It’s time to make the switch – jump on the griddle bandwagon!
If you’re an outdoor cooking enthusiast, you’ve surely come across the hottest trend – griddles. Griddle cooking is nothing new, restaurants have been using flat top griddles forever – but brands like Weber and Blackstone have brought the art of griddling right into the consumers backyard. The list of options and inventory grows, with new brands throwing their hat in the ring every day – so what’s the big deal?
Griddle Basics
The griddle is like a hotplate – a flat, smooth metal surface with the heat source directly underneath. The food cooks directly on it. It’s basically like a big cast iron or aluminum skillet. Griddles transfer heat from the entire metal surface to the food, cooking and browning evenly. The heat source or flames never touch the food.
They can be large for restaurant use or small enough to fit into the center of a range top, between the burners. There are even tabletop models for making breakfast at the table anywhere there is an electrical outlet.
They can also be a simple flat piece of iron or steel that fits over a campfire or gas burner. The important characteristic of a griddle is that it remains level. Otherwise, liquids will run off to one side. The thicker the metal, the better the heat retention and cooking quality. Also, thinner metals may warp creating an uneven cooking surface.
What kind of food can I cook on it?
The list is long – so buckle up. You’ll mostly see griddles used for cooking breakfast items such as pancakes, French toast, hash browns, and eggs. They also work great for cooking hot sandwiches and burgers too, because you can toast the buns at the same time. Some form of a griddle is used in cooking all over the world. For example:
- Japan – teppanyaki dishes like fried rice, steak, chicken, shrimp
- France – crepes and galettes
- India – chapatti (whole grain flat bread)
- Spain – they cook almost everything à la plancha (grilled on a metal plate)
- Malaysia – stuffed roti breads like roti canai and roti “boom”
Simply put, you can griddle most things. The griddle surface also allows for pots and pans to be placed directly on it. Although, larger cuts of meat are best saved for the grill.
How do I clean it?
Once a griddle is seasoned, cleaning it is easy. Turn the griddle burners off after cooking and scrape the surface with a metal spatula or scraper. Wipe it down with a paper towel. Coat with a layer of oil in between uses like canola oil or the Blackstone Seasoning & Cast Iron Conditioner. For the outside of the griddle, use a degreaser like Dawn Powerwash spray or Blackstone Degreaser spray. I also really like the Crocodile Cloths for the garage – they work well on all surfaces (except the griddle cooking surface.)
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