How to clean a griddle

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The wide, flat surface of a griddle is perfect for tasty and speedy meals. Big fry-ups for breakfast, stacks of pancakes for brunch, toasted sandwiches for lunch … all can be cooked easily with this handy tool. That is, if it’s clean. But how do you clean a griddle grill in the first place?

You might think learning how to clean a flat grill top is hard work, but with the right method it can be surprisingly easy. The best way to tackle it is to get in early and give it a quick clean after every use. The sooner you figure out how to clean a griddle, the sooner you can cook on it again!

How to clean the griddle straight after use

The best way to clean a griddle is straight after you’ve cooked on it. The good news is that once you learn how to clean a flat grill top, you can use the same process to clean coated pans or cast iron pans. So how do you clean a griddle grill without damaging it? Follow these simple steps:

1. Let the griddle cool down to a warm temperature that’s safe to touch.
2. Use a spatula to scrape off most of the residual food and grease. You can use a metal scraper for some metal griddles but for cast iron pans and non-stick surfaces it’s safer to use plastic to avoid nasty scratches.
3. Use a paper towel to wipe off the grease that you couldn’t get with the spatula.
4. Pour a little water onto the griddle and let the warm metal heat it.
5. Use a scouring pad (nylon, not metal) to loosen the remaining greasy residue.
6. Use a clean folded paper towel to dry the griddle.

You now know how to clean a flat top grill but it doesn’t end there. It’s time to rub the surface down with some vegetable oil. This might seem counter-intuitive after you’ve just mastered how to clean your stove griddle, but taking this step helps to maintain its non-stick properties. You only need to use a teaspoon or two (depending on the surface area) and can remove excess with an absorbent paper towel.

How to clean rust off a stove griddle

If you’ve neglected your griddle for a long time, then you’ll need to know how to clean a commercial griddle coated in rust and grime. Soaking is the best way to clean a griddle that’s started rusting. Be persistent, but patient, and take care not to scratch the surface.

If you need to know how to clean a pancake griddle or a flat grill top that has more grime than you’d care to admit, follow these steps:

1. Soak the surface of the griddle in hot water with a little washing liquid.
2. Scrub with a nylon scouring sponge to loosen the softened layers of grease and burnt-on food.
3. Repeat as many times as required to remove all the old cooking residue and get your griddle squeaky clean.
4. Dry your griddle carefully with a cloth or kitchen towel.

Now that you know how to clean the griddle, grill your favourite foods whatever they may be! Whether it be learning how to clean a pancake griddle to enjoy your favourite brunch foods or figuring out how to clean a flat top grill with rust, follow these steps to start cooking again in no time.