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Every week it seems like there’s a new food trend emerging on TikTok: Dalgona coffee! Feta pasta! Pancake cereal! The latest is the Blackstone griddle. With more than 217 million combined views, #Blackstone and #BlackstoneGriddle show backyard cooks preparing entire meals—all at once—on their steel cooktops. Think eggs, bacon, biscuits, and pancakes for Sunday breakfast.
Why the hype? With four independently controlled zones, the large griddle surface allows you to whip up basically anything—grilling staples (burgers, steak, shrimp) and more complicated meals like stir-fries and cheesesteaks— without using a single pot or pan. TikToker Jackie Hartlaub (@lowcarbstateofmind)—whose video of griddling loaded sausages on her Blackstone went viral—says she “can cook really big batches of food quickly, and only have to clean up spatulas and the griddle.”
The best part: Griddling attracts cooks of all kinds. “It’s not just Dad hogging the grill because big flames are flaring up,” says Roger Dahle, Blackstone Products CEO, who notes that 26 percent of their customers in 2020 identified as female. Those barbecue infernos “are not really fun to stand around. But you can surround a griddle and watch whoever may be cooking. There’s something about it.”
Molly Maung (@littlecajunhouse) finds that something to be pretty magical. She bought a Blackstone after seeing them all over her feed, and has already gained a legit following after just a month of posting griddle cooking videos. “I hear things like ‘What time is dinner?’ ‘I’m on my way!’ ‘I bought my Blackstone because of you,’ ” says Maung, who hasn’t cooked inside her actual kitchen since she got the appliance.
Superfans have created private Facebook groups with tens of thousands of members, like Blackstone Griddle Owners and Blackstone RV/Camping Food, to share tips and recipes and build community. But no matter the platform, Blackstone diehards like Maung agree:
“As long you keep it well-oiled and covered, you’ve got yourself a new best friend!”
Our Review
Turns out the TikTok hype is very real and a Blackstone griddle should be at the top of your summer must-have list. The flat top allows for easy cooking and easy clean-up and can be used to make so many different types of food without looking clunky on your patio. At my house, big breakfasts of fried eggs and bacon and sautéed corn are some of our favorites and when the weather warmed up we started to make Stir Fry-days a tradition.
Thanks to the independently controlled zones, food that is finished cooking can stay warm on one side of the griddle while other items finish up so your entire plate is always served hot. Unlike other grills the Blackstone Griddle allows for everyone to gather outside while one person mans the griddle making it a shared experience that is truly one of a kind.
Plus, when you inevitably become obsessed with the Blackstone, there are so many additional items you can buy for your cooking station like cast iron seasoning, basting covers, and oil bottles made especially for griddle users.
Obsessed with cooking gadgets that will change your life? We are too. Let’s take our relationship to the next level.
