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First Blackstone

PowakPowak Posts: 1,236
in EggHead Forum
Looking to get my first Blackstone for a family of 4. What’s a good size to get? Lid or no lid? I’d like to get one that has its own stand because I won’t be putting it on a table. Will mostly be cooking for 4 of us but we do host occasional parties where I like to whip up some smash burgers.
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Comments

  • lkapigianlkapigian Posts: 8,537
    I have a 36 and Love it, lid is a must , I have one from @Tspud1 . I just bought a 22 as well and will probably use that more for just the two of us, anything more than that 36 IMO for you 
    Visalia, Ca

    LGBE- Pit's by Klose Trailer -Stumps XL Stretch - Custom Santa Maria-Modified HD Offset Smoker Reverse Flow- FatStack Smoker FS120 coming soon FatStack 500- Blackstone 36 Blackstone 22 - Custom Cold Smoke House and a lonely Brinkman Vertical Smoker
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  • nolaeggheadnolaegghead Posts: 39,268
    If you have the room get a 36.  You don't need to fire up all 4 burners unless you need them.  But you would be surprised how nice the extra space is when you're jockeying around food and moving uncooked stuff onto the hot areas and keeping cooked stuff warm.  Also, fried rice takes a lot of cooking space if you stage the ingredients.
    ______________________________________________
    Just a regular guy that likes to do regular things.
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  • WeberWhoWeberWho Posts: 9,609
    Without a doubt the 36". You can go smaller and make it work but it's nice to have extra room on the griddle. I even find the 36" to be cramped at times when cooking. 
    "The pig is an amazing animal. You feed a pig an apple and it makes bacon. Let's see Michael Phelps do that" - Jim Gaffigan

    Minnesota
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  • nolaeggheadnolaegghead Posts: 39,268
    edited July 2021
    wrong thread


    ______________________________________________
    Just a regular guy that likes to do regular things.
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  • RRog17RRog17 Posts: 536
    I have the 28” for my family of four and have never needed more space. I’m sure I would also love the 36” but the 28” is just fine. 
    Canton, GA
    LBGE, Joe Jr., 28” Blackstone
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  • fishlessmanfishlessman Posts: 28,684
    36 with the cover, it fills up fast
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • CanuggheadCanugghead Posts: 8,760
    I digress.. if you get a steaming dome (cheese melting cover), square ones make more efficient use of space than round ones.
    canuckland
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  • CtTOPGUNCtTOPGUN Posts: 597
    Love the four burner 36", if you have the space. More cooking surface. Ability to get different temp zones. All worth the added cost, IMO.


       
    LBGE/Weber Kettle/Blackstone 36" Griddle/Turkey Fryer/Induction Burner/28" Blackstone Griddle/Cuisinart Twin Oaks

     BBQ from the State of Connecticut!

       Jim
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  • kl8tonkl8ton Posts: 3,829
    36 with hinged cover. 
    Large, Medium, MiniMax, & 22, and 36" Blackstone
    Grand Rapids MI
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  • cookingdude555cookingdude555 Posts: 3,037
    36 pro.  Its not that big once you start adding taco meat and stuff.  Its always easy to cook small on a big griddle if you really dont want to cook that much.

    John - SLC, UT

    Several eggs ..

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  • Tspud1Tspud1 Posts: 1,374

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  • Tspud1Tspud1 Posts: 1,374
    might consider a Camp Chef
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  • PowakPowak Posts: 1,236
    Tspud1 said:

    Dang that’s a setup!
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  • PowakPowak Posts: 1,236
    Ordered the big 36” four burner on Amazon! Cover just came today. The griddle itself is temporarily out of stock but I still saved damn near 2 hundos vs going to Wallyworld. 

    What’s the best and cheapest stuff to season these things with? Dude on the Blackstone YouTube said not to use bacon for the initial seasoning. Do you have to re-season them after every cook?

    how long do they take to heat up?

     
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  • Photo EggPhoto Egg Posts: 11,300
    Powak said:
    Ordered the big 36” four burner on Amazon! Cover just came today. The griddle itself is temporarily out of stock but I still saved damn near 2 hundos vs going to Wallyworld. 

    What’s the best and cheapest stuff to season these things with? Dude on the Blackstone YouTube said not to use bacon for the initial seasoning. Do you have to re-season them after every cook?

    how long do they take to heat up?

