Blackstone flat top grill

[Dave Lehnert]

Im on the fence about buying an outdoor flat top grill like a Blackstone.

Who has one and is it something you like so much you use it often or sorry you purchased one?

[Ted Calver]

Dave, We bought the 30" Blackstone griddle last year and use it often for smash burgers, stir fries, and breakfast things like bacon, eggs and pancakes. Works great for making naan, flour tortillas and other grill breads. It won't replace the barby, but supplements the outdoor cooking set up. I'd buy it again. Find The Hungry Hussey on Youtube for griddle things to try.

[Rob Luter]

One of our manufacturing facilities (at least one) has a couple that they use for plant lunches. They've used them for burgers and multiple Mexican style foods, as well as for breakfasts. They work great. The guys over at the Big Green Egg grille forum really like them too.

[Tom M King]

Look at used restaurant equipment. We've had a commercial one with two big burners on one side for decades. It doesn't have any kind of starting mechanism, but is easily lighted with a long lighter. The top is 65 pounds of cast iron. It cooks wonderfully, and I bought it for next to nothing soon after we were married in 1980.

[Kev Williams]

FWIW, in my much-younger days I was a short order cook at many places, Denny's, Sambo's, Sizzler, and I appreciate a nice grill... The wife gave me a 30" Blackstone about 3 years ago. Haven't used it much, but not because I don't like it- hard to find time to do 'meaningful' cooking around here... But I love the thing, I wish she'd gotten me the 36"er.... ;)

[Todd Trebuna]

I have the 26 inch portable. Like others, when I use it, I really enjoy it. I bought it for the rv,since my portable grill rusted through over the years. It makes some tasty food.

[Bill Dufour]

I don't get it. just have a piece of metal plate sheared to fit at the metal yard. Why pay for another heating device?
Bill D

[Scott Winners]

I have a cast iron griddle (I think it is a Lodge) that I sometimes use over charcoal in a medium sized Weber. The South American guy with the Michelin Stars (it will come to me, his cookbook is Seven Fires) calls this a plancha. I am learning to use a plancha, and I am learning to do more things over open fire. Having a griddle running on propane or electric would be a ton more predictable, faster learning curve, but without the open fire flavor. Mallman. Francis Mallman.

I use my plancha for mushroom slices, and for empanadas. Empanadas are a ton of labor, but they are so so good. I am thinking a propane or natural gas fired plancha, where I would maybe toss an aluminum foil wrapped bundle of wood chips down with the fire to make a little smoke might be the best of both worlds, predictable temperature, reasonable warm up time, but still bring the open fire flavor.

[Jim Becker]

I've toyed with the idea of an outdoor griddle but it's tempered by the limited amount of food I typically cook since it's primarily only two of us. I use the Grill Grates system on my grill already and the flat side works very nicely for bacon, warming buns, etc. If I wanted to do eggs and since I'm the only one who eats them in the house, my "outdoor" carbon steel pan on the side burner works great. (I have a CI pan that has a slightly warped bottom which is now inappropriate for induction inside, but great for outdoor cooking) But I really would consider an outdoor griddle like the one referenced in this thread under different circumstances.

[Bruce Wrenn]

I've toyed with the idea of an outdoor griddle but it's tempered by the limited amount of food I typically cook since it's primarily only two of us. I use the Grill Grates system on my grill already and the flat side works very nicely for bacon, warming buns, etc. If I wanted to do eggs and since I'm the only one who eats them in the house, my "outdoor" carbon steel pan on the side burner works great. (I have a CI pan that has a slightly warped bottom which is now inappropriate for induction inside, but great for outdoor cooking) But I really would consider an outdoor griddle like the one referenced in this thread under different circumstances.First,this is a repeat of a post I did last week, which just disappeared into cyber space. Hit the reply button, and it disappeared. Don't have the room for a 36" Blackstone. Bought a "Little Suzzie" that I use on my old (1984) Kenmore gas grill. Because of the way burner is made, it's hard to have more than one heat setting over the cooking surface. Use my "Little Suzzie" regularly, burgers, bacon, eggs, steaks, chops, Italian sausage, with peppers and onions. With it, I can do a pound of sausage patties at one time, plus house doesn't smell. Recently (within last six months) rescued a Weber Spirit grill at dumpsters. Needed new burner covers and lighter. Other than these two items, it was in new condition. Both items cost me less than $35, which isn't bad for a grill that currently sells for $600+. Have an older Nexgrill/ Charbroil/Grill Master (same grill, sold under different names) that I want to make a griddle for. Having four burners would make it easier to regulate the heat. Local Metals Super Market quoted me right at $100 to cut and bend a griddle for me. I would have to weld up sides, and stiffeners on the bottom. It's one of those "one day" projects. I second watching "Hungry Hussey's" videos

[Jim Becker]

Bruce, that's a really nice idea to repurpose an old, smaller grill and make a griddle out of it!

[Dave Lehnert]

Thanks everyone for the advice.
475667

[Kev Williams]

Just like mine :) --you'll love it!

