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Have you ever had some perfectly seared scallops? What about seared Ribeye steak? Any good searing to a truly caramelized, deep-brown crust usually requires a high heat of at least 500°F. But is such a temperature achievable with an open grill? If not, how hot does a Blackstone griddle get without the top hood?
Well, first things first, Blackstone is kind of the overall best flat-top grill (or griddle station) in the market. The brand deals with only this type of cooker, which probably is the reason many people have trusted it in their cooking needs.
Secondly, the Blackstone griddle grill is only available with gas as a source of fuel. As with any other gas grill, it’s pretty straightforward to start and operate using the integrated button and control knob/s. You can cook at even and consistent heat without the hassle of adjusting the vents like you use a charcoal grill.
Blackstone Griddle Grill Heat Settings
The control knobs of a Blackstone griddle grill have multiple heat settings to choose from when you cook. Indeed, you can prepare all types of dishes to perfection.
If you want to cook a piece of steak tender and juicy, a low and slow cooking method is usually the best. And in a Blackstone griddle, you can efficiently achieve that by turning the dial at the lowest setting. It will cook on low, which breaks down the connective tissue and melt the marbling fat on the meat without drying up.
When you turn the control knob to the indicator right in the middle, you get medium heat, which is mild yet mighty. It’s the setting used for most dishes, specifically if you want to maintain the moisture in the food and avoid it getting burnt.
The Blackstone griddle does have a medium-high indicator if you wanted a mild but hotter temperature for light searing. But to perfectly sear your steak, burgers, or any other food and get that crisp texture, turn the dial to MAX.
The high heat setting is also great for quick cooking, but this part works best on lean food. If preparing large, thick cuts of meat, you can only cook them properly by searing them on high heat for some minutes. Then finish off at the medium heat level.
Note: In a 3-burner or 4-burner Blackstone, you can effectively do different dishes at the same time. The design of the two systems features straight-line burners that you can operate individually with the control knobs.
Of course, a two-burner Blackstone 22 or 28 series also has separate knobs for each of the burners. But the burners here assume an “H” design that’s best for even heating and a little less for individual heat zone.
Factors that May Affect How Hot a Blackstone Griddle
As mentioned earlier, the Blackstone griddle is just like any other gas grill. The way you light it is just like that Char-Broil or Broil King with cooking grates instead of a flat top plate.
But this also means the drawbacks are pretty much the same.
For instance, you may be unable to get your Blackstone griddle hot to the desired temperature if:
- The gas jets/ ports on the burners have been blocked, either by food debris or rust
- The venturi tubes have been blocked, perhaps by critters like spiders or rust build-up
- Control valves for the grill no longer open up properly. You can also have difficulty tuning up the valve if you have stripped-out knobs
- The gas regulator system has frozen up, leaks or the control valve isn’t turned fully
- The gas supply hose has an object or debris blocking its way. It could also be an issue if the line has a leakage
When looking at Blackstone 17 vs 22 differences the other day, we mentioned the company has a natural gas-propane conversion kit. If this system is faulty, you can also have trouble getting your griddle hot to the desired temperature.
Furthermore, the last minutes of your cooking may not have a flame hot enough when the gas tank is almost empty.
How Hot Does A Blackstone Griddle Get?
In truth, the Blackstone gets extremely hot. It’s very possible to reach up to 700+°F, but will vary on various factors and situations, as shown below:
- How Hot Blackstone Griddle Gets based on Heat Setting
When you start a gas grill (or a Blackstone griddle in this case), it will heat the cooking surface per the knob setting. If set on the highest, you can expect also expect a high temperature- up to 720+°F to be exact with 3-burner cookers.
At the medium setting, the Blackstone griddle usually achieves 350 – 400°F. And as was mentioned earlier, this is a mild yet mighty flame that you can even do light searing.
If you tune the control dial to the lowest indicator, the cooking surface of your griddle grill will now record 300 – 325°F. But you might get a slightly higher temperature when working with the Blackstone 28 Pro and other 3-burner models.
- How Hot Blackstone Griddle Gets based on Heating Time
After you light your grill, it won’t reach the intended temperature instantly. The cooking plate will heat sort of gradually, whereby it will get to a temperature of around 500°F in 15 – 30 minutes.
