At every cookout, there’s one guy who stands near the person barbecuing and gives him (or her) unsolicited tips on how to do it better. Sometimes the original griller will get so fed up with these cooking coaching sessions and hand over the scissor tongs. Interestingly, the barbecue coach always goes missing when it’s time for cleanup. That’s arguably the most important part of barbecuing; it makes sure your next batch of food is on a sanitary and safe grill. While a griddle slightly differs from a grill, both can be used for cooking food in high-heat temperatures outside.

What Is the Main Reason a Griddle and Grill Differ?

A griddle may be easier to clean than a grill for one reason: Griddles are flat, shallow cooking surfaces while grills have grates in them. While grills are better for cooking meat such as steaks and pork chops, griddles are versatile with more types of foods. Stay away from saucy meals, including pasta and soups though. For example, barbecue corn (with or without the husks) and other vegetables work on a griddle, but you’ll still need to turn on your stove for most sides. The heat distribution is also more even with griddles than grills, mainly because open grates require heat to rise upward instead of straight across.

How To Clean a Blackstone Griddle

While a blackstone griddle sorta looks like a cast iron reversible grill, the cleaning process is totally different. With cast iron skillets or cast iron grills, you should not use dish soap at all. With blackstone griddles, you can remove the grates and scrub them with dish soap and a grill brush. If needed, soak the grates in vinegar and baking soda the way you would with a showerhead. The latter mixture may also work with removing rust from the grates.

Then, dip (don’t drench) a microfiber cloth in soapy water to brush or wipe off the debris and any food particles off the bottom and the lid. (The ash catcher should already be emptied after each use. If not, make sure to empty it now.)

Use a separate microfiber cloth to empty and scrub out the grease trap with warm, soapy water. Avoid using sharp-edged spatulas to scrape out hardened grease; use a putty knife instead.

Finally, rinse your microfiber cloths clean, and wipe off residual soap from the entire blackstone griddle. While you can let the griddle air dry, a quick swipe with a clean microfiber cloth is preferred to make sure it dries completely.

And now that your blackstone griddle is clean and ready for its next use, get ready to plan out your next meal and the over-the-shoulder griller watching you do it. (At least you’ll have company to chat with and pass the time.)