Rusty Blackstone.

[Sweaty Paul]

General query for those of you with Blackstone Griddles. I thought I had done a good job of seasoning the griddle. I did have a couple spots of rust that had developed over the winter which I noted earlier this year. I cleaned those spots up and then re-seasoned the entire griddle top. Since there are only 2 of us now and Offspring didn't make it back much this summer the griddle didn't get used much. Today I had to make Chile Verde and decided since I was cooking 18 pounds of pork I figured browning the pork would go way faster on the Blackstone. I opened the griddle top and encountered more rust than I have ever seen. I cleaned it up and and then burned the heck out of any remaining rust then browned off a bunch of meat chunks and then seasoned the griddle top again.

If it rusts again (I'm figuring that it is likely to happen despite always being covered) I'm curious what my next steps might be to clean up the rust and to prevent it from forming again. Thanks in advance.

Sweaty

[ecowper]

Following for the wisdom of the pit on the rust topic

[Ace]

Recovering your Blackstone Griddle Top
Blackstone Griddles
Sep 30, 2015

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thPE2IgnSiI

[Sweaty Paul]

Thank you!

[Oak Smoke]

My advice would to give it a couple of layers of flax seed oil seasonings. Flax seed oil is an air drying oil and doesn’t attract as much water as some oils do is what I’ve read. I use it on cast iron regularly and like the results. Other than that it would be mineral oil and a silicon basting brush. You’ll have to wipe it off before using it again but you’re going to need to clean it before you use it anyway.

[Steve R.]

Once you get it cleaned up and re-seasoned, regular use is going to be the best prevention.

[jfmorris]

That is my experience as well. And unfortunatley, I am now afraid to go uncover my giant Camp Chef griddle, as I did NOT use it much this summer...

[Sweaty Paul]

jfmorris, I suspect that is the main culprit. Sadly, when it's just J and me it is hard to justify the time it takes to clean and re-season after every use.

[DavidNorcross]

I have to agree that lack of use is your biggest culprit here. If you could cook on it more and really develop a heavy seasoning it would probably do better. If you could cook bacon a couple times a week it would really help.

[Sweaty Paul]

I'd love to cook bacon on it twice a week!!

[efincoop]

I'm in a similar situation regarding limited frequency which I use my griddle and experienced issues with rust. I purchased this silicone mat for my 17" Blackstone and it has worked well to eliminatie my rust issues.

[Sweaty Paul]

Thanks!!

[Santamarina]

Just finished seasoning my Blackstone after it sat in storage all summer in Tennessee. The rust was serious.

Since this is my first time using it here in TN I’m gonna be finding out how hard it is to keep in good shape with the weather.

In CA the only rust prevention I needed was - as many fine folks have already suggested - regular use! Fire that thing up 2-3 times per week and rush was a none issue.

[Alan Brice]

I have a ceramic coated griddle. It is always covered with a silicone mat, no hard cover. My weather barrier is a lawn furniture cover. I have a grill stone that I got with a package of squirt bottles n spatulas that I would never use.
Is there anything I can do besides cleaning and oiling and keeping it covered against foul weather?
Not a Blackstone.

[Johnny Booth]

We store cast iron under my cabinets outside. Very high humidity here, so we put a good coat of any kind of food-safe oil on it before we store it. Everything has to be washed before it’s used anyway and the extra layer of oil seems to help.

[Spinaker]

You really need to get a silicone mat in order to prevent rust forming on the surface. Unless you are using the Blackstone almost everyday. If you are in a dry climate, you really do not need to worry about it too much.



efincoop linked it above as well.

[barelfly]

These mats are great! For me, it’s more to keep the fine, high desert dust we have out here off the cook top, but it’s just a great all around protective barrier.

[Sweaty Paul]

I'll go find it.

When Offspring was here we cooked on it a lot. Now, with two it's more of a PIA to clean it so I have other ways of cooking a quick burger. I miss the smash burger, however, I don't mind not having to clean the griddle.

[Lynn Dollar]

My apologies in advance, but when I see this title, I think Rusty Blackstone played first base for the Astros

[Sweaty Paul]

Lynn Dollar

[Spinaker]

Lynn Dollar I feel like it is a name that Norm MacDonald would come up with.

[Lynn Dollar]

There actually was a Rusty Staub that played for the Astros in the 60's and 70's.