Can You Use Butter On Blackstone Griddle?

Butter is a staple in many kitchens, and for good reason. It’s delicious, versatile, and relatively inexpensive. It can be used for cooking, baking, and even as a spread on toast or bread.

But what about using butter on a Blackstone griddle or any other flat-top grills? Is it OK to use butter on a griddle, or will it cause problems?

Here’s the quick answer:

Yes, you can use butter on a Blackstone griddle (or any other brand of flat-top grills). In reality, many people prefer to use butter instead of oil when cooking on a griddle because of its flavor. However, you should not use butter for the seasoning process because it has a low smoke point and will burn.

Now that we have the quick answer out of the way, let’s explore the subject in more detail.

Table of Contents

• Cooking with Butter on a Blackstone Griddle
• Clarified Butter Is a Better Choice for Griddles
• What Are Some Great Foods to Cook on Butter?
• Can You Use Butter on a Non-Stick Griddle?
• Why You Should Not Use Butter for Seasoning
• Conclusion
• FAQ

Cooking with Butter on a Blackstone Griddle

Blackstone griddles can get very hot, up to 650 degrees Fahrenheit in some cases. This means that if you’re not careful, the butter can quickly burn.

Butter has a lower smoke point than most oils used for cooking. If you want the exact number, it’s around 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celsius).

This means that if you’re cooking at a temperature above 350 degrees Fahrenheit, the butter is likely to burn.

Burnt butter doesn’t have the best flavor in the world so be careful when cooking with it. Some people though don’t mind the taste and will still use regular butter even for high-temperature cooking.

Although the previous lines may come out as overly negative, it’s really not that big of a deal. Not all foods require cooking at high temperatures.

Also if you love the buttery flavor, you can always cook the food with an oil of your choice, and then when the food is almost ready, add some butter to give it that extra flavor. This will help you avoid the burning issue. Or some griddlers like to use butter-flavored cooking sprays. I don’t.

Clarified Butter Is a Better Choice for Griddles

Clarified butter or ghee (which is slightly different) is a better choice for high-temperature cooking than regular butter because it has a higher smoke point.

Clarified butter is made by removing the water and milk solids from regular butter. This leaves behind the butterfat, which has a smoke point of almost 500 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s quite a difference when compared to the 350F of regular butter.

It is quite an easy process to make your own clarified butter at home. All you need is some regular butter and a bit of time.

The process of making clarified butter is as follows:

• Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat
• Do not let it boil unless you want to make ghee instead of clarified butter
• Skim off the foam that forms on the surface – that’s the milk proteins
• Transfer the butterfat into a container making sure to leave the water at the bottom of the saucepan

The finished product will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for a couple of months, which is great if you want to make a big batch and use it as needed. Regular butter would get rancid much quicker.

Now that your clarified butter is done, you can use it for pretty much any griddling adventure. The only downside of clarified butter is that it has slightly less flavor than regular butter because it no longer has milk content. But if you’re cooking at high temperatures, it simply is the better choice.

What Are Some Great Foods to Cook on Butter?

Butter can be used as an oil substitute for cooking a variety of foods on a Blackstone griddle. The following are some great foods to cook on butter:

• Pancakes – Butter makes pancakes moister and gives them a richer flavor
• French toasts – Sames as pancakes
• Scrambled eggs – Butter prevents eggs from sticking to the griddle and makes them creamier
• Caramelized onions – Want the best flavor for your onions? Use butter!
• Butter-basted burgers – Delicious caloric bomb!

There are of course many more options, but those are some of my favorites.

Keep in mind that if you are using clarified butter, you can use it for pretty much any recipe.

Can You Use Butter on a Non-Stick Griddle?

You can use butter on a non-stick griddle if you wish to do so. Non-stick surfaces are designed to be used with little or no oil, but there’s no harm in using butter if that’s what you prefer.

However, keep in mind that the same rules apply when cooking on a regular griddle.

If you’re cooking at high temperatures, the butter is likely to burn and if you accidentally let it burn completely, you can expect some problems trying to clean the griddle afterward.

Why You Should Not Use Butter for Seasoning

While butter is fat, it certainly isn’t pure fat. It also contains water and milk solids. Depending on the type and brand, butter contains about 80% fat. The rest is mostly water.

Sure, the water will evaporate when you try to season your griddle with butter, however, the milk solids will essentially turn into ash and will likely ruin your seasoning. Flaking is a common problem when seasoning with regular butter.

Seasoning is an important part of keeping a griddle in good condition, so it’s vital to do it right and it’s best to use vegetable oil for the first seasoning layers. Cooking with butter afterward is fine though. Many people also like to use Crisco for seasoning.

Conclusion

So, to sum up, butter is a perfectly fine cooking oil substitute, but it should not be used for seasoning your Blackstone griddle. That role is reserved for pure oils such as canola oil.

Apart from that, the cooking temperature also plays an important role.

If you’re cooking on high heat, regular butter is likely to burn, altering the taste of your food. Clarified butter or ghee is the better buttery choice for recipes where high temperatures are called for.

And lastly, a little bit of butter can go a long way. You don’t need to douse your food in it for flavor.

FAQ