Just need to pick up one more thing ;)

475737

[Alan Lightstone]

Does anyone make a large cast iron plate to place on top of a gas grill. Looking for something full sized, not the griddle pan we have for the kitchen.

[Jim Becker]

Does anyone make a large cast iron plate to place on top of a gas grill. Looking for something full sized, not the griddle pan we have for the kitchen.

Google "Grill Top Griddle"... :)

[Alan Lightstone]

Google "Grill Top Griddle"... :)
:rolleyes:
Most of the ones I've seen are pretty small. Still looking, though. I thought someone might already have one they loved. I love the concept of cooking on a 65# cast iron one, but wouldn't love lifting it. :eek: Don't have space for that Blackstone.

[Jim Becker]

When I ran that search more than one at the top of the page seemed to be "grill size" in depth, etc.

I have the Grill Grates system on the gas side of my grill and keep two sections setup with the flat side up. It's not good for things like eggs because it does have perforations, but it's excellent for bacon, searing meat if you don't want grill marks, toasting buns, etc. I can flip them over to "grill" mode if I need to cook a bunch of that meat stuff for a larger group. It's a compromise from a solid griddle, but workable for me.

You might check with a local metal fabricator about getting a scrap of .25" sheet steel from their "scrap". Ease the edges with files/grinder and you should be able to season it like it was cast iron. Season both sides to help keep rust at bay (and store it carefully for the same reason) but keep the primary cooking surface constantly the top so it gets seasoned even more for a more non-stick surface.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Does anyone make a large cast iron plate to place on top of a gas grill. Looking for something full sized, not the griddle pan we have for the kitchen.


Not cast iron, but steel, same as the Blackstone. Cast iron would be too heavy. Google griddlemaster. They make custom sized griddles to fit your grill.

[Kev Williams]

I just googled 'large steel griddle...

475813

[Alan Lightstone]

I just googled 'large steel griddle...

475813

Ah. Needed to use the word "large". Who knew... :)

[George Yetka]

When I ran that search more than one at the top of the page seemed to be "grill size" in depth, etc.

I have the Grill Grates system on the gas side of my grill and keep two sections setup with the flat side up. It's not good for things like eggs because it does have perforations, but it's excellent for bacon, searing meat if you don't want grill marks, toasting buns, etc. I can flip them over to "grill" mode if I need to cook a bunch of that meat stuff for a larger group. It's a compromise from a solid griddle, but workable for me.

You might check with a local metal fabricator about getting a scrap of .25" sheet steel from their "scrap". Ease the edges with files/grinder and you should be able to season it like it was cast iron. Season both sides to help keep rust at bay (and store it carefully for the same reason) but keep the primary cooking surface constantly the top so it gets seasoned even more for a more non-stick surface.


Just added a Rectec to my arsenal and added a set of these grill grates to my gas grill for searing. They work amazingly well.

First cook was a failure on my part the Fillets were too thick and I should have gotten my internal up higher or maybe my sear was too short. I didnt realize until I sliced it all up. My wife through it in a cast iron frying pan. I just about cried watching 4) $30 Fillets frying.

I do want a griddle but might look into a top for the gas grill.

[Jim Becker]

George, for steaks, fillets and even pork chops, I use Sous Vide to get the internal temperature even just below what I want it to be and the just do the sear on the grill. Steaks/fillets (which I like both thick) I do to about 121ºF in the bath and after a sear they are a perfect medium rare all the way through with a nice, tasty caramelization on the outside. And VERY juicy.

[George Yetka]

Isnt that cheating?

[Jim Becker]

Isnt that cheating?

Heck no! It's hard for mere mortals to get a piece of meat to perfect temperature all the way through with a great sear using other methods, at least with any kind of consistency. I used to do the sear and oven method. Sous Vide has been remarkably consistent in result. Honestly, I even use it for thick burgers so they are not "burnt and bleeding". :D I don't use Sous Vide for "thin" things, however.

[Alan Lightstone]

Heck no! It's hard for mere mortals to get a piece of meat to perfect temperature all the way through with a great sear using other methods, at least with any kind of consistency. I used to do the sear and oven method. Sous Vide has been remarkably consistent in result. Honestly, I even use it for thick burgers so they are not "burnt and bleeding". :D I don't use Sous Vide for "thin" things, however.

+1. It's been a game changer. You would have to work hard to screw it up. It's why many, many restaurants cook their steaks that way. It eliminates diners sending their steaks back as they are over or undercooked.

Never tried it for burgers, though.

It's hard for people to get their heads around it when you initially explain the process to people. When you tell them it really doesn't matter if you cook a steak for 3 hours instead of 1 hour, they just don't get it.

[Jim Becker]

Alan, I started doing the thicker burgers this way over a year ago just by chance and it really was a game changer! I pre-season them before they go in a vacuum bag and the freezer, too. (same with steaks/filets) So not only is the internal temperature what it needs to be and even at that, but the process lets the seasoning get into the meat. (many folks commonly don't season the meat until right before they put it in/on the heat and that means the flavor can be uneven and the salt, in particular, doesn't do its thing beyond the surface)