Bringing A Blackstone Griddle Back to Life | How to Restore, Clean & Season Cast Iron Flat Top Grill

In this video, I take the time to get the rust & last year's not so great seasoning shell off of the top of my Blackstone Griddle. I re-season the griddle top and I can tell it's much better than what I did/ didn't do to it last year. Let me know in the comments if you would have done anything different. Hope the video helps!
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36 inch Griddles- amzn.to/49Zsd1J
Cleaning tool kit- amzn.to/3TnmuMb
Seasoning & conditioner- amzn.to/3TDnZHr
Olive oil- amzn.to/4ciqjL1
Paper towels- amzn.to/3PpWyOO
Grease cups- amzn.to/3wPSj8E
Cover- amzn.to/48ZjY4z
Other Blackstone Accessories- amzn.to/3IZfm3X
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Videos produced by The Fixer are provided for informational purposes only. All material provided within this video is for informational, educational, & entertainment purposes only. Some of these projects, materials, and techniques may not be appropriate for all ages or skill levels. Please use all safety precautions while following any instructions or concepts provided by this video. Viewers must be aware that by doing projects on their homes they are doing it at their own risk and The Fixer cannot be held liable if they cause any damage to their homes. It is the sole responsibility of the viewer to educate themselves on their local codes and regulations before undertaking any sort of project. Always have safety in mind and have fun!

[@thefixerhomerepair2]

Buy Blackstone cleaning tools and products here- amzn.to/44wPx52 (affiliate link) Subscribe to my channel- bit.ly/Fixer2 Thanks for watching! 😃

[@snoozieq4584]

Just a few helpful hints from a cast iron restorer... 1. Use Blue Shop Towels, they don't fall apart or leave as much, if any, lint behind. 2. Vinegar eats rust and is less messy and easier to clean up than the cooking oil method you were using. 3. Steel wool is your friend for getting into tight tight places. 4. Easy Off Oven Cleaner is great for removing old seasoning. Personally, I would have removed the old seasoning first, then address the rust, clean thoroughly and lastly re-season. Using steel wool, vinegar and Easy Off would have saved you a lot of time and scraping with the stone and scraper. IF you have the ability to build yourself an E-tank, that would do the job of both the removing old seasoning and rust at the same time. But unless you are cleaning lots of cast iron, an E-tank may not be the best option for you.

[@thefixerhomerepair2]

All great tips! Thanks!

[@BrokenKings]

Thanks for all the tips! Sorry, what is an e-tank?

[@snoozieq4584]

@@BrokenKings An Electrolysis Tank. You need a large enough tub to hang the item in that you want to clean. Sturdy wire to hang the item with. Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda, I don't remember off hand the ratio of Soda to Water. A car battery charger, not a trickle charger and sacrifice metal. The Positive wire connects to the item to be cleaned and the Negative wire connects to the Sacrifice metal. This method is super effective at removing both rust and old burnt on seasoning and grease. However, it can take up to a week or more to see results. Look up @TheCulinaryFanatic he has a 15 video playlist about restoring and re-seasoning cast iron or @castironchaos in his playlist "Cast Iron Care and Maintenance" video #32 provides much more detail about an E-tank. I hope this answered your question.

[@sarahneedham2645]

​@snoozieq4584 I've been trying different paper towels for both my castiron and blackstone but never thought to try the blue shop ones! Will grab some next time! Thank you and op both for the tips!

[@garrettgillian1072]

It's not cast iron, Gomer.

[@MrStukid]

After every cook, leave the griddle on high, use water and a wet rag with tong to ‘steam clean’ the top. Works really well. Then a light coat of Grapeseed oil. I have used this for over 5 years now on my Blackstone and I have no rust.

[@ROgletree]

Restoring cast iron is so satisfying.

[@honestpolicy5031]

Cold rolled steel... Idk where he gets cast iron from. Blackstone has not made ONE SINGLE cast iron product, please look it up.

[@scnelson86]

I've been wanting a griddle my whole life. It started from when I was a kid going to the food court at the mall and the Asian restaurant cooking your food in front of you on this huge round griddle. I have been looking for one for almost 30 years Elementary School. Finally in 2008 this product comes out and I create a PowerPoint presentation for my entire family so that someone can buy one before me and test it out to make sure I like it. I had my points and videos and photos and everything going on. Everyone has purchased one except for me because no one has actually used theirs they have been covered up. Now I was gifted one and somebody decided to sit it next to the water holes that splashes water everywhere. On top of that everybody uses it as a table for tiles and barbecue grill tools. So it is just a rusted mess and still has never been used. I thought I would have to just throw it out until I saw your video😊

[@JBSmoke1]

Blackstone noob here. Very informative video.

[@quartzofcourse]

Oh man this gave me flash backs to cleaning the flat top at my old job, did this every night after close til it was shiny.

[@866mary2]

Yep, I remember doing this at Wendy's as a kid 😅

[@dayv4630]

Very good demonstration sir. My initial seasoning got me through two years (some harsh winters too)...but I'm going to get the sanding tool and do mine just like you did. It's time for mine to get that completely new treatment. Much appreciated. One quick note - they are carbon steel or rolled carbon steel - not cast iron.

