We Tried a Blackstone Griddle—Here’s What We Thought
Updated: Oct. 06, 2021
Since blowing up on TikTok, the Blackstone Griddle has become a grilling must-have for summer 2021. We found out if it’s really worth all the hype!
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After months of being cooped up indoors, summer (and grilling season) is finally here and in full swing. Nowadays, there are a plethora of grills on the market to choose from, but recently a new appliance for outdoor cooking has arrived on the scene: the Blackstone Griddle. With its endless cooking applications and ease of use, it’s no wonder the Blackstone has quickly gone viral on TikTok.
As someone who loves cooking outside but finds the grill a bit intimidating, I was especially excited about a new product like the Blackstone and decided to test it out for myself.
What Is a Blackstone Griddle?
Blackstone has lots of griddle styles to choose from, but they all have one thing in common: a flat-top made from cold-rolled steel, an ideal material for even heat distribution and controlled cooking across the entire surface.
As many TikTok videos have demonstrated (#blackstonegriddle), the possibilities are endless with a Blackstone griddle, from breakfast spreads for a crowd to weeknight stir-fry’s and blueberry cobbler. The large surface area and multiple burners allow you to cook foods that cook at different temperatures at once—like bacon and pancakes or chicken and sliced peppers (plus no extra pans to wash).
The specific model I was trying out was the Proseries 36” Outdoor Cooking Station which is one of Blackstone’s more kitted-out options. It comes with features like a paper towel holder, counter height shelves, a magnetic knife strip and plenty of storage to hold all of your griddle accessories.
Testing the Blackstone Griddle
Before I started cooking, I seasoned the griddle by coating the entire surface in vegetable oil and setting all the burners to high until the oil began to smoke and burn off—this is similar to seasoning a cast-iron skillet. Seasoning ensures that the surface is non-stick and helps get rid of any leftover chemical coating from production.
Once the grill was well seasoned, I decided to go all-in and cook breakfast for the culinary team at the office. I wanted to see how well the Blackstone did at cooking multiple foods at once, so I loaded up the flat top with pancakes, fried eggs, and bacon.
I cooked the pancakes on medium heat and used a Blackstone squeeze bottle to distribute the pancake batter so each pancake was the same size. Next, I cracked the eggs right onto the griddle. I was worried that the surface wouldn’t be hot enough and the eggs would run all over the place, but they held their shape and began to fry right away. Finally, I layered on the bacon over high heat and let everything cook.
As I expected, the eggs were done cooking first so I moved them to a less hot area of the griddle to keep warm while I kept cooking the other foods. I loved being able to keep an eye on everything at once and move things around as they cooked.
After I served up breakfast, I had to try a classic griddle recipe, smash burgers!
I saw lots of TikToks where people caramelized onions on the griddle so I decided to cook those as a topping for the burgers. Because onions take a long time to caramelize, I laid them out in a single layer on one third of the griddle and covered them with the attached lid.
When the onions were almost done, I started the burgers. I used two extra-wide Blackstone spatulas to smash the burgers until I heard that satisfying sizzle. When the burgers were done, I topped them with cheese and toasted some buns on the other side. I built the burgers right on the flattop; I felt like a professional line cook for a moment.
So, What Are the Pros and Cons?
There are a lot of advantages to using the Blackstone Griddle over a traditional grill:
- Large cooktop: All of that space on the griddle means you can prep multiple foods at once and cook for a crowd with ease.
- Adjustable heat: Three adjustable burners allow you to create independently controlled cooking zones
- Easy cleanup: No grates to scrub and no burnt-on food, just one flat surface to wipe clean. The convenient grease trap allows you to push all your grease through a hole in the griddle where it falls into a detachable cup. The cup is easy to remove and wash up. That takes care of the hardest cleaning.
Of course, there are cons to any cooking method:
- Cold spots: Just like a grill, the Blackstone griddle has spots that are hotter than others. But the more you cook on it, the better you’ll get at learning where those spots are and how to cook with them.
The Final Verdict on Blackstone Griddles
TikTok was right about this one, because after putting the Blackstone griddle to work, it’s safe to say that this was one trend very much worth the hype. If you’re looking to step up your outdoor cooking game this summer, the Blackstone is for you. Right now, the only thing stopping me from buying one myself is my tiny balcony!
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