Best Oil for Seasoning Griddle: The 8 Top Picks and Buying Guide

Whether you have a chrome steel, cast iron, aluminum, non-stick, or carbon steel griddle, you should re-season it at least once a week, depending on how often you use it. Griddles, regardless of whether they're cast iron or non-stick, may become rusty and sticky when not appropriately seasoned.

So the question is, what is the best oil for seasoning a griddle? The answer to this question is simple. Any cooking oil with a high smoking point of at least 400 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal for seasoning a griddle.

The best oil for seasoning a griddle should have a high smoking point to avoid getting burned during the seasoning process. You can choose from the following options:

• Grapeseed oil - A smoking point at 420 degrees Fahrenheit
• Sunflower oil - A smoking point at 440 degrees Fahrenheit
• Avocado oil - A smoking point at 520 degrees Fahrenheit
• Canola oil - A smoking point at 400 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on the brand
• Peanut oil - A smoking point at 450 degrees Fahrenheit
• Olive oil - A smoking point at 375 to 405 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on the brand

Learn everything you need to know about seasoning griddles, plus our top eight picks on the best products. Furthermore, we'll share with you some techniques on how to properly season your griddle at home.

Table of Contents

• Best Overall: Chosen Foods Avocado Oil 67 oz 
• Highest Smoking Point: La Tourangelle Avocado Oil 16.9 fl oz
• Best for All-Purpose Cooking: BetterBody Foods Avocado Oil 33.8 Fluid Ounces
• Best Pure Blend Grape Seed Oil: Grapeola Grape Seed Oil 33 oz
• Best Absorbency: Spectrum Naturals Organic Sunflower Oil 32 oz
• Best Refined Organic Oil: Spectrum Naturals Canola Oil 32 oz
• Best for Any High Heat Cooking: Spectrum Naturals Hi Heat Organic Peanut Oil 16 fl oz
• Most Affordable: Filippo Berio Olive Oil 101.4 Oz
• What to Look For in a Seasoning Oil for Griddles
• Why Is a High Smoking Point Important for Seasoning Oil?
• Why You Should Season Your Griddle
• How to Season a Griddle
• Bottom Line

Best Overall: Chosen Foods Avocado Oil 67 oz 

The Chosen Foods Avocado Oil is indeed the perfect oil for seasoning griddles. The formulation comprises naturally refined avocados contributing to the product's high smoking point. Among all seasoning oils, avocado oil has the highest smoking point.

However, it's relatively expensive, and that's why it's not so common for most home cooks. Aside from its high cooking point, it also has an all-purpose trait. Aside from seasoning griddles, it's the perfect oil for sauteing, grilling, baking, or roasting. Thanks to its mild flavor, you won't have to worry about the oil taking over your food's flavor.

For all health freaks out there, this wholesome avocado oil is for you. This all-natural avocado oil is Kosher-certified, Non-GMO, and best for paleo and keto eating. Make every meal a superfood with this wholesome and nutrition-packed cooking oil.

Per serving of the Chosen Foods Avocado Oil contains antioxidants, high levels of fiber, and brain-boosting monounsaturated fats. That's why we recommend this as the best overall seasoning oil for griddles, because we know it will never fail you. 

Highest Smoking Point: La Tourangelle Avocado Oil 16.9 fl oz

You can rarely find this great combination - a high smoking point at 520 degrees Fahrenheit, used for your hair and skin, versatile cooking, and cosmetic uses. We present to you La Tourangelle Avocado Oil as another contender for the best vegetable oil for seasoning a griddle.

La Tourangelle Avocado Oil is 100% all-natural, made from pure and handcrafted avocados grown in California. Its color is emerald green, making it a perfect salad dressing and addition to grilled fish or fresh-cut fruit. 

It also has a light, buttery avocado flavor — that's why it's a perfect substitute for butter. This premium artisan oil is a definite mainstay in your kitchen, whether for griddle cooking or seasoning. Furthermore, it's the perfect touch for all your gourmet meals. Any home cook can turn into a professional chef with La Tourangelle Avocado Oil.

Yes, this product comes with a price, but all avocado oils do. It takes 15-20 avocados to make one bottle of La Tourangelle Avocado Oil. In addition, the avocado pulp is expeller-pressed — that's why this product is a bit expensive.