[@georgew4520]

Awesome video, my griddle is in the same shape. Definitely going to go with the sander. Thanks for the tips!

[@Fockerizer]

An initial scrape is fine, but I follow it up with coarse salt and canola oil with a dedicated rag for Blackstone rocks. Circular motions. Then wipe clean. Then do a couple of burn ins with oil of choice.

[@leonsoto8333]

Wow, I really baby mine!

[@jennifermartinus4929]

Great job Matt. Koda enjoys the patio. 🐕

[@roddiesmith2167]

great tutorial.

[@RoadHead62]

Dude. Get yourself some 45% vinegar and a plug for the grease trap drain. ZERO elbow grease. Pour it on undiluted, and let it soak for an hour. No more rust. No more seasoning. Wipe it down, hit the surface with a grill brick if you want or just rinse it, heat it to dry it and season it.

[@pamelaaverill1608]

I was about to tell him the same. I'm glad I read your comment first. Maybe he had never worked in a professional kitchen before.

[@SidebandSamurai]

My suggestion to you is grape seed oil. It provides a harder seasoning layer.

[@the10127310]

Exelente explicación. Muchas gracias saludos desde veracruz México.👌👍

[@BillLeonard-c8s]

Clean the grill every time you use it and cover with a thin oil coat EVERY time!

[@cantgetright742]

Is this the first video from the new house? Other than the I moved video

[@stevebusby6618]

I hadn't used my 36" griddle in a long time, and it was entirely covered with rust. I just did pretty much what you did. I started with 50 grit, then 80 grit, then 150 grit, and finished with 220 grit. Now it is pretty much down to bare metal, so I'm ready to re-season it. Thanks for showing us the step-by-step process!

[@1990westfalia]

I’m sure it’s been mentioned, clean and season the outside of the grill too. Rust will find the outside edge. Skillet

[@user-01Bigmac50]

I use a pressure washer then dry on the heat BlackStone griddle seasoning

[@sgriffin981]

Should the welds show? From underneath? Is that normal

[@HappyGuy11]

I had the same question.

[@Michael_Puddephatt]

Yes it is normal to see the welds after you remove the rust etc. after seasoning and cooking you won’t see them as it gets darker and darker

[@ricardoagarciajr6769]

Is reheating necessary?

[@iamray09]

When using cast iron h have to coat it with oil after you clean it no matter how seasoned it is.

[@brents1643]

Remind myself to keep a thin coat of oil while not in use so this doesn't happen

[@SoSaysYou]

So the question is how do we prevent t this from happening?

[@stinkyfungus]

Clean grill while it's hot, and always wipe a thin coat of oil on it when it's clean. It should have a slight oily "sheen" when you put the grill away after you clean. Oil, oil, oil. Keep that cook surface with a light sheen of oil at all times. (Rust can only happen if oxygen gets to the steel, if the steel is coated with a microscopic sheen of oil at all times? It can't rust!)

[@pamelahagan3215]

What grit of sandpaper did he use

[@Ronicus1]

he mentioned 60 grit

[@tayl0124]

Fyi, havent read all the comments, but the blackstone is not cast iron, its carbon steel.

[@miguelaldana4836]

Is that bad for you health???is safe to cook anything?

[@tayl0124]

​@@miguelaldana4836 yes carbon steel is safe and quite durable. It is a very popular metal that is used in many restaurant kitchens.

[@TowMan127]

👏👏👏👏

[@jonnynevada8915]

Perfect example of why I’d never waste my money and time on a Blackstone grill .. I bought a reinforced stainless steel griddle that fits perfectly on my BBQ grill ,, works great cleans up nicely and no need to worry about rust 😊

[@thefixerhomerepair2]

👍

[@johnsanderson2968]

You must be afraid of a little work, SS not for my food

[@reallunacy]

Both are good options. The reason many prefer the cast iron though is if seasoned well it creates a really good non stick surface. Luckily, in the world we live in, you get to make that choice for yourself.

[@gooose007]

You just dont want your pedicure to get ruined, lazy or an old fart!

[@chadbailey189]

I wish I got one of thous, black stone pain in ass to keep clean!!

[@RheaPatrick1]

FYI- the blackstone stock grill is rolled steel not real cast iron...,

[@Trumpwon2020yeh]

I bought a mat just not enjoying this clean up mess

[@mikecope5727]

Great job but not cast iron as you said at 14:19, it's carbon steel.

[@thefixerhomerepair2]

Yes you are correct. 👍

[@googygood5382]

Two days later

[@AintWorkinNoMo]

It’s not cast iron. It’s cold rolled steel.

[@bovinejonie3745]

Must we watch every stroke and hear every word and pause? This is taking too long. I’ve got a griddle to fix.

[@BeefandEggs]

Blackstones are crap. Had I done my research,I would have never purchased one of these. They have a good marketing strategy where they pay people to post videos but they really are a crap griddle

[@randywilde9998]

Cold rolled steel , not cast iron and your camera work was awesome but you don’t deserve to have a griddle let alone do a video when flying by the seat of your pants. Read instructions that come with your investment!

