You might have heard about slow cooking. Maybe you’ve even done it yourself. Lighting up some coals, letting the food cook up for hours. It takes patience and low heat until your tasty dish is complete. Now, let’s talk about high heat and fast cooking. Think of those perfectly cooked burgers ready on the fly. It’s seared, scrumptious, and takes less effort. Now, this isn’t a competition. Both styles have their perks. But did you know you can cook with low, medium, and high heat at the same time on your Blackstone griddle? Our largest models have four burners so you can cook up on four different heat zones. Some ingredients work best with high heat. Others taste best when cooked slowly. So read below and learn when to cook high or slow on the griddle for the best dish. Also, we teach you how to control the heat precisely on your griddle. You’ll feel like a steakhouse chef!
When it comes to red meat, pork, and poultry what matters is the fat. If it’s a fatty and thick cut, stick to low and slow. It breaks down connective tissue and fat for a tender, moist meal. What’s thick and fatty? Why that would be delicious cuts like pork shoulder, brisket, chicken thighs, and short ribs. For these, oil up the griddle and cook low n’ slow. And then for high heat, it’s best to cook up lean cuts of meat. Think chicken breast, tenderloin, skirt steak, and flank. Slow cooking would dry up these cuts and make them horrible to eat since they are lower on fat. And if you want to cook up delicious meat on the griddle, we have the essential meat cuts for you to try out. Trust us - these are the cuts you need to taste the best a Blackstone can offer! Here are a couple of recipes to cook up on the griddle:
Seafood is meat - we know - but it’s cooking is totally different. Critters from the sea have fewer fibers and connective tissue than meat from the land. That means they are more susceptible to heat, and can get overcooked if you cook them up like a burger! So, seafood is best on medium-high heat to sear the meat and get a delicious crust without overcooking or drying the meat out. And hey, if you’ve got a griddle you already have the best outdoor machine for seafood cookin’. Get all the details in our Charcoal BBQ vs Blackstone Griddle article! Our tip when cooking seafood on the griddle: Oil up the flat top and keep an eye on the heat - delicate seafood, like octopus and squid usually have better results on low heat. Medium heat should be used when grilling fish, whole or in pieces. Pay attention to the ingredients, and if they start constricting, it’s time to serve it up! Want to slow cook some fresh seafood on the griddle? Turn on the flat top and try one of these delicious recipes:
And what about the veggies? If you want better flavor and more nutrition, steaming is the way to go. Steaming keeps the veggies moist and more nutritious - too much heat can seep out the nutrients from your greens. And if you don’t want to go down the steamin’ route, oil up the griddle and keep the heat medium. This maintains the moisture and avoids the veggies get burned.
Looking for a breakfast of champions? Well, you need some eggs and pancakes. And how about some griddled french toast to boot? That sounds delicious, and it gets even better if you cook on medium heat. Any batter you put on the griddle with the breakfast kit dispenser should sizzle quickly. The sides should start to cook and the middle bubble up. That’s the way to go for delicious pancakes, cupcakes, and muffins! If you keep the heat too high, you risk making that pancake blackened and charred. Keep it too light, and the pancakes lose bulk. That’s totally not a breakfast worth starting your day. So, keep the dial on a medium setting and cook up with patience - it’s worth it. And we’ve got a whole section of Breakfast Recipes for you to cook up. Try out these recipes to start off the day on the right foot:
You can get all levels of heat on a Blackstone Griddle. If you need scorching heat that cooks up in a flash - it’s on a Blackstone. Need steady heat that’s mild yet mighty to sear your meals - it’s on a Blackstone. Finally, need it low and slow to make the marbling fat melt on that steak - it’s on a Blackstone. We think you get the point. Now we tell you why:
Being master of the flame is easy when you own a Blackstone Griddle. All it takes is to hook up the propane and let the burners fire up. Then, you’ve got the dials - they make you the master. Turn a dial and you’re in total control of that area of the griddle. Want high heat? Turn the dial up. Want medium heat? Keep it on an indicator right at the middle. Want low heat? Turn the dial way down. It’s that easy! But the most incredible feature of the griddle is that the heat zones are independent. The 36” Griddle and 28” Griddle use vertical burners for each zone of the flat top. That means if you get yourself the 36” model with four burners, you get four zones to heat up as you want! Cook up on high, scorching heat on the right, while slow cooking with low heat on the left. Imagine that - seafood, veggies, and tenderloin - all at the same time! Stop picking between slow cookin’ or quick roastin’ - get both on the griddle.