After 40 – 60 minutes, your griddle can get as hot as 650°F when working with the 2-burner Blackstone grills. It’s the highest here, which you can prove when cooking on the original 28 or 22 models.
If you have the 3-burner Blackstone 36 or 28 Pro, the cooking surface could get as hot as 710+°F in one hour. In some cases, it can take up to two hours. But then, that depends on the other factors.
- How Hot Blackstone Griddle Gets based on the Heat Zones
All gas griddle grills, not just Blackstone, usually heat areas of the cooking plate differently. The areas where more heat concentrates (the hottest) are often referred to as heat zones.
Meanwhile, these areas are mostly the cooking surface directly above the burners. They’re usually the best to place your food when searing meat or sautéing vegetables.
As you move farther from the burner, the cooking surface gets cooler and cooler. On the edge and the corners, you can expect a temperature fluctuation of 60 – 100 degrees Fahrenheit. In these areas (often called cold spots), your food can still cook and even caramelize or sear. But it may take a few minutes longer to complete than the food in the hot heat zone.
Note: when cooking at a low and slow technique, you might need to have a lid on your griddle closed. It will help contain the temperature in the cookbox, cooking your food more evenly and consistently.
- How Hot Blackstone Griddle Gets based on External Conditions
Sadly, yes, the weather outside is another factor that will affect how hot a Blackstone griddle gets. Remember, the maker recommends using the appliance outdoors, which may be a concern unless you’re cooking in a pergola.
For instance, your griddle grill will take a little bit longer to achieve the desired cooking temperature during winter. It also might not achieve its highest temperature range during the winter as you would during summer. A perfect example is with a 3-burner Blackstone, where you hit 700°+F temperature when it’s also warm (70-90°+C) outside.
Windy conditions also affect the cooking temperature of your Blackstone griddle and other gas grills. But unlike a charcoal grill, a strong wind here will decrease temperature (instead of getting hotter) and maybe extinguish the flames.
Rain will also decrease the temperature of your grill and to a heavy extent distinguish your flames. But I’m sure no one would be stupid enough to continue using the cooker in rain. It will ruin the food being cooked, anyways.
- How Hot Blackstone Griddle Gets based on Gas Tank Level
Last but not least, the amount of gas in the tank will also impact the hotness of your Blackstone griddle grill. As I’ve mentioned earlier, though, the drop in temperature will be noticeable when the tank is almost about to dry out.
Important Notes:
Sadly, a Blackstone griddle isn’t easy to maintain at a temperature of 200°F. The lowest you may be able to record is 275°F, and the best scenario will be during cold weather.
When cooking during these cold temperatures, do note your equipment will take longer to heat up to the desired level. Thus, you’ll also end up using more gas than you would when you cook during a warm summer.
Another thing, the size of your Blackstone griddle grill does determine how hot (and fast) the cooking surface gets. The 17 and 22 series can reach 550°F in about 10 minutes with the top hood closed or fifteen when opened. And this is slightly faster than with the Blackstone 36-series, which, of course, has a larger cookbox.
On the other hand, the Blackstone 36 has three burners, and when cooking gets slightly hotter than its lower sisters.
The best way to test this theory of burners vs heat output will be when using the original Blackstone 28 (2 burners) and the 28 Pro model (3 burners). When both are on high setting, the original records a maximum of around 650°F, whereas the Pro model can reach 720+°F.
Get an Infrared Thermometer
You can see now how hot your Blackstone griddle gets isn’t the same for everyone. When the temperature dial is on the highest setting, you can achieve as high as 650-750°F. But the exact range will vary on the size of your appliance, plus external and internal factors.
The internal factors here include aspects like the state of the burners, gas regulator, control valve, and supply tubes. Then the external factors we have weather conditions like wind, temperature, and dampness- even though you can’t cook in rain.
Sadly, the Blackstone griddle doesn’t have a built-in thermometer as we have on gas grills like Weber, Char-Broil, or Broil King. So, you might need to have an infrared thermometer gun to track the temperature of the cooking surface.