However, if you use it to season your griddles, or any cookware for that matter, it's a great investment. Imagine using cheap and incorrect oil when seasoning your griddle, which may lead to rusting and destroying the non-stick surface of your griddle.

As a result, your cookware will be useless, and you will have to buy a new one. At the end of the day, you'll be wasting money when you can avoid that if you season your griddle with the La Tourangelle Avocado Oil.

Best for All-Purpose Cooking: BetterBody Foods Avocado Oil 33.8 Fluid Ounces

Another excellent avocado oil to season your griddle is the BetterBody Foods Avocado Oil. You can heat this oil up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Furthermore, because it has a high cooking point, it has an all-purpose trait. 

You can use the BetterBody Foods Avocado Oil for frying, baking, roasting, sauteing, grilling, salad dressing, or even marinating. Isn't it a great deal to have a kitchen staple where you can use oil to season your griddle, plus for multipurpose cooking? In addition, it won't alter your food's taste because it has a neutral flavor. 

On top of that, it's an excellent choice for a healthy cooking oil. It contains vitamins, minerals, and nourishing properties avocados contain. It's the perfect choice for people who are on keto or paleo diets. Also, it's affordable compared to its other counterparts, so you're in for a great deal. 

Best Pure Blend Grape Seed Oil: Grapeola Grape Seed Oil 33 oz

Finding the perfect balance of a high heat grape seed oil with a neutral taste and versatile use is hard. But not anymore, with the Grapeola Grape Seed Oil. Grape seed oil is an excellent option to season griddles, thanks to its high smoking point. 

What's great about using grape seed oil in seasoning your griddle is that the seasoning will get thicker and better every time. Each time grape seed oil is being applied to and heated on the griddle, it will make the surface smooth, slick, and non-stick.

Aside from grape seed oil being a desirable option for seasoning a griddle, you can also use it as a salad dressing and for preparing baked goods. However, due to the high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids in grape seed oil, it's unsuitable for other forms of high-heat cooking, like frying. 

Take it easy on the grape seed oil, though, as it contains high amounts of omega 6 fatty acids, which can raise blood pressure. Overall, Grapeola Grape Seed Oil is an excellent and inexpensive option compared to regular grape seed oil available in many supermarkets. You'll love it!

Best Absorbency: Spectrum Naturals Organic Sunflower Oil 32 oz

If you want a cooking oil that absorbs well onto your griddle and your food, you should give Spectrum Naturals Organic Sunflower Oil a try. This seasoning oil contains 100% mechanically expeller pressed sunflower oil, is organic, and has a high oleic acid content, contributing to its high absorbency property.

The Spectrum Naturals Organic Sunflower Oil is perfect for high-temperature cooking and baking as it has a high smoking point at 440 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, it leaves that mild and flavorful sunflower taste to your griddle and adds an interesting taste to any meat or vegetable cooked on the griddle.

A downside to this product is that it's a bit pricey compared to other sunflower oils. However, a product that comes with a price always promises excellent quality. With its versatile uses for frying, baking, marinating, sautéing, and use as a salad dressing, you're getting the best for your money. 

In addition, it's 100% USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) organic, non-GMO verified, and certified Kosher product. Overall, aside from its best absorbent properties, this sunflower oil offers a lot of health benefits.

Best Refined Organic Oil: Spectrum Naturals Canola Oil 32 oz

Whether it be cast iron cookware, stainless steel pans, or carbon steel griddles, canola oil is one of the best choices when seasoning griddles. Although canola oil is generally recommended for medium-heat cooking, the Spectrum Naturals Canola Oil has a high smoking point at 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

What makes Spectrum Naturals Canola Oil an excellent choice for seasoning griddles? This product is refined oil, leaving a longer-lasting seasoning to the griddle. This means, if you use canola oil to season your griddle, the non-stick surface will last longer.

Spectrum Naturals Canola Oil underwent a refining process — as a result, its nutrients and flavor were reduced. For health freaks, this may not be the best option for you. However, being resistant to smoking and having a neutral taste makes it desirable for seasoning griddles.

