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What Can I Do About a Pitted Iron Griddle in My Burger Van?

by dirk
(portsmouth)

Forest green box-body burger van serving burgers from its griddle to a queue on Portsmouth seafront

Forest green box-body burger van serving burgers from its griddle to a queue on Portsmouth seafront

i inherited a three burner flattop iron grill when i bought a burgervan.the iron grill is unsightly, with a pitted surface, what can i do?

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Nov 13, 2026
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by: MobCater

Dirk, a pitted plate on an inherited griddle is very common, and most of the time it can be brought back. The first job is to work out whether you're looking at surface rust and old burnt on carbon, or real pits eaten into the iron.

Start with a proper strip back. Warm the plate gently, scrape off everything loose with a griddle scraper, then work it over with a griddle stone or pumice block and a little cooking oil, wiping the black slurry away with blue roll as you go. It's hard graft and it can take an hour or more on a neglected plate, but you'll be surprised how much of that unsightly surface turns out to be years of carbon and not damage. Never throw cold water or ice on a hot iron plate to shift it, because cast iron can crack.

Once you're back to bare grey metal, season it. Wipe on a very thin coat of cooking oil, heat the plate until it smokes, let it cool, and repeat three or four times. That builds a dark, slick layer that keeps rust away and helps stop food sticking. A light wipe of oil at the end of every trading day keeps it that way.

If the pits are still there after that, judge them honestly. Shallow pitting that seasons over and wipes clean is cosmetic. Deep pits are a different matter, because they hold old fat and food debris, and an EHO expects food contact surfaces to be smooth, in good repair and easy to clean. In that case you've got two sensible routes. A local engineering firm can often surface grind a thick plate flat again, usually for far less than the price of a new griddle. Or, if you can find the maker's plate on the appliance, you may be able to order a replacement cooking plate. If the plate is thin, cracked or warped, I'd put the money towards a new griddle instead, and you can compare commercial LPG griddles at mobcater.com.

One caution. If getting the plate off means disturbing a burner or any gas connection, don't do it yourself. That's a job for a Gas Safe registered engineer. As the griddle came with the van and you don't know its history, I'd have the engineer look over the whole appliance anyway, including the flame failure devices on all three burners, and make sure you have a current gas safety certificate before you trade.

All the best

David

Disclaimer: Gas installation and maintenance must be carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Never attempt gas work yourself. Check gassaferegister.co.uk for qualified engineers in your area.

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