[@thefixerhomerepair2]

Thanks for being perfect, Randy. 🤪🤣

[@randywilde9998]

I was out of line, my apologies and hope I don’t let my soon to arrive Blackstone ever get rusty like that. Removed rust compromises the integrity of that sheet of metal but glad you got it usable and may be of use to others that don’t know about rust removal.

[@scrummyvision]

​@@randywilde9998mine got rusty after like 10 days of not using it. cover was on the whole time.

[@shirleyallen5180]

These grills aren't worth the money!! Nothing better than charcoal!!

[@sttm1283]

id use wirewheel on a cordless drill. why waste time scraping.

[@glennad.6548]

My aunt and uncle owned a fruit farm. In the winter they would trim the trees and the gather them in a huge pile. My aunt would take her frying pans and throw them on the pile. After the pile of limbs were completely burnt and the ashes cooled (this would take a few days to cool), she would take them in the house, wash them and dry them on the stove. All she needed to do was seasoning. All the hardened stuff was burnt off all she needed to do was wash them, dry them on the stove and season them. They were like brand new fry pans.😊

[@cantgetright742]

Been thinkin about gettin one of those. But idk. I like charcoal.

[@Zzrdemon6633]

There is literally no connection between a griddle and charcoal grill/smoker/bbq none

[@cantgetright742]

@@Zzrdemon6633 sure there is. I don’t like cooking with propane. I’d rather it be charcoal and that’s why I don’t have one.

[@414RadioTech]

Yeah well I used mine indoors just had to open up my kitchen window when using it weather is it illegal or not who cares because I can use it year-round indoors there is no barrier limit for that in order to have fun it's not as bad as using your gas stove so simple as long as you have adequate ventilation you're fine who cares if you have an active propane cylinder going on in your kitchen at least it's self-contained below the griddle and it's perfectly safe

[@thefitzwater4805]

The grilling season is every season....part timer.

[@RuffneckTruckingLLC]

When you season the griddle, NEVER let the griddle cooldown keep it at high heat. Use thin coats and do it about 4-5 times it will be a better season and it won’t get rusty. After cooking and cleaning always apply a thin coat afterwards.

[@wt2972]

NEVER let the griddle cool down except for the fact that Blackstone put out a video several years ago on how to remove rust, and they suggest letting the griddle cool in-between coats.

[@_DaddyBitcoin]

Is the brick more for rust vs cleaning?

[@stevebordelon-fs2xh]

The griddle is steel NOT cast iron if it makes any difference. Thanks.

[@dang3402]

So after I cook, I clean it then oil it up. So these steps well prevent the griddle from rusting up ?

[@kevinwalter2674]

It's not cast iron, but you take care of it exactly like cast iron. You scrape off any stuck on debris, heat the griddle, and apply a (very thin) layer of high smoke point oil. Canola oil, grape seed oil, etc. it all works fine. Or you can just cook some really fatty meat on it, like bacon. And when it's all cooked, just wipe the grease off with a paper towel, leaving a very thin layer, then turn the grill on and let it burn off. If you're going to store it for a minute (like longer than a day before using it again), wipe it down with a very thin layer of oil again. That will prevent any surface rust from appearing overnight.

[@sgriffin981]

I thought it's rolled steal not cast iron??

[@pimentelautodetailing2069]

I needa hood like that for my black stone

[@mikecrabtree8200]

So the lesson learned here. Is, be sure you clean and reseason your griddle at the end of the year before you put her away for the winter.

[@wools4538]

Thanks for the video. Bought a sander and went to work. Now I'm pancake ready.

[@erick7229]

This cant be good for our healths? Stuff goes in our food?

[@johnconner6846]

that scraping makes my teeth hurt

[@thefixerhomerepair2]

🤣

[@johnconner6846]

@@thefixerhomerepair2all jokes aside it looked great at the end

[@klaritydawn]

Ok. Just got mine and i think I didn't season it right the first time. I've used it 4 times and I still have STICKY parts. Do i need to do all of this and start over too? It scares me bc i don't want it to get really bad? HELP HELP HELP PLEASE???NOT SURE I LET IT BURN OFF long enough between seasonings? Also not sure i cleaned it well enough with the soap and water? Thanks to anyone who has advice. ❤

[@mcfletch2171]

If the seasoning is sticky then it wasn't hot enough long enough or you had too much oil left when it cooled

[@stevemauch4133]

You might want to use a steel brush which would help loosen up things as well as your scraper?

[@sirtango1]

I would go for a grinder with a wire brush. Thats what they’re made for, removing rust before welding! Quick and easy, then reseason.

[@thefixerhomerepair2]

😁👍

[@mattcasper3550]

My flat top was in the same situation. Corner sander in addition to the cleaning stone was the trick I needed to restart the whole thing. Thanks!

[@bobadkins9159]

Perfect job explaining the process! Thanks.

[@chadbailey189]

if i had to do it all over again, never would have gotten a black stone grill, i loved it in beginning, now just a pain in ass to keep clean or rusting