How does heat affect food?
It may be obvious, but temperature cooks meals. What isn’t obvious though is that cooking can be done in a lot of ways, and that one of the biggest mistakes that lead people into ruining their meals is using one same temperature to cook steaks and vegetables. But first, let’s do the rundown on the basics - when it comes to temperature, it’s high, medium or low, right? So:- High heat: cooks meals fast and in little time. It’s what you get on the frying pan, in a steaming pot, and even on a scorching griddle.
- Medium heat: stable heat just on point. Takes the average time you’d expect for pancakes, eggs, toast, and more. It’s what you get on most cooking devices, like an oven or skillet.
- Low heat: cooks slowly and requires more time. Its what you get on a charcoal grill, pit BBQ or on a low-heat griddle.
What about the ingredients? When should I cook with high or low heat?
Meat, pork, and poultry
When it comes to red meat, pork, and poultry what matters is the fat. If it’s a fatty and thick cut, stick to low and slow. It breaks down connective tissue and fat for a tender, moist meal. What’s thick and fatty? Why that would be delicious cuts like pork shoulder, brisket, chicken thighs, and short ribs. For these, oil up the griddle and cook low n’ slow. And then for high heat, it’s best to cook up lean cuts of meat. Think chicken breast, tenderloin, skirt steak, and flank. Slow cooking would dry up these cuts and make them horrible to eat since they are lower on fat. And if you want to cook up delicious meat on the griddle, we have the essential meat cuts for you to try out. Trust us - these are the cuts you need to taste the best a Blackstone can offer! Here are a couple of recipes to cook up on the griddle:
Seafood
Seafood is meat - we know - but it’s cooking is totally different. Critters from the sea have fewer fibers and connective tissue than meat from the land. That means they are more susceptible to heat, and can get overcooked if you cook them up like a burger! So, seafood is best on medium-high heat to sear the meat and get a delicious crust without overcooking or drying the meat out. And hey, if you’ve got a griddle you already have the best outdoor machine for seafood cookin’. Get all the details in our Charcoal BBQ vs Blackstone Griddle article! Our tip when cooking seafood on the griddle: Oil up the flat top and keep an eye on the heat - delicate seafood, like octopus and squid usually have better results on low heat. Medium heat should be used when grilling fish, whole or in pieces. Pay attention to the ingredients, and if they start constricting, it’s time to serve it up! Want to slow cook some fresh seafood on the griddle? Turn on the flat top and try one of these delicious recipes:
Vegetables
And what about the veggies? If you want better flavor and more nutrition, steaming is the way to go. Steaming keeps the veggies moist and more nutritious - too much heat can seep out the nutrients from your greens. And if you don’t want to go down the steamin’ route, oil up the griddle and keep the heat medium. This maintains the moisture and avoids the veggies get burned.
Why not cook up some mushrooms on the griddle? They are rich in potassium, vitamin D, and B. Great for the immune system and weight loss. Griddle up some button, portobello, and shiitake mushrooms for a great meal. And why not add some celery and paprika?Read up our griddle veggie guide for tips on how to bring out the most flavor from your greens on the flat top. We guarantee they are delicious, healthy, and nutritious - with enough protein for the crowd! And we have a vegetarian recipe section. Cook up these veggie dishes on the griddle for a delicious meal:
Breakfast
Looking for a breakfast of champions? Well, you need some eggs and pancakes. And how about some griddled french toast to boot? That sounds delicious, and it gets even better if you cook on medium heat. Any batter you put on the griddle with the breakfast kit dispenser should sizzle quickly. The sides should start to cook and the middle bubble up. That’s the way to go for delicious pancakes, cupcakes, and muffins! If you keep the heat too high, you risk making that pancake blackened and charred. Keep it too light, and the pancakes lose bulk. That’s totally not a breakfast worth starting your day. So, keep the dial on a medium setting and cook up with patience - it’s worth it. And we’ve got a whole section of Breakfast Recipes for you to cook up. Try out these recipes to start off the day on the right foot:
Ok, I get it how each food works with heat. But how can I cook up on all these different temperatures?
