All the griddles / flat-tops I see at Waffle House, etc are well seasoned and dark, though they clean them several times a day with a pumice stone and water.
The only restaurant flat top I was ever around was the same as you describe but it wasn't stainless steel. I think it was just mild steel that is typically kinda dark, looking like seasoned. They cleaned it at the end of the day with pumice. I don't think they ran pumice over it during the day.
Right after I take the food off the Susy-Cue, and before I turn the heat off, I pour some water on it and use a broad metal spatula to scrape off the excess food and such. There is a trough at the front and I just scrape everything in there till after we eat - then come back and finish cleaning.
Yup. Me too. But the tan discoloring doesn't budge.
If you watch those griddle guys, you'll see them add some oil directly to the area where they cook - sometimes a little, sometimes a lot. That's gotta help.
Again, me too. Although I think the tan discolored areas are places where that oil sat and burned (seasoned?).
B T W, not all the food cooked on the griddle needs to be cooked at "full blast". Try reducing the heat to reduce the sticking.
I completely agree. I suspect that I have too much heat. The problem is with my CharBroil Quantum grill. The control knobs are like a light switch, either full on or off. So my heat regulation is coarse. I may try to find replacements that provide the gas control I need.
Remember, it doesn't have to be spotless and shiny to be clean.
I agree here, too. One of my demons (that I can talk about) is that I tend to have high and somewhat capricious appearance standards.
All good suggestions, Jax. Thanks.
I recall that my mother used to clean certain pots with cream of tarter. I'll google and experiment.