In addition, Spectrum Naturals Canola Oil is USDA Organic Certified, Certified Kosher, and Non-GMO Project Verified. Furthermore, even though this product has fewer nutrients compared to other seasoning oils on this list, it's still rich in omega 3 fatty acids.

Lastly, you're going to love this product, thanks to its versatile uses. From sizzling, frying, sauteing, grilling, and baking to being used as a marinade and salad dressing, it's the perfect companion to creating mouthwatering masterpieces in your kitchen.

Best for Any High Heat Cooking: Spectrum Naturals Hi Heat Organic Peanut Oil 16 fl oz

Try peanut oil to season your griddle. For this, we recommend the Spectrum Naturals Hi Heat Organic Peanut Oil. This 100% expeller-pressed peanut oil has a high smoking point of 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

So, whether you're seasoning your griddle at medium to high heat, you won't have to worry about any smoke coming off. So far, this is the best peanut oil on the market now, and everybody's clamoring about how good it is.

Other than griddle seasoning, you can use the Spectrum Naturals Hi Heat Organic Peanut Oil for different cooking processes like stir-frying, baking, sautéing, and many more. In fact, this cooking oil is one of the best choices for high-heat sautéing.

Although other peanut oils leave a slightly nutty flavor, this one doesn't and that's a rare find. The extra nutty flavor from peanut oil may alter the taste of your food, but this product doesn't. Whether you're cooking meats or vegetables, there will be no nutty flavor taking center stage in your dish.

A downside to this product is its high content of omega 6 fatty acids. As we know, excess amounts of omega 6 raise your blood pressure and are not good for your heart health. But if you only use Spectrum Naturals Hi Heat Organic Peanut Oil for seasoning a griddle, then you don't have to worry about that. 

Most Affordable: Filippo Berio Olive Oil 101.4 Oz

Not all olive oils have a high smoking point, but the Filippo Berio Olive Oil is an exemption. Filippo Berio Olive Oil comprises refined olive oil and extra virgin olive oil. The product is packed in Italy with selected premium oils from Spain, Italy, Greece, and Tunisia.

But what makes this olive oil ideal for seasoning griddles? Mostly because of its health benefits. Generally, olive oil is rich in oleic acid, contributing to its stability. Furthermore, it's rich in polyphenols and antioxidants, making it a healthy cooking and seasoning oil. It's naturally healthy and packed with powerful nutrients and antioxidants.

If you come to think of it, not everyone uses olive oil to season their griddles or pans due to the issues of smoking points. But many home cooks use it because it's widely available. If you have the chance to use other seasoning oils with higher smoking points, then do. But if olive oil is the only product readily available, then you can use Filippo Berio Olive Oil.

However, the downside of using olive oil is that it's not as versatile as other cooking oils. But not Filippo Berio Olive Oil. You can't use other olive oils to saute or grill, but you can use this oil for sauteing and grilling.

In addition, you can use Filippo Berio Olive Oil to roast, saute, salad dressing, pasta condiment, or drizzle on fish or vegetables. Overall, this is an excellent oil to season your griddles. Most importantly, it's affordable and widely available.

What to Look For in a Seasoning Oil for Griddles

A high smoking point is a key factor you need to look for in a seasoning oil for griddles. The additional characteristics of a seasoning oil that add to its selling point are its nutritional content, price, versatile uses, and neutral taste. These factors may or may not affect the quality of seasoning your griddle. Read further to know why. 

Smoking Point

There's not much to fuss about when it comes to a seasoning oil for griddles. Regardless of the construction of the griddle, there's only one key property you should look for - a high smoking point of at least 400 degrees Fahrenheit. To recap, here are the seasoning oils you can use with their corresponding smoking points. As you may notice, these are mostly refined vegetable oils.

Seasoning Oil	Smoking Point
Grapeseed oil	Not lower than 420 degrees Fahrenheit
Sunflower oil	Not lower than 440 degrees Fahrenheit
Avocado oil	Not lower than 520 degrees Fahrenheit
Canola oil	400 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit
Peanut oil	Not lower than 450 degrees Fahrenheit
Olive oil	375 to 405 degrees Fahrenheit
Soybean oil	453-493°F

Nutritional Contents

If you season your griddle with oil with a high nutritional content, the vitamins and nutrients get absorbed into your griddles, and this can be absorbed into your meals as well. The most common vitamins, minerals, and nutrients found in seasoning oil are Vitamin E, omega-3, polyunsaturated fat, monounsaturated fat, and many more.

