Can You Use Butter On A Blackstone Griddle?

We can substitute butter for vegetable oils however using it in everyday cooking might be unsettling for some people. However, there are instances where cooking with butter just seems to be the only better alternative. Yes! Using butter on the Blackstone griddle not only adds extra flavour to your food but also makes the process quite efficient.

So here is all you need to know about whether you can use butter on a Blackstone griddle.

Cooking With Butter On A Blackstone Griddle

Using griddles or flat-top grills for cooking seems a bit daunting to most people. Well, the hesitation seems valid as several ways can mess up the griddle seasoning resulting in charred food. So can you use butter on a blackstone griddle? The answer is yes; however, there are certain dos and don'ts that you need to look at when using it on a griddle.

Butter adds that extra zing to the dish, be it burgers, tacos, or steaks; it gives them better colours and flavours. Although oils will do the same job, you won't get lip-smacking results as you would with butter.

At the same time, you must remember that butter burns up faster than oils. This can be a problem if you're making something that would take a while to cook. Hence it is always safe to add a dollop of butter at the end to enhance the flavour of your dish.

Butter Vs. Other Cooking Oils on a Blackstone Griddle

You would find a lot of people in a dilemma of choosing the right seasoning for their griddle. While most would root for butter, there is a considerable lot that would prefer using vegetable oils. To be honest, it is entirely up to an individual's preference. Oils and butter can both be used on a Blackstone griddle; also, both have certain pros and cons.

So apart from retaining flavour, oils are a much healthier option than butter as they are enriched in “good fats” (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats). Unlike butter, they keep cholesterol levels low, but it certainly doesn't mean that you start preparing your meals in gallons of it. However, a slight coating of oil would suffice.

However, the amount of oil required greatly depends on the type of meat you are cooking. For instance, very less oil is used in cooking bacon as it releases fat of its own.

Unlike butter, food may become overly greasy when using oil. It is because griddles don't have the option of removing excess oil; therefore, the grease just stays there. So whether it is butter or oil, you need to be aware of the pros and cons to decide what is the best fit for you.

Tips For Using Butter On A Blackstone Griddle

Here are some warnings/tips that may help you when preparing meals on a blackstone griddle;

• Like oils, small portions of butter should be used on the griddle as they burn fast.
• You can also use butter to grease your griddle before you start cooking. However, you shouldn’t add large chunks of butter.
• To enhance the flavour of the food being cooked on the griddle, a piece of butter should be added just at the end.
• Melt the butter in a separate pan before adding it to the griddle. This way, you can avoid sudden flare-ups that may turn your meal into a burnt mess.
• When cooking meals at high temperatures, refrain from using butter as it burns easily.
• Liquid butter works best on Blackstone griddles and works like olive oil. It means that you no longer have to worry about burning your meals.

Advantages of Using Butter On A Blackstone Griddle

The prominent advantage of using butter instead of oils on a Blackstone griddle is that it enhances the flavour and colour of the meat. Also, the food does not appear as greasy as it would in the case of oils. Another major benefit of using butter for cooking is that the food will not stick to the griddle. Butter can be used as an alternative to oil to cook a variety of foods on a Blackstone griddle, for instance;

• Pancakes – with butter, you can make soft and fluffy pancakes that also do not stick on the griddle surface.
• Scrambled eggs and French Toast – preparing eggs and toast on a blackstone griddle can be tricky due to the high chances of burning or sticking. Unlike oil, butter not only gives them a creamier texture but also enriches their taste.
• Caramelized onions – who would want to miss adding caramelized onions to their burgers? The answer to that would be no, so grease your griddle with butter to make mouth-watering meals.

Disadvantages Of Using Butter On A Blackstone Griddle

Although you can cook some scrumptious-looking meals with butter, there are certain disadvantages of using it on a blackstone griddle;

• Blackstone griddles can be heated up to around 645F. This does not work well with butter, whose smoke point is lower than most cooking oils which are 345F, to be specific. Also, the taste of burnt butter is certainly not everyone's favourite.
• Besides burning quicker than oils, butter is also not a healthier option if you use it in your everyday cooking.

Clarified butter is a better alternative to regular butter as it has a smoke point of 500 degrees Fahrenheit. It is prepared by removing water and milk content from the regular butter leaving just the fat. As this fat has a greater smoke point, it is good for cooking at high temperatures on the griddle. So if you want to use butter, you can always go for clarified butter instead of regular one.

How To Properly Melt Butter On A Blackstone Griddle?

The process of melting butter on a Blackstone griddle is fast and simple. All you need to do is take a stick of butter and cut it into small pieces. After transferring the butter pieces to the iron pan, place the pan on the griddle and allow it to melt. Once it has melted, grease the griddle surface or add the butter at the end to enhance the taste.

How To Clean A Blackstone Griddle?

There are two kinds of cleaning done on a Blackstone griddle. The first type is when you receive the griddle initially and the second time is when you’re done cooking. 

Cleaning Blackstone Griddle For The First Time:

Before using the griddle for the first time, it has to be thoroughly cleaned. So to remove the factory coating, you need to gather a few cleaning items like dish soap, towel/rag, etc. 

• Take a small bowl and fill it with water, then add a small quantity of dish soap.
• Take a towel or a rag and soak it in soap-containing water.
• Scrub the Blackstone griddle with the drenched towel to remove the factory coating.
• Once the coating is completely off, wipe the griddle with paper towels to remove any soapy residues.
• Dry the griddle with more paper towels to prepare it for seasoning.

Cleaning A Blackstone Griddle After Using Butter:

Griddles get ruined if not cleaned thoroughly after cooking. Burnt food remnants, along with grease and oil, if left untouched, solidify and become hard. This not only affects the taste of the food but is pretty unhygienic too. Also, dish soap is not a good choice of detergent to clean the Blackstone griddle after cooking. So you need to use more intense cleaning tools to get all the grease off your griddle surface. Here is how you can do it;

• While the griddle is still slightly hot, use the griddle scraper to scrape off the grease and food residues.
• Spray some water on the griddle and use paper towels to remove excess grease.
• Once enough grease has been removed, use cooking spray or a small amount of canola oil and spread it on the griddle surface. Cooking spray or oil would give a non-stick effect to the griddle surface.
  
  

Also Read: How To Clean A Rusty Griddle? 

Common Mistakes To Avoid When Using Butter On A Blackstone Griddle:

Following are some common mistakes that you should avoid when using butter on a Blackstone griddle;

• Never use butter for seasoning the griddle. Butter is not entirely composed of fat; it also contains water and some amount of milk proteins. So if you season your griddle with butter, the water will evaporate, leaving behind the milk components that soon turn into ash. It will not only destroy your seasoning but will also damage the griddle surface.
• Never cook food directly in butter on a Blackstone griddle. It is because the butter quickly burns due to its low smoke point than that of the griddles.
• Never forget to dry the griddle surface thoroughly with a towel after cleaning.

How to Enhance Flavor And Moisture With Butter On A Blackstone Griddle?

There is no denying the fact that butter augments the flavours to the next level when used to cook on a Blackstone griddle. However, you need to look out for all the factors when using it since it has a very low smoke point than the Blackstone griddle.