One of the best and popular pieces of equipment in the kitchen is a griddle. The possibility of cooking different dishes with it is limitless. Just like other kitchen tools around the house, griddles also need to be cleaned and maintained properly.
A dirty griddle will not just affect the lifespan and performance of the equipment, but also the taste of your meals and the safety of those who will eat it.
The good news, though, is cleaning your griddle is extremely easy to do.
First and foremost, we would like to establish that there are many ways to clean a griddle. Let us say you asked 5 cooks about the proper way of cleaning a griddle.
Most likely, their answers were different from each other because again, there are lots of ways you can do to clean a dirty or used griddle.
Commercial or home use, a perfectly cleaned griddle can generally help you improve your cooking experience and produce unadulterated and delicious recipes.
However, if you are one of those who are having a hard time keeping your griddle clean, you are in the right post. We have gathered the easiest steps you can follow with readily available materials in your kitchen. Yes!
You heard it right, you do not have to buy fancy cleaning products. This griddle cleaning process only takes five to ten minutes.
NOTE: If your griddle is a non-stick one with Teflon coating, do not clean it with stone or any abrasive material as it will remove the Teflon coating. You can check this article out to learn more about cleaning your non-stick Teflon griddle.
Let’s get started!
What materials do you need to prepare?
Gather the following materials:
- Rag
- Vinegar
- Club soda or soda water
- Cooking oil
- A pumice stone or griddle brick
- Griddle scraper
What do you need to do?
Regular cleaning of your griddle will not only save time but also help you improve your entire cooking experience.
One of the most important reasons why you need to regularly clean this kitchen equipment is the fact that it is highly susceptible to the accumulation of grime and grease, which can be extremely hard to remove, especially when it is already carbonized.
Aside from the post-cooking cleaning tips, it is important to learn at this point that making sure the griddle surface is hot before you pour a cup of fryer oil or cooking oil can help minimize unwanted cooking residues.
With the right equipment in your hands, you can easily get rid of unwanted grime and grease. Before you begin, make sure that you are not in any way allergic to the cleaning solutions you will be using.
Follow the steps below on how to clean a Griddle with stone:
- With the use of the pumice stones or the griddle bricks, gently brush the griddle surface. Perform the Miyagi style- it is concentric circles while scrubbing the surface. Do the scrubbing until its surface is bright and clean.
- Remove the cooking oil from the griddle’s surface and dispose of it. After that, you need to ensure that the griddle is off.
- When the still-hit griddle surface is already oil-free, you need to carefully pour enough seltzer water or club soda onto it. The club soda results in carbonation which is a great factor in lifting and removing the stubborn grease.
- Again, with the use of the pumice stones or griddle brick, brush it thoroughly to the griddle surface. Dispose of the remaining liquid on the surface.
- Place your griddle on a flat surface. Put some vinegar onto it. Evenly spread the liquid to the griddle surface. With the use of a rag gently brush the whole surface of the griddle. The vinegar will help your griddle surface look more polished.
- Remove the vinegar from the griddle.
- Soak the rag in a cup of frying oil or cooking oil to give the griddle a polished and shiny look.
Additional Cleaning Tips
- Unlike popular practices, make sure not to use ice in cleaning or cooling your griddle. If you do, it can result in cracks in its surface.
- Before you use any abrasive tool, make sure to try it first on a safe area before rubbing it to the griddle surface. When it is too sharp, it may ruin the protective coat of the griddle.
- Re-season your griddle whenever it is needed.
Griddle Maintenance Checklist
Aside from the quick griddle cleaning steps listed above, this kitchen equipment also requires regular maintenance. Regular maintenance will not only extend its lifespan but also preserve its performance. The following is our griddle maintenance checklist:
- Daily
Your griddle needs daily cleaning, like all other kitchen equipment. Professional chefs recommend cleaning it once a day for lighter works and twice each day for heavier use. Make sure that you will sanitize, wash, and empty its drawer every after use and use only the mild cleaning solutions. Using harsh chemicals, including bleach, is not recommended.
- Weekly
You need to turn off your griddle and wait for it to completely cool down. Do this once every week. With the use of a non-abrasive cleaner and soft cloth, brush it through the whole surface. After that, rinse it thoroughly with water.
- Monthly
Your monthly task in maintaining a good performing griddle is to recalibrate its thermostat. You can use a laser surface thermometer or surface thermostat.
- Quarterly
Check the metal cover of the griddle and look if there are cracks or other issues that need to be fixed immediately. Take note, a simple crack can cause a huge problem later on.
- Twice a Year
You need to inspect both the underside and the top area. Aside from that, you need to look at its pressure gauge. You may also consider hiring a professional technician to perform this work if you are not comfortable dealing with this part.
You see, cleaning a griddle is just a piece-of-a-cake. You do not need to purchase fancy cleaning solutions or hire a professional to do the task. Regular cleaning can save you a huge chunk of your time dealing with grease and food debris build-up.
There is nothing better than the fact that we are taking care of our investments- a well-maintained griddle is an investment. It will not only improve our cooking experience. More importantly, we are sure that the food we are preparing for our loved ones is clean and safe.
