New Blackstone used Flax Oil

Smoker317

 I didn't want to hijack the other thread going on right now.  So I picked this 36" up at Cabelas with a rain check for $229.00 a couple weeks ago.  All they had left was the floor model and politely asked/insisted on taking the floor model for $20.00 off the sale price.  An assistant manager said he didn't want his guys taking the time to assemble a new one.  So he offered me a rain check for the sale price plus $20.00 off. 

I read the thread on here with a link that talks about the science of flax oil.  I figured that with three hundred bucks on a cover, and some other accessories I might as well pony up some money for a quality flax oil.  I don't know if this is quality but it has hundreds of positive ratings on amazon.



I followed the instructions which ended up taking me two weeks because of my schedule, however I seasoned 8 times.  The griddle went from a grey to black, the picture doesn't do justice.  First pic is with the virgin surface, hard to see with the bad lighting but it is grey.





This pic is after 8 seasonings and before the pound of bacon.



After 8 seasoning events, I cooked a box of thick cut Scwanns bacon.  I am guessing it is one pound.  I pushed most of the bacon grease to the back and put four - 4oz hamburger balls on the top after it was very hot and smashed it with a bacon press.  I normally don't use that much fat, but we all have to make sacrifices when breaking in a new griddle... 

Smash burgers were phenomenal, just like this little hole in the wall place we visit in the hood in downtown Indy from time to time.  The crust caramelized and was fantastic, looking forward to using this thing. 

For whatever reason the pictures uploaded out of order...

Regardless, that top is now very black, it looks great.



And just to keep this egg related, here is my pic of our BBQ pulled chicken that we used for sliders last week.  Brined, spatchcocked, and totally awesome.

Focker

First off, nice work at Cabela's.  If I had one close, would've picked one up myself

Regardless of seasoning method used, the best thing one can do is use it, starting out with fatty cooks like bacon and burgers like you showed...building a base layer with fat/oil of choice, and continuing that process with use.  When I strip and season an old CI pan, the first several cooks after initial seasoning, are bacon only, cooked low and slow.  I don't even wash it, scrape with ringer and then wipe with paper towel.   

Have seasoned two 17 inch tailgaters with one seasoning session on both.  Shiney jet black all around.  

Years ago, many on the Gris/Wags forum had issues with flax flaking, when Sheryl's link was getting passed around like the class ho.  And they know what they are doing.  Hopefully you don't experience this, but wanted to give you a heads up going forward.

Nice looking cooks too, that 36 can cook a ton of bacon.

Smoker317

Thanks for the info on the flax...  figures, i could have used the olive, canola, or crisco on hand, but no I had to go and spend $15.00 or so on product that flakes!  LOL..  we shall see what happens, hopefully it doesn't flake.

Smoker317

Nice call FOCKER...   LOL...  Well after all of that propane and patience the blackstone "seasoned" finish peeled right off with my metal spatula.  I am beyond peeved.  So out came the canola oil and I am going to treat like my cast iron. Flax oil my butt...

Wardster

I used grape seed oil, just couldn't find flax seed.  After several coats, I was seeing some signs of flaking.  metal spatula was leaving 'scratch' marks pretty bad.  I just let it ride and kept putting coats on and cooking fatty stuff.  Seasoned up pretty good now.

Wardster

scratch my prior comment, I didn't see your pic before I posted.  Mine certainly wasn't doing that!

Photo Egg

Focker said:

Years ago, many on the Gris/Wags forum had issues with flax flaking, when Sheryl's link was getting passed around like the class ho.  And they know what they are doing.  Hopefully you don't experience this, but wanted to give you a heads up going forward.

Brandon,
I'm having issues as well with Flax. Like you said, it's flaking off. I did not take any photos but it's clear to see. This is on my newer Black Steel pans. 
I just started redoing the largest pan.
Will hit it with some low and slow bacon this weekend...

blasting

The only CI pieces that have ever needed re-seasoning are the three I tried flaxseed on.  

