How to Clean and Re-Season a Griddle

Turn the griddle on high heat and use a bench scraper to scrape away any large pieces of old grease and food debris.

Turn off the heat and immediately pour water over the hot surface. The steam will help loosen stubborn, cooked-on grime.

Continue scraping the griddle surface to remove the loosened debris.

Once the griddle has cooled down, spray it liberally with a food-safe degreaser, covering the entire surface.

Using a mesh sponge or scouring pad, scrub the entire griddle surface to remove any remaining rust and gunk.

Turn the griddle back on to high heat. Let it heat for at least 10 minutes, or until it is very hot and begins to smoke.

Drizzle a generous amount of neutral, high-smoke-point oil onto the hot griddle.

Using a wadded-up paper towel (held with tongs or a scraper for safety), spread a thin, even layer of oil over the entire cooking surface.

Allow the oil to sit on the hot surface and burn off for a few minutes until the smoke subsides. This creates the first layer of seasoning.

Repeat the process: add more oil, spread it into a thin layer, and let it burn off completely to build up the seasoning.

For the final coat, turn off the heat. Add one last layer of oil and spread it evenly across the warm surface. This will protect the griddle until its next use.