re: Somebody explain the outdoor griddle phenomenon to me.

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Steaks are better on the blackstone.


You're not going to convince this crowd of the difference in Maillard reaction coverage on a properly cooked steak between using extremely high heat on a solid surface vs. over your typical gas or charcoal grill with grates.

Food/Drink board will, but the OT?

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I sous vide and sear steaks.

I own a blackstone.

The blackstone does not get NEAR hot enough for a sear that I desire on a steak. I put a cast iron on my charcoal grill and get it nuclear hot.

I like to cook on my blackstone, but my biggest complaint, is the clean up. Pain in the arse to do after you've eaten dinner and had a couple cocktails and if you don't do it propertly each time, the thing will rust. I wish it was stainless like in a restaurant kitchen/diner.


ETA;

The best is breakfast and smash burgers for a lot of people. Absolute beast at that. Phillys are great on it too.

I wish my family liked hibachi more, but they don't really want that.

I'd use it way more if I didn't have to deal with the cleanup. I have a silicone mat on mine, a lid, and a rain cover and it'll still rust a little bit if I go too long between cooks.

This does help though:

I got one on those Blackstones as a gift a few years back…..it’s still in the box in my garage. Been meaning to sell it on fb marketplace but never got around to it

If you’re gonna do an outdoor griddle in south Louisiana, just spend the money and go stainless. Very easy to clean after using. I do still prefer a small grill that I have next to it for certain items, but to feed 6 people it’s hard to beat the flattop.
When I really want to grill, I prefer charcoal over gas and have a weber just for that.

Cast iron rules, and outdoor griddles keep the 5' grease splatter outside, not on your stove and cabinets. I don't want grass fed fat falling through grates, I want it creating a fond underneath the meat. Fark, now I'm hungry.

Even before I got a Blackstone, I cooked most of my outdoor food on Lodge cast iron sitting on the grill. I had what would probably be considered a first gen Blackstone, which got much hotter than my GF's 2 year old Blackstone I used on Father's day. Hook that lovely device up to your NatGas line, scrape it when it is hot/warm, and profit.

Havent lifted the lid on mine in over a year. Id hate to see what type of rust that mf has accumulated

I was just thinking about that yesterday grilling with my big pimpin Weber Genesis -- I still have some of the promo materials on it from when I bought it two years ago and they have griddle insert info if I want to go that route. Bottom line, I don't understand having a gas Blackstone. I can maybe see getting an electric one.

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I have a silicone mat on mine, a lid, and a rain cover and it'll still rust a little bit if I go too long between cooks.

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I found that the silicon mats made the rusting worse. I guess any moisture isnt allowed to escape. mine did better when I oiled it up and put a towel over it. I guess it was easier for any water to wick up thru the towel and evaporate.

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I get the griddle thing.. I don't have one but I have an electric skillet that's great.. A friend has a Blackstone and the griddle is all rusted over.. People don't realize there is a clean up procedure that HAS TO BE DONE AFTER EVERY USE!!!

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. why? I leave mine covered in grease/oil/debris after I'm done and it protects the cast iron. I then heat all that up and clean it right before I cook again w/ scrapers and a grill rescue. no rust.

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Fajitas - griddle

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I make some pretty good fajitas on a screaming hot weber kettle.