If you're health-conscious, take it easy on using cooking oils containing high amounts of omega 6, cholesterol, and sodium. However, if you're using a not-so-healthy oil only for seasoning your griddles, you won't have to worry about its bad nutritional content.

Price

Since you need to season your griddle or other cookware regularly, of course, the price matters. Aside from seasoning, you'll most likely use the oil for other cooking purposes as well. If you're on a budget, you can buy Filippo Berio Olive Oil or Chosen Foods Avocado Oil.

Versatile Uses

Of course, you want to get the best out of your money. So, it would help if you considered the versatile uses of cooking oil. Since most seasoning oils have a high smoking point, you can use them for different cooking methods.

If you can use the oil for other cooking methods like baking, grilling, sauteing, roasting, marinating, or as a salad dressing, then you're getting a great deal. Just a piece of advice — always check the product's packaging regarding the cooking methods you can use it for.

Neutral Taste

When buying a seasoning oil, always check for its flavor or taste. What is much preferred? An oil with a neutral taste is your best option when seasoning griddles. Because as you're seasoning griddles, the surface absorbs the flavor as well, thus affecting your food's taste.

Why Is a High Smoking Point Important for Seasoning Oil?

As mentioned, the high smoking point of the seasoning oil is always important. But why? When oil begins to smoke in the griddle, it starts to break down. Thus, it will alter the oil's flavor as it releases a substance called acrolein and free radicals.

The acrolein will make the seasoning oil taste bitter and burnt, which can affect the flavor of any dish cooked on the griddle. The whole process of seasoning a griddle will be pointless if you don't use a seasoning oil with a high smoking point.

Generally, refined oil has a higher smoking point. This is because, during the refining process, all impurities and free fatty acids get removed. The impurities and free fatty acids cause oil to smoke, which is not good for seasoning griddles.

Additionally, refined oils have a neutral taste, have no odor, and a clear appearance. That makes them better options compared to unrefined oils that still have impurities contributing to their low smoke point. Thus, oils like flax oil, coconut oil, walnut oil, and wheat germ oil are not desirable for seasoning griddles.

Why You Should Season Your Griddle

There are two main reasons why you should season your griddle regularly:

1. To maintain or create a non-stick coating of the griddle.
2. To avoid rusting.

Over time, if you don't season your griddle regularly, it will develop a black surface and lose its non-stick coating surface. This will affect the outcome of your dish, which is never a good idea. It's always important to regularly maintain and season your griddle.

How to Season a Griddle

How often you season your griddle depends on how often you use it. If the food you're cooking on the griddle starts to stick, then that's a definite sign that you need to re-season it. This does not only apply to griddles, but to all the other cookware you have as well. In general, you should re-season your griddle at least once a week.

Here are some tips you need to remember when seasoning your griddle:

• What you need are: seasoning oil which you can choose from the options above, clean cloth that's been moistened with a little water, paper towels, and a pair of grilling tongs.
• First, wipe down the cooking surface of the griddle with a damp towel with water.
• Set your burner to a high heat setting.
• Let the griddle heat up for 10 to 15 minutes. If the griddle top begins to darken, don't worry because it's normal.
• Once the griddle is hot, apply seasoning oil to the surface.
• Use a pair of tongs with a wad of paper towel to spread the oil evenly on the surface, up to its edges.
• Once the seasoning oil is evenly distributed, let it cook.
• If the oil appears burnt, repeat the process two to three times. 
• If your griddle is new, turn the burner to the lowest setting and let it burn for 1 hour.

Bottom Line

There you have it! That's all you need to know about the best oil for seasoning griddles and how to season your griddle properly. There's just one bottom line you need to remember - always check the oil's smoking point. The high heat smoking point should be at least 400 degrees Fahrenheit; then, you're good to go.

All the products listed above are the best oils for seasoning your griddle. Just remember, if you follow what's right and maintain your griddles as they should be, you'll always have a Tastylicious cooking experience at home.