How to Season 17 Inch Blackstone Griddle? | First Cooktop Prep

Seasoning a 17-inch Blackstone griddle takes about an hour and requires three to five thin coats of high-smoke-point oil.

For the full breakdown, see our best 17 Inch Griddle guide.

Seasoning a new Blackstone isn’t optional. The factory coating protects the steel during shipping, and the seasoning process creates the non-stick surface you’ll actually cook on. Getting it right on a 17-inch model takes patience, but the payoff is a cooktop that releases eggs cleanly and won’t rust. Whether you just unboxed a 17-inch model or you’re a first-time griddle owner, this guide walks through every step. If you’re still choosing which model to buy, our tested roundup of the best 17 inch griddle options can help you compare features.

What You Need To Season Your Griddle

Gather everything before you light the burner. Blackstone’s official help center lists the following items:

• Blackstone’s griddle seasoning and cast iron conditioner, or another cooking oil with a high smoke point
• Paper towels and tongs
• Mild dish soap and water for the initial wash
• The owner’s manual for your specific model’s ignition steps

Blackstone explicitly allows “other cooking oil” in its official instructions. Canola, vegetable, and avocado oil all work, though the most important thing is a high smoke point, since the oil needs to hold up to the heat without burning off too early.

The Step-By-Step Seasoning Process For A 17-Inch Model

The full process takes roughly an hour: preheating, oiling, and repeating. The steps below follow Blackstone’s official how-to article.

Step 1 — Turn everything off and clean the plate. Turn the propane off and disconnect the regulator before cleaning. Wash the cooktop gently with mild soap and water to remove the factory residue, then dry it fully. Any leftover moisture will cause the oil to spatter or fail to bond.

Step 2 — Preheat on high. Reconnect the propane and ignite the burner following the owner’s manual. Set it to high and let the plate heat for 10 to 15 minutes. The surface should start to discolor and brown, signaling the factory coating is burning off and the steel is ready.

Step 3 — Apply a thin coat of oil. Pour two to three tablespoons of oil onto the surface, per Blackstone’s video instructions. Use a paper towel held with tongs to spread it evenly across the entire cooking surface.

Step 4 — Coat the walls and sides. Blackstone’s official instructions explicitly say to apply oil to the walls of the griddle plate, not just the flat surface, to give them the same rust protection.

Step 5 — Let it smoke off. Leave the burner on high and let the oil smoke for about 15 minutes. The smoke stops when the layer has bonded. If the surface turns chalky or flaky, that’s carbonization — remove the loose bits and apply another thin coat.

Step 6 — Repeat three to five times. Blackstone recommends repeating the process 3–5 times for a new griddle. When the surface looks dark, smooth, and slightly glossy, and stops smoking after each application, seasoning is done.

Step 7 — Dispose of oily towels safely. Oil-soaked paper towels can self-ignite if bunched up, so let them dry flat, then toss them in the trash.

Common Seasoning Mistakes And Their Fixes

• Too much oil. Blackstone warns that thick coats can pool, bubble, seize, or chip later. Keep layers very thin — a lightly coated, not soaked, paper towel.
• Not fully drying the plate. The surface must be completely dry before heating. Wet spots cause uneven oil spread and spattering.
• Skipping the sides. The walls rust just as fast. Season them every time.
• Stopping after one coat. One layer won’t give you a durable non-stick surface. Commit to at least three coats.
• Adding the next coat too early. Wait until the smoke stops — that’s how you know the previous coat bonded.

If the seasoning looks streaky or feels sticky, heat the griddle on high, scrape off loose residue, and apply another thin coat. Sticky spots usually mean the oil didn’t polymerize fully; one more round at high heat resolves it.

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