fine.
How to Store a Blackstone Griddle Outside
When you need to store your Blackstone griddle outdoors, you need to ensure your store it correctly and follow a few precautions to keep your griddle safe, and in good condition for the next time, you want to use it. Let’s go through how to store a Blackstone griddle outdoors correctly.
Purchase a Waterproof Covering
If you are going to store your Blackstone griddle outdoors, you need to purchase a waterproof, tightly sealed cover for your griddle. This is especially crucial if you store your griddle for the winter and live in areas that receive snow.
You need the cover to fit your Blackstone griddle exactly, so you will need to buy a specialized Blackstone griddle cover for your griddle model. You need to ensure the griddle does not get exposed to moisture as this will cause rust to form.
You should also keep your griddle under the eves of your home to help protect it as much as possible. You will need to check on your griddle once a week and wipe it down to clean off condensation build-up, especially if there is snow.
Keep the Griddle Clean and Seasoned
When storing your griddle outdoors, you need to keep it clean and seasoned. You should clean your griddle thoroughly before storing it, and then season the griddle with a few drops of oil spread around with a paper towel.
The seasoning will help protect the griddle’s surface from moisture should any get inside the cover. You should keep your griddle clean and wipe it down when dust, snow, or rain has built up on the cover.
Final Thoughts
Blackstone griddles are a great BBQ tool to have in your garden, as you can cook plenty of meals to perfection. However, when the BBQ season is over, you need to store your Blackstone griddle correctly to ensure it stays in good condition for the next season.
Storing a Blackstone griddle is easy to do if you have the right equipment. The biggest part of storing your griddle is keeping it away from moisture. If you are successful with that, your griddle will be perfectly safe. Good luck storing your Blackstone griddle!
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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