Blackstone griddles are all the rage for the last couple of years. They are incredibly versatile and can be used for anything from breakfast to dinner and even desserts. However, even with the best products one may encounter an issue. One such common issue is the formation of flakes on the griddle.
Two different types of flaking can happen on the Blackstone griddle:
- Flaking that is present on the griddle top
- Flaking that is present elsewhere, usually on the frame or the lid – ie. paint peeling off
The first one is not a problem with the griddle itself but a user error.
The second usually is a quality issue related to the black paint used on the griddle but sometimes can also be caused by damage or poor maintenance.
Table of Contents
- Why Is Your Blackstone Griddle Top Flaking?
- How Do I Stop My Griddle Top from Flaking?
- How to Strip the Seasoning from a Blackstone Griddle?
- Paint Peeling Off a Blackstone Griddle
- What Can You Do About the Paint Peeling Off?
- Wrapping Up
- FAQ
Why Is Your Blackstone Griddle Top Flaking?
You don’t need to be worried that the griddle is ruined once it starts flaking.
It’s only the seasoning layer that’s flaking off and it happens for various reasons such as improper cleaning, incorrect seasoning application, or using unsuitable oil.
Apart from the seasoning, there’s nothing that could peel off from the gas griddle as the top is just a sheet of steel. No paint, nothing.
If you didn’t season your griddle correctly when you first got it, the seasoning will be weaker and more prone to flaking.
What are some of the mistakes you can make when that could lead to flaking?
- Poor oil or fat choice for seasoning – Not all oils are equal and choosing one that’s not up to the job can lead to flaking. Une such oil (that used to be recommended a lot) is flax seed oil. There are other poor choices such as using bacon grease that contains a lot of salt and other impurities.
- Applying too much oil when seasoning – If you apply too much oil when you are doing the initial seasoning, it won’t properly polymerize and will create annoying sticky patches, and can also lead to flaking.
- Not cleaning the griddle – The griddle top should be cleaned after each use. Nothing major is needed, just make sure to scrape away all the burned food debris. If you don’t do that regularly, the “dirty layer” will keep building up and may eventually lift off and take the seasoning layer with it.
- Using harsh detergents to clean the griddle top – As mentioned in the previous point, griddle cleanup rarely requires more than a good scraping and a quick wipe with a paper towel. Although dishwashing detergents may sometimes seem like a good idea they can weaken the seasoning layer.
- Scratching the seasoning layer – Yes, I know, the metal griddle spatulas are awesome, but you do not need to dig with them with force into the seasoning. The same goes for using a knife on the griddle. Get a cutting board instead. Both scenarios can lead to seasoning being scratched so badly that it could start flaking in certain areas.
How Do I Stop My Griddle Top from Flaking?
To stop your griddle from flaking, make sure you’re not making any of the mistakes listed above. Once the griddle starts flaking it may or may not be possible to stop it. By that, I don’t mean it’s time to put the griddle to the curb but you may need to strip the seasoning and apply it again.
Since it is a time-consuming job, you could first try to save your current seasoning. You will want to remove as much of the black stuff away as possible. To make that easier, heat up the griddle and use a scraper to get rid of any loose patches of seasoning.
Once that’s done, you can also use grill brick to clean up some of the finer pieces of seasoning and to make the remaining stuff smoother. After that wipe the whole surface so that it’s clean and free of any loose bits.
The next step is to apply a new layer of seasoning.
If this procedure does not help and the griddle continues to peel, you will have to resort to a more drastic measure – stripping the seasoning and starting again.
How to Strip the Seasoning from a Blackstone Griddle?
If a large amount of the seasoning has flaked off or it keeps flaking off, you’ll need to remove the rest of it and start from scratch.
Option 1 – Using a scraper
Stripping the seasoning is sometimes very easy and sometimes hard. If the layer is really loose, you could remove almost all of it with just a scraper. Some of the smaller remaining patches can often be removed with steel wool or ordinary sandpaper.
Option 2 – Using an oven cleaner
Another good and easy choice is a regular oven cleaner spray. Although it’s meant to remove grime and grease from ovens, it works wonders with removing the seasoning from griddles and cast iron cookware as well. Follow the instructions on the spray can and give it perhaps a bit more time to work. It may require multiple applications to completely strip the black coating from the griddle.
Tip: Oven cleaners usually contain lye which is capable of removing paint when given the chance. So don’t apply it to any of the painted surfaces of your griddle. Remove the griddle top from the frame if you are worried.
Option 3 – Using power tools
If any of the previous options fail or you just want to get the job done faster, you can use power tools. A wire cup brush attached to a drill is one of the most commonly used solutions. Keep in mind going this route will be quite messy and goggles and a respirator mask are highly recommended.
Once the seasoning is removed, you can follow my guide on griddle seasoning to apply it again.
Paint Peeling Off a Blackstone Griddle
The second issue that involves flaking or peeling is related to the black finish of the frame and/or lid of your Blackstone griddle.
More often than not, this happens without any user-related activity. It can be caused by a number of different issues, most of which have to do with the quality of the finish used in manufacturing or the way it was applied.
Since the griddles do get very hot in use, a heat-resistant finish is something you would expect to be present on the frame and the lid. Powder coating is usually the preferred method and some Blackstone griddles actually do mention they are powder coated. So the problem could lie in the fact that it was not properly applied at the factory. You know how it goes nowadays. Everything has to be done quickly and cheaply so mistakes may happen.
Sometimes a user error may cause the paint to start peeling off. This can happen if you somehow scratch the griddle’s finish so much that the metal starts to show. Once it comes in contact with moisture and air, the scratch may start rusting. As the process continues, the surrounding paint will start to peel off.
What Can You Do About the Paint Peeling Off?
Blackstone griddles are quite expensive and you wouldn’t expect such a product to start peeling off within the first year of use.
First and foremost, if your griddle is still under warranty, you should definitely contact Blackstone customer support and discuss that with them. You can either call them or create a support ticket on the official website at https://blackstoneproducts.com. Keep in mind the warranty is only valid if you’ve got your purchase receipt and you will have to register the griddle.
If your griddle is out of warranty your only option is to fix it yourself or order a spare part from Blackstone customer support.
The DIY fix will most likely require you to strip all the peeling paint and then reapply a heat-resistant paint from scratch.
Wrapping Up
Having your Blackstone griddle’s seasoning or paint start flaking off can be quite annoying. It’s not the end of the world though and both can be fixed.
The paint problem is harder to fix but it, fortunately, doesn’t affect the performance of the griddle. Fixing the loose seasoning layer is something anyone can do with basic tools. Prevention is of course the best cure.
FAQ
My E-series griddle is flaking – what should I do?
You should check whether it’s just grime build-up that’s getting loose or the non-stick layer that’s lifting. The former means you just need to clean your griddle. The latter means troubles because non-stick coating that starts peeling off is usually unfixable. If you are still covered by the warranty, contact customer support.