You can get all levels of heat on a Blackstone Griddle. If you need scorching heat that cooks up in a flash - it’s on a Blackstone. Need steady heat that’s mild yet mighty to sear your meals - it’s on a Blackstone. Finally, need it low and slow to make the marbling fat melt on that steak - it’s on a Blackstone. We think you get the point. Now we tell you why:
- It’s powered by propane. The easiest and most stable heat source. Light up once, and the temperature stays how you want it
- It’s got independent burners set apart precisely to form unique heat zones. Burner number 1 on high heat won’t affect the low heat on burner number 2
- The largest model has 4 burners! That means you can have four different temperatures at the same time! Toast buns, sear burgers, caramel onions, and steam up corn on the cob - all at the same time with perfect results!
- And the smaller models with 2 burners can cook simultaneously at low and high heat
Alright, how can I control the temperature on my Blackstone Griddle?
Being master of the flame is easy when you own a Blackstone Griddle. All it takes is to hook up the propane and let the burners fire up. Then, you’ve got the dials - they make you the master. Turn a dial and you’re in total control of that area of the griddle. Want high heat? Turn the dial up. Want medium heat? Keep it on an indicator right at the middle. Want low heat? Turn the dial way down. It’s that easy! But the most incredible feature of the griddle is that the heat zones are independent. The 36” Griddle and 28” Griddle use vertical burners for each zone of the flat top. That means if you get yourself the 36” model with four burners, you get four zones to heat up as you want! Cook up on high, scorching heat on the right, while slow cooking with low heat on the left. Imagine that - seafood, veggies, and tenderloin - all at the same time! Stop picking between slow cookin’ or quick roastin’ - get both on the griddle.
Ok, tell me how to control the heat - step by step
Sure thing! First, some safety procedures:- Make sure the propane tank is safe: put soapy water on the valve and then open it slowly. If bubbles form, close it. Add more soapy water, and if bubbles still pop up, that means you’ve got a leak. Replace the propane tank immediately
- Check if your electric igniter has a battery in good condition. Sometimes if you haven’t used your griddle in ages, there might be a leak. If this happens, put on a pair of rubber gloves, remove the battery, and then wipe clean the igniter compartment. Use white vinegar with a cotton swab
- Once you have a battery in the igniter compartment, make sure you placed it correctly! Don’t mix up positive and negative - the positive side should be facing out
- Make sure all the dials are OFF
- Turn the hand wheel on the propane tank - release the gas!
- Now it’s time to ignite! Push the igniter button and turn the burner dial to MAX - at the same time!
- Keep pushing the igniter button until the propane lights up. You’ll hear the sound
- If this isn’t working turn the dial back OFF, release the igniter button, and wait 5 minutes. Then, try again
- Once you’ve got one burner ignited, turn on the other burners in sequence. Start from the left to the right, one by one. There’s no need to use the igniter button again.
Heat levels on the burner control
Now you can control the temperature. Simply adjust the burner control to the heat level you need. Here’s how:- Level 1-2: These are the lowest heat settings. This is good for slow cooking larger cuts of meat or veggies that need more than 10 minutes to cook, like potatoes.
- Level 3-4: This is your "General" heat temp setting. Most of your veggies and steaming will be done in this range. This is also a good "Breakfast Zone" for everything from bacon and eggs to pancakes and hash browns.
- Level 5-6: This is your "Searing Zone" you want to sear your burgers, steaks and fish filets on this setting. If you are cooking larger cuts, sear them on the 5-6 zone and then slide them over to a 3-4 zone to finish cooking. The high heat setting is for quick cooking. Caramelize veggies and meat and get the crisp texture that only high heat cooking can deliver.