Should You Season The Bottom Of Your Blackstone Griddle?

As you might already know, the world of grilling is not all just about tossing some juicy steaks onto a hot grill. It involves a fair share of maintaining and caring for your grilling equipment.

When it comes to Blackstone griddles, there’s a specific task that needs to be done and that’s seasoning the griddle. I’ve already covered seasoning a fair bit but there’s one question that sometimes pops up and that’s – “Should you also season the bottom of the Blackstone griddle?”

Let’s get the basics right out of the way.

It’s not necessary to season the bottom of the Blackstone griddle because the flames of the burners would damage the seasoning very quickly. It would also be difficult to apply because the flames would burn the seasoning oil. 

One of the reasons why people would want to season the bottom of the griddle is rust.

Table of Contents

• Rust Happens: The What, Why, and How
• To Season or Not to Season the Underside
• Painting the Underside: A Silver Bullet or a Dud?
• Annual Rust-Removal Ritual
• Wrap-Up
• FAQ

Rust Happens: The What, Why, and How

Rust is a bit like that uninvited guest who shows up to your BBQ party and just won’t take the hint to leave. We’ve all been there, right?

But first, what is rust? Rust is essentially what happens when iron or an alloy that contains iron, like steel, is exposed to oxygen and moisture for a long period of time. The process is known as oxidation, and it’s a natural occurrence. So, it’s pretty much like your griddle top catching a case of grill aging.

Now, rust on the underside of your Blackstone griddle is quite common. It’s as normal as a summer day being hot or me accidentally burning my marshmallows on a camping trip. So, don’t fret! Your griddle isn’t conspiring against you.

But you might be wondering, “Why the underside? What did it ever do to deserve this?” Well, the underside of your griddle is exposed to moisture present in the air and it’s not protected with a seasoning layer like the top side. This makes the bottom a prime candidate for rust formation. 

But let’s not get all doom and gloom here. While rust is something to be aware of, it’s not the end of your grilling world.

To Season or Not to Season the Underside

So, we’ve established that rust is a natural part of your griddle’s life. But what about this idea of seasoning the underside of the Blackstone griddle to prevent rust? Before we plunge into the details, let’s get a quick refresher on what seasoning is all about.

Seasoning, in the grilling world, involves applying a thin layer of oil to the grilling surface and then heating it until it smokes. This process creates a non-stick surface and can help to protect the griddle top from rusting.

But, what about the underside of the griddle?

Let’s break it down:

• Is it practical? Nope, not really. Seasoning the underside of your griddle can be a bit like trying to teach a fish to climb a tree. The oil you’d use for the seasoning would likely just end up burning due to the direct contact with the flames from the burners. It’s not something you want to add to your “to-do” list, trust me.
• Can it be done? Technically, yes. But, it would require you to remove the griddle top and place it in an oven or similar appliance to properly season. It’s a hassle, especially when you consider that your effort will likely go up in smoke—literally—when the seasoned underside meets the flames again.

So, as much as seasoning is important on the top side, the same doesn’t hold true for the underside. It’s a noble thought, but it’s a mission that’s destined to fail. Your time and energy would be much better spent sipping a cold beverage and perfecting that steak!

Painting the Underside: A Silver Bullet or a Dud?

I know what some of you might be thinking right now. “Okay, so seasoning the bottom is a bust. What about paint? Specifically, heat-resistant paint like Rustoleum?” Great thought. But, let’s apply the brakes for a second and really look at this option.

First things first, heat-resistant paint is pretty amazing. It’s designed to withstand high temperatures and it’s often used on things like car engines, barbecue grills, and stoves. So, it seems like it might be a good fit for the underside of our griddle, right? Well, not quite.

Here’s why:

• Flame Contact: Although these types of paints are designed to withstand high heat, they are not designed to come into direct contact with flames. And that, my friends, is exactly what happens on the underside of a griddle. In the presence of direct flames, the paint can degrade and potentially release fumes. And let’s be honest, we’re here for the smell of sizzling steaks, not burning paint.
• Paint Maintenance: Painting the underside of your griddle would require regular maintenance to ensure the paint remains in good condition. This could mean more frequent touch-ups than you bargained for.

In a nutshell, painting the underside of your griddle with heat-resistant paint might sound like a bright idea at first, but it’s not necessarily the silver bullet you might think it is.

Annual Rust-Removal Ritual

If the rusty bottom of your griddle is really bothering you, you can remove the rust from time to time. Doing it once a year should be enough. But of course, if you live in a humid area, you could do it multiple times a year.

The When

Consider doing this just before the grilling season starts. It’s a great way to kick off your summer BBQ adventures with a clean, rust-free slate – or griddle, in this case.

The How

To remove rust from the underside of your griddle, you’ll need a few tools: a wire brush, a cloth, and some elbow grease.

First, you will need to remove the griddle top from the unit. Otherwise, you won’t be able to clean the bottom side. Most of the Blackstone griddles use a simple locking mechanism that keeps the top in place. All you have to do is to pull the top towards the front and then lift it up.

Then you can start by scrubbing off the rust with the wire brush. Once you’ve scrubbed away the rust, wipe down the surface with a cloth to remove any lingering particles.

A simple wire brush is obviously not the only tool you can use for the task. You can also use sandpaper, wire brush drill attachment, orbital sander, etc.

Wrap-Up

In the realm of grilling, care for your equipment is as essential as the process itself. 

While rust is common on the griddle’s underside due to exposure to air and moisture, seasoning this area is impractical and ineffective due to the direct flame contact.

Even the alternative solution of applying heat-resistant paint is not a foolproof remedy as it degrades with flame contact and demands regular maintenance.

Instead, an annual rust-removal ritual before the grilling season can help maintain the griddle’s longevity.

Thus, rather than investing time in futile seasoning or painting attempts, focus on perfecting your grilling skills. 

FAQ