Not a fan.  Real lard is my pref.

tarheelmatt

I went with coconut oil and have some flaking, but I don't really care much as it still performs well.  Cooks over medium eggs well and does tortilla shells easily too.  

I just keep on with re-applying canola oil.  

Hotch

My first round of seasoning I used grape seed oil. After 3-4 months it had soften up a bit. Some areas did come off. Re-seasoned on the fly so to speak and carried on. Could not get it to set hard again. Went to the Blackstone recovery video and they recommend the Flax.
This next round I will strip it, prep it and go with the procedure they recommend in the recovery video. Prep, procedure, temperature and repetition are critical to any seasoning process.
I have used Flax on a few of my CI and have had great results. But we do work on keeping the seasoning maintained.
I also only use water and paper towels to clean up my Blackstone.

Link to Blackstone Recovery Video:
https://youtu.be/thPE2IgnSiI

fishlessman

i just cooked on mine

Photo Egg

Hotch said:

My first round of seasoning I used grape seed oil. After 3-4 months it had soften up a bit. Some areas did come off. Re-seasoned on the fly so to speak and carried on. Could not get it to set hard again. Went to the Blackstone recovery video and they recommend the Flax.
This next round I will strip it, prep it and go with the procedure they recommend in the recovery video. Prep, procedure, temperature and repetition are critical to any seasoning process.
I have used Flax on a few of my CI and have had great results. But we do work on keeping the seasoning maintained.
I also only use water and paper towels to clean up my Blackstone.

Link to Blackstone Recovery Video:
https://youtu.be/thPE2IgnSiI

I hope the Flax works for you.
I spent many hours following proper prep procedures when I did my 3 Matfer black steel pans. All 3 flaked. My old cast iron pan that I have used for years flaked after I stripped and started over with Flax. Had to strip and re season it as well with just Extra Light Virgin Olive Oil (just what I had handy) and now it's good to go. There is a chance that it's just a bad bottle of Flax. It's a good brand that I have kept cold and always shaken like instructed.
Who knows, but I have never had a pan flake like this before.

tarheelmatt

Sometimes I think we get too caught up with things.  The CI pan that was handed down to me never saw Flax in it's life.  Probably only Crisco or lard.  No flaking ever on it.  

blasting

I think with the BS, what really helps with the seasoning is keeping the entire surface oiled, before, during, and after cooking.  Keep that baby wet like you're transporting a dolphin. 

I used lard for the first while.  Now I just cook with peanut oil as it's easier and I've got a nice surface.
  

minniemoh

blasting said:

Keep that baby wet like you're transporting a dolphin. 

LOL!!! That's a great reference.

jimithing

blasting said:

I think with the BS, what really helps with the seasoning is keeping the entire surface oiled, before, during, and after cooking.  Keep that baby wet like you're transporting a dolphin. 

I used lard for the first while.  Now I just cook with peanut oil as it's easier and I've got a nice surface.
  

I agree with this right here.  When I first started using my blackstone I was cleaning it after cooking by heating it way up and hitting it with water to steam clean some of the crud off.  I found those places where the crud was scraped off ended up with rust the next time I used the griddle. 

Now I go ahead and clean it but I make sure to coat it with some oil when I'm done and it's still hot and that seems to be working for me.

SmokeyPitt

blasting said:

I think with the BS, what really helps with the seasoning is keeping the entire surface oiled, before, during, and after cooking.  Keep that baby wet like you're transporting a dolphin. 

I used lard for the first while.  Now I just cook with peanut oil as it's easier and I've got a nice surface.
  

I agree.  I mainly just use generic PAM (spray canola oil) and it seems to be working fine and it is easy to apply.  

I have realized that the bottom of my griddle is getting rusty though.  Anyone else notice this?  

minniemoh

SmokeyPitt said:

I have realized that the bottom of my griddle is getting rusty though.  Anyone else notice this?  

I would think this may be unavoidable. Maybe knocking down the rust with one of those grill stones and rub a little oil on the bottom once in a while would help some but in humidity, I would think it will come back pretty fast.