     
    Bacon has to much sugar from the cure for a first cook. IMO
    Clean the griddle really good with a dish soap or Barkeepers Friend and a stiff brush before you try and season it.
    I had good results just using extra light, EVOO. 
    My first griddle, I went OCD and sanded it to get a smoother surface and never did get a good seasoning layer to hold.
    Ended up having friend sand blast it and started over with just vegetable oil and it worked great as well. Thin layers with old cotton rag, no paper towels.
    Have fun with it. I should use mine more!
    Have a 36 and a 22 that I use more often.
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
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  • calikingcaliking Posts: 16,074
    Photo Egg said:
    Powak said:
    Ordered the big 36” four burner on Amazon! Cover just came today. The griddle itself is temporarily out of stock but I still saved damn near 2 hundos vs going to Wallyworld. 

    What’s the best and cheapest stuff to season these things with? Dude on the Blackstone YouTube said not to use bacon for the initial seasoning. Do you have to re-season them after every cook?

    how long do they take to heat up?

     
    Bacon has to much sugar from the cure for a first cook. IMO
    Clean the griddle really good with a dish soap or Barkeepers Friend and a stiff brush before you try and season it.
    I had good results just using extra light, EVOO. 
    My first griddle, I went OCD and sanded it to get a smoother surface and never did get a good seasoning layer to hold.
    Ended up having friend sand blast it and started over with just vegetable oil and it worked great as well. Thin layers with old cotton rag, no paper towels.
    Have fun with it. I should use mine more!
    Have a 36 and a 22 that I use more often.
    +1 for wiping with cotton towel/rag instead of paper towels. 

    Grapeseed oil has worked well for me. That flaxseed oil business, that was  all the rage a few years ago, was BS. 

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
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  • WeberWhoWeberWho Posts: 9,609
    I've found lard to work the best. You can get a big tub at Walmart for a couple bucks. Photo Egg is 100% correct about applying thin coats. 
    "The pig is an amazing animal. You feed a pig an apple and it makes bacon. Let's see Michael Phelps do that" - Jim Gaffigan

    Minnesota
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  • Photo EggPhoto Egg Posts: 11,300
    edited August 2021
    Also better luck firing up all burns on low to warm the surface before adding thin layer of oil and then raising temps to carbonize the oil.
    And don’t over do the first couple layers as the surface will seem dryer and you will want to add more right away, don’t.
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
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  • paqmanpaqman Posts: 3,809
    caliking said:
    Photo Egg said:
    Powak said:
    Ordered the big 36” four burner on Amazon! Cover just came today. The griddle itself is temporarily out of stock but I still saved damn near 2 hundos vs going to Wallyworld. 

    What’s the best and cheapest stuff to season these things with? Dude on the Blackstone YouTube said not to use bacon for the initial seasoning. Do you have to re-season them after every cook?

    how long do they take to heat up?

     
    Bacon has to much sugar from the cure for a first cook. IMO
    Clean the griddle really good with a dish soap or Barkeepers Friend and a stiff brush before you try and season it.
    I had good results just using extra light, EVOO. 
    My first griddle, I went OCD and sanded it to get a smoother surface and never did get a good seasoning layer to hold.
    Ended up having friend sand blast it and started over with just vegetable oil and it worked great as well. Thin layers with old cotton rag, no paper towels.
    Have fun with it. I should use mine more!
    Have a 36 and a 22 that I use more often.
    +1 for wiping with cotton towel/rag instead of paper towels. 

    Grapeseed oil has worked well for me. That flaxseed oil business, that was  all the rage a few years ago, was BS. 
    @caliking The flaxseed oil ended up flaking on the Blackstone but it is holding strong on my CI pan and wok.  I think that the difference is I started the flaxseed coat on bare virgin metal on the pan and wok.  The coat on the blackstone was done over the original seasoning which I ended up having to strip this year with easy off (all wrapped in a garbage bag overnight).  I suggest scott’s blue towels for wiping.




    ____________________
    Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli
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  • calikingcaliking Posts: 16,074
    @paqman - not starting with a bare surface may have been the issue. I got tired of the flaking and having to reseason my CI, so switched to using grapeseed oil.

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
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