When you are working on a Blackstone griddle, it is natural for it to corrode and turn reddish-brown due to all the rust. Blackstone griddles are generally made of iron, after all. The moment water or oxygen comes into contact with the griddle, it will soon develop rust.
But how can we get rid of this problem and protect our food from accidentally combining with any dirt particles from the corrosion? Don’t worry; we’ll teach you how to remove rust from a Blackstone griddle and use it as if it were brand new.
How to Remove Rust from Blackstone Griddle
Blackstone griddles are meant to fry various items of food for consumption. So, we need to ensure that the equipment can be used without adding harmful substances or chemicals to clean it.
Because those chemicals can combine with the food that is being fried on the griddle, that is why the below steps are the safest and most applicable for this situation:
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Step 1: Gathering the Right Materials and Tools
The first step is to get what you need so that you can remove all the rust that is on your Blackstone griddle. Tools and materials may vary depending on which product you find and what you feel comfortable using, but the method of cleaning will remain the same.
And the materials and tools you will need are rags, gloves, a metal scraper, oil, grill stones or sandpaper, citrus acid. You can have alternatives to these materials and tools too. The oil you are using must be cooking oil.
Any other oil on your griddle is not acceptable because your griddle is meant to make food, and other oils that are not meant to be consumed would be a bad choice for this equipment. However, any kind of cooking oil is allowed.
Sesame oil, palm oil, olive oil, etc. are examples of which cooking oils can be used. And for citrus acid, you can just squeeze out some lemon juice. Vinegar can also be used as an alternative. In regards to rags, clothing rags are preferred. Paper towels are also good enough to use.
This will be needed for wiping the griddle clean. And when you get gloves, you need to make sure they are heatproof because resistance to heat is needed when you will be using them on a machine that heats up.
Step 2: Clearing Things up
Firstly, make sure to wear your heat-resistant gloves so that you don’t accidentally get burned. Turn off the Blackstone griddle just in case. Now you can safely bring your materials and tools to the counter area near the griddle.
Make sure the counter has been cleared of any food products before you set your materials and tools there. Make sure nothing is on top of the griddle.
Step 3: Preparations
Turn on the Blackstone griddle to the highest heat settings and wait half an hour till it is completely hot. The heat will help loosen up the current rust that had hardened on the surface of the griddle. You can then turn the griddle off and let it cool down. The rust will not immediately harden, but it is still better to clean it off soon.
Step 4: Removing the Rust
While the rust is still soft and not stuck to the griddle, take your metal scraper and began sliding it roughly on the griddle. The rust will start to come off the griddle easily.
Depending on how wide your metal scraper is, you will be able to pick up the rust with the scraper itself and throw it in a trash bag or garbage bin. Continue this process until the griddle surface feels smooth when you rub your scraper on it.
Step 5: Scrubbing the Blackstone Griddle
Pour a few spoons of your chosen cooking oil on the griddle. The amount of the cooking oil you pour on the griddle depends on the size of the griddle’s surface itself. The oil must cover the entire area in a thin layer. Adding some lemon juice or vinegar to that oil is also helpful.
Now begin scrubbing the griddle with your grill stone or sandpaper. The scrubbing motions should be gentle and in circular motions so that you won’t miss any scrubbing directions, and you can avoid damaging the griddle’s metal. Until you start seeing the griddle look shiny and smooth, you need to keep going.
Wipe off the black liquid from the rust and oil. You can use rags or paper towels for this. After cleaning off the residue, add oil again and scrub again until the oil starts looking clean when you wipe it off.
Mix in some vinegar and warm water with a sponge and wipe off all the grease on the griddle. This will get rid of any rustic smell on the griddle, along with cleaning it. If by any chance, the rust hardens before you get to scrape them all off, you can heat up the griddle for a while again to activate and soften the rust.
Step 6: Seasoning the Griddle
After the Blackstone griddle is rust free and clean, you can now season it as a finishing step.
Seasoning your griddle keeps it protected because the oil itself works as a protective layer and prevents more corrosion from occurring. Cleaning your griddle is still something you need to do at least once a month. But seasoning it with a layer of oil on top after you finish using it helps with letting rust develop much slower.
You have to make sure the seasoning is also done with cooking oil. The preferable cooking oils you can use for this seasoning are flax seed oil or olive oil. These oils are set on metal or bind with the metal much quickly and properly.
And you can even add a second oil layer after the first one dries up for extra protection. The thicker the protective layer is, the harder it gets for water or air to reach the iron part of the griddle. That way, rust won’t form so easily either.
Final Words
Various vehicles or vessels are generally made of iron, just like the Blackstone griddles are. They avoid getting rusty by being painted. This does not last forever, so painting every few years or annually is recommended.
But you obviously can’t do that with griddles since they are meant for cooking, and the chemicals in the paint could mix with the food and endanger people’s lives.
That is why you need to know how to remove rust from Blackstone griddle in a safe way that does not involve harmful chemicals. And the above steps perfectly describe that sort of safe solution.