Focker

SmokeyPitt said:

blasting said:

I think with the BS, what really helps with the seasoning is keeping the entire surface oiled, before, during, and after cooking.  Keep that baby wet like you're transporting a dolphin. 

I used lard for the first while.  Now I just cook with peanut oil as it's easier and I've got a nice surface.
  

I agree.  I mainly just use generic PAM (spray canola oil) and it seems to be working fine and it is easy to apply.  

I have realized that the bottom of my griddle is getting rusty though.  Anyone else notice this?  

Pam works great too, easy to apply.

I seasoned all sides of both griddles in the oven initially, holding up fine so far.  Maybe a little BKF slurry and rinse to remove the flash rust, then Pam before firing it up.  Maybe hit the bottom with Pam on the following cook too.  A couple coats should take care of it.

Spring Chicken

Thanks for this discussion.  It was very interesting.

My initial seasoning began to fail a few weeks ago and I thought if I just kept cooking on it using coconut oil it would cure itself. But it didn't.  I had plans to re-season tomorrow using Grape Seed Oil.  The Griddle Top Recovery video helped change my mind on how to prepare it first.  I had wanted to use a grill stone but thought better of it.  Now I will use one.  Not so sure about the Flax Seed oil.

Another thought I had was to use some 300 grit sandpaper on it after the grill stone.  Not so much to make it mirror smooth like a Japanese Steakhouse stainless griddle, but just to knock down the micro size high spots before applying my seasoning.

Funny...  I have cast iron skillets that were handed down.  They probably date to at least the 1930's, and maybe even earlier.  The seasoning on them is eternal so I have no idea how many layers thick the seasoning is.  I suspect it was initially seasoned with lard, and cooked with lard and bacon grease, including re-cycled bacon grease, most of those years until we started cooking on them with vegetable oil and spray oil.

I like cooking with coconut oil for a number of reasons, but I want a good base on the cooktop first.  So after reading this thread, I'm thinking maybe I should use lard, and apply about 8 coats before I cook anything.

As for water getting on the cooktop, my grill sits outside but under a Blackstone cover.  Even with all the rain we've had here in Texas, I've not seen a single drop of water on the grilltop.  If I had parked the grill under my porch roof without a cover, it would have been very wet many times from the strong winds.  Plus, the cover keeps dust and other stuff off the griddle top between cooks.  I highly recommend getting the cover no matter where you store your grill.

Thanks again.

Spring "There's Always More Than One Best Way To Do Something" Chicken
Spring Texas USA

SmokeyPitt

Focker said:

SmokeyPitt said:

blasting said:

I think with the BS, what really helps with the seasoning is keeping the entire surface oiled, before, during, and after cooking.  Keep that baby wet like you're transporting a dolphin. 

I used lard for the first while.  Now I just cook with peanut oil as it's easier and I've got a nice surface.
  

I agree.  I mainly just use generic PAM (spray canola oil) and it seems to be working fine and it is easy to apply.  

I have realized that the bottom of my griddle is getting rusty though.  Anyone else notice this?  

Pam works great too, easy to apply.

I seasoned all sides of both griddles in the oven initially, holding up fine so far.  Maybe a little BKF slurry and rinse to remove the flash rust, then Pam before firing it up.  Maybe hit the bottom with Pam on the following cook too.  A couple coats should take care of it.

@Focker Thanks for the suggestion.  I will give that a try.  BKF = Bar Keepers Friend?  

Focker

SmokeyPitt said:

Focker said:

SmokeyPitt said:

blasting said:

I think with the BS, what really helps with the seasoning is keeping the entire surface oiled, before, during, and after cooking.  Keep that baby wet like you're transporting a dolphin. 

I used lard for the first while.  Now I just cook with peanut oil as it's easier and I've got a nice surface.
  

I agree.  I mainly just use generic PAM (spray canola oil) and it seems to be working fine and it is easy to apply.  

