What is the Best Way to Cook on and Care for My E-Series Griddle?
An E-Series can be a new experience for many people. An indoor griddle does not function the same way as an outdoor one, and there can be a new learning curve in finding the best way to cook on and care for it.
Unlike our outdoor griddles with griddle tops made of rolled carbon steel that requires seasoning, our E-Series units have a griddle top made of cast aluminum with a ceramic-titanium non-stick coating. This coating provides an excellent cooking surface that food will barely stick to. However, it requires specific care to ensure the non-stick surface lasts.
Here are some key things to avoid to extend the life of your E-Series Griddle Top:
- Do not use metal on the griddle top. Only plastic, wood, or silicone tools should be used while cooking. Blackstone has made excellent E-Series Tool Kits for this purpose.
- Do not wash the griddle top in the dishwasher. The griddle top should be hand washed using a non-abrasive scrub pad or sponge using standard dish soap. High-powered dish soaps can also eat into the non-stick coating shortening its life. Frequently, clean-up can be as simple as pushing residue into the grease cup and wiping the griddle top off with a paper towel. Cleaning with soap can be done every 3-4 cooks, depending on what is being made.
- Do not use non-stick sprays that contain lecithin. Unfortunately, most non-stick sprays contain this. It will leave a thick residue on your griddle top, causing food to stick to it and making cooking an unpleasant chore rather than a joy. Our engineers have tested and found no way to restore the non-stick coating after this residue has built up. If you want to use something to further prevent sticking, use either butter, a liquid oil like canola or olive oil, or Blackstone's Non-Stick Spray (Available at Walmart or Lowe's) that does not contain lecithin.
- Do not over-pre-heat the griddle or leave it on high alone. If the griddle top is overheated without having food on it to absorb the heat, the cooking surface can start to discolor and lose its non-stick abilities.
Our outdoor griddles are powerful cooking machines. Even the smallest one has an output of 12,500 BTUs. Electric griddles cannot compete with that heat output, and your cooking strategy may need to be adjusted. The cast aluminum griddle top is designed to heat up quickly, but it does not hold heat as well as the carbon steel does.
- Allow the unit to fully pre-heat before adding any food. This can take up to 20 minutes, and the unit will only reach 500 degrees when the hood is closed.
- Set the temperature to be a little higher than the temperature you want to cook at. This can help you have the correct temperature after adding food.
- Do not add cold or frozen food. Whenever possible, allow all food to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before adding it to the griddle.
- If cooking a large quantity, cook the food in smaller batches to minimize heat loss.
As with all new cooking devices, practice and experience will help you make the best food possible in the best manner.