I have realized that the bottom of my griddle is getting rusty though.  Anyone else notice this?  

Pam works great too, easy to apply.

I seasoned all sides of both griddles in the oven initially, holding up fine so far.  Maybe a little BKF slurry and rinse to remove the flash rust, then Pam before firing it up.  Maybe hit the bottom with Pam on the following cook too.  A couple coats should take care of it.

@Focker Thanks for the suggestion.  I will give that a try.  BKF = Bar Keepers Friend?  

No problem.  Yeah, Bar keepers Friend.  

minniemoh

So I just got home with my 36" Blackstone from Cabela's for $250. I've been keeping tabs on this thread to see what I should season it with. We have avocado, canola, coconut, grapeseed, EVOO, and lard all on hand right now. (Didn't realize we had so many options!) I used canola oil on my cast iron and it's holding up pretty well. Just wondering if I should try to find some flax as BS recommends or if I should use lard or grapeseed. 

Those of you who had some trouble with the seasoning coming off - I assume you washed it as recommended before putting on your first seasoning? I feel dumb asking this cuz I know you guys are into this whole seasoning thing too.

Smoker317

I used warm water and soap to clean off the factory coating.  Carried that heavy top and leaned it against a tree.  Used a soft pad from the kitchen sink which I then pitched. 

I used flax oil and have 10 oz of refrigerated, organic, USDA, make your know what grow by 6", raise your I.Q. by an average of 19.5 points, genuine flax oil that I will sell you for a small price of one dollar per ounce, but wait, there is more, if you buy my open, but gently used bottle of miracle oil, I will include one rusted wire brush that you can use to peel of the remaining "seasoning."  Shipping and Handling is not included.

Sorry for the sarcasm, but it has been a long time since I "bought" into such a BS theory...  that ironically cost me more than a few bucks, but more importantly wasted my time. 

My cast iron is awesome and I used canola.  That is what I am now using on the blackstone.

bgebrent

Canola will work like a champ. This topic has been way overworked.  Enjoy the Blackstone!  It's a beast.

minniemoh

I ended up going with lard, then some onions, then bacon, then more onions. Never had a griddle before. We'll see if my seasoning holds up. 

bgebrent

minniemoh said:

I ended up going with lard, then some onions, then bacon, then more onions. Never had a griddle before. We'll see if my seasoning holds up. 

It will.  Your golden given your seasoning.

noarmysargent

This is simple clean up and I recycle at the same time. 
After a cook while the gridle is still hot, wipe it down to remove grease and solids. We save the vinegar from anything pickled. Peppers, olives etc.  While it is still hot, I pour the vinegar on the top and wipe it down. Then I put cooking oil on it generously. After it cools completely, I put a piece of plastic down pressed into the oil. Them I put the black stone cover on it. I live in Georgia. Very humid. No rust.

4Runner

Smoker317 said:

Nice call FOCKER...   LOL...  Well after all of that propane and patience the blackstone "seasoned" finish peeled right off with my metal spatula.  I am beyond peeved.  So out came the canola oil and I am going to treat like my cast iron. Flax oil my butt...

It doesn't really flake off. It forms a chemical bond if done correctly. 
http://sherylcanter.com/wordpress/2010/01/a-science-based-technique-for-seasoning-cast-iron/

Hotch

Most seasoning failures, I've done in the past, are because I did not do it correctly. Either to much oil, not enough time and or heat to set each round and or not enough to rounds. 
On my cast iron I do it in the oven. At least 8- 10 rounds at a minimum. It provides an optimum cooking vessel to control both of the basic steps to end up with a "Almost Forever Seasoning". So I'm pretty much tired of all BS blaming any individual oil. I'll just say you did not do it correctly irregardless of what oil you used.

blasting

Hotch said:

I'll just say you did not do it correctly irregardless of what oil you used.

Just busting chops @Hotch   

I have tried sheryl canter's method exactly and have not experienced good results.  I have also failed at the traditional lard method, and that was user error.