Hamburger is a very popular choice for cooking outdoors or for a delicious dinner. You can make simple and plain hamburger more mouthwatering by adding some tasty ingredients. One thing about burgers is that everyone loves them, making them an ideal option for the whole family. How can you cook this tasty meal option easily and
What is a griddle?
What do you think of when someone mentions the name ‘griddle’? To most people, they think of the flat-top used by cooks to prepare pancakes, bacon, and eggs for diners. However, it can even be a practical kitchen tool in your home.
By definition, a griddle refers to a cooking device with a flat surface that’s heated by coal, wood, gas, or electricity. Not to forget that it has both commercial and residential applications. A griddle is usually made of steel, aluminum, or cast iron.
Unlike a frying pan, a griddle has a larger size. Moreover, most griddles are rectangular, which gives them more cooking space as compared to the typical round pans. You can easily identify a griddle by its smooth, flat, horizontal surface.
Should I buy a griddle?
As I said earlier, a griddle is a piece of useful cooking equipment in your kitchen. It’s a smooth cooking surface that is heated from underneath. But, is investing in a griddle really worth it? Considering the benefits that come with this tool, I honestly don’t see why you should not acquire one!
They are very ideal when you’re preparing breakfast or dinner for a crowd, thanks to their large surface area. Also, since they don’t have sides, you can easily flip food, just like a professional chef! Not to mention that the open surface does not trap any moisture, ensuring your food becomes crispy.
A griddle can either be stationary or portable. However, regardless of the griddle you choose, its adaptability and ease of use will encourage you to try out fun recipes!
Different types of griddles
There are several types of griddles out there. Each type of griddle has unique features that make it a great go-to tool for your favorite meal. Most diners use gas griddles, but the three most common home griddles include; electric griddles, stovetop griddles, and Panini grill griddles. However, these are not the only types of griddles available. So, let’s some of the different types of griddle you may come across in the market!
These are the best household griddles since they’re portable. You can place them at any place that’s close to a power outlet and store them away when you’re done. They have an inbuilt heat element that’s powered by electricity. Another thing about electric griddles is that they’ve got a thinner surface than commercial griddles.
Most electric griddles are made of aluminum and stainless steel. This makes their surfaces non-stick. For that, they’re ideal for cooking sticky items like grilled cheese. The non-stick property also allows easy and fast cleanup.
When you’re looking for a griddle online, you’ll most likely come across an electric griddle. This is because they’re currently dominating the consumer market. Therefore, it’s important to note that electric griddles are split up into different types.
So, which type of electric griddles should you choose? I recommend that you go with the one with multiple sets of controls. This gives you to prepare different meats at different temperatures all at once. Moreover, this ensures the entire surface has a consistent temperature. Some even have a removable insert for cooking chicken breasts, burgers, and other types of meals.
Before you buy an electric griddle, make sure your home has access to a source of electricity. Moreover, you cannot rely on this type of griddle to prepare a meal during outdoor adventures.
2. Griddle Pan
A griddle pan features raised ridges at the base of the pan. This provides beautiful char marks and allows it to flash-fry vegetables and steaks in less time. Besides providing greater char marks, the tall peaks and deep troughs allow the fat to distribute into the grooves. This ensures that food is not cooked directly in the griddle pan.
There are 2 main categories of griddle pans: non-stick and cast iron, usually on an aluminum base. Each of these categories has its own benefits and limitations.
Cast iron griddle pans are usually made with a lump of molded iron. Some pans are enameled, meaning that they’re a little bit nonstick and easier to clean. However, some are not enameled and they need constant seasoning. This simply means that you have to oil and dry them after every use.
They also have better heat retention than nonstick pans. But their rate of heating up, which is about 5 minutes, is much longer than nonstick ones. It is always good to wait for the pan to heat since it ensures your food cooks quickly and evenly.
Regarding the ridges, cast iron griddle pans have higher ridges than the nonstick pans. This is because nonstick griddle pans are usually made with a single aluminum sheet. If the ridges are very high, the sheet may deform or tear. Consequently, since cast iron has larger ridges and it’s hotter, they provide better sear marks.
Surprisingly, most cast iron griddles are cheaper than nonstick pans. But if you’re considering portability, you should know that the cast iron pans are heavier. Also, nonstick pans are much easier to clean since you only need to wipe them down.
3. Pancake Griddle
Pancake griddles have a unique design that helps to reduce the cooking time by up to 10 times. They fry pancakes uniformly and warms up in less than a second. Modern models of pancake griddles feature a convenient temperature controller. This helps you to control the temperature with ease while cooking lush pancakes or thin ruddy cakes.
Their surface has a nonstick layer that enables you to cook pancakes without using vegetable oil. Besides, they are easily portable, and you can use them outside your home. However, they require the availability of a power outlet nearby.
There are various pancake griddles, including conventional and professional models. However, they have different prices because of their variations in configurations and sets of functions. The 2 main categories of pancakes griddles include; electric and ceramic pancake griddles.
Electric pancake griddles are further divided into 2 types; submersible and classic. Classic pancake griddles involve pouring the dough onto the surface. While in submersible griddles, you immerse the pancake maker’s working surface in it. To prepare a thin pancake, use a dipping crepe with a minimum diameter of 20cm or classic griddle for 1 pancake.
You can also bake thick pancakes on classic griddles, provided the height of the griddle’s side allows. However, submersible griddles are specifically designed for preparing thin pancakes.
On the other hand, ceramic griddles usually have multiple colors to grab the buyer’s attention. They feature a nonstick scratch-resistant ceramic coating that withstands any temperature. Limitations of ceramic pancakes griddles include; large product weight, fragility, and high cost. However, they are appealing, and they are easy to wash.
4. Stovetop Griddle
A stovetop griddle is a highly versatile kitchen tool for doing some small-scale grilling. It’s usually flat and has a larger space than a typical pre-seasoned skillet. Although its appearance resembles a grill pan, its cooking surface is not always grooved.
This type of griddle can help you save time, especially when you’re making a meal for a group of people. You can use it to cook several types of meals including; eggs, hamburgers, meat as well as pancakes. Even better, its sheer size allows you to cook many pancakes at once. Some stovetop griddles are large enough to cover 2 stove burners.
Stovetop griddles spread heat across the working surface uniformly. They also have a long heat retention time. Not to mention, they are durable, sturdy, and have a nonstick surface that prevents your food from burning out.
It’s also worth noting that some of these reversible. This means that one side is grooved, while the other side is smooth. Regarding the other stovetop griddles, their surface is partly recessed. Thus collecting grease and fats coming out of the food. Another good thing about stovetop griddles is that they’ve comfortable handles and they’re easy to clean.
5. Double Burner Griddle
Double burner griddles have an extra-large size, making them a perfect option for preparing breakfasts in big families. You can use them to cook eggs and bacon at the same time! Unlike single burners, double burner griddles can cook more food, which helps you to save time.
Besides serving a crowd, the surface size of double burner griddles is ideal for buffet-style serving. They have a durable sturdy anodized build that ensures fast, uniform heating.
Most of them have heat resistant handles that protect you from critical burns while cooking. Their corners also have a lip that enables you to remove excess grease. Not to forget the flat cooking surface that makes it easy to cook.
The nonstick property makes it easy to clean up. This also helps you to cook meats and vegetables, ensure low-fat cooking, and drain away excess fats. The splash guards on the griddle prevent grease from seeping into the surrounding or the stove.
Is Griddle better than a grill?
Most people mistake a grill for a griddle and vice versa! Yet they are 2 different cooking surfaces that involve different techniques and ideal for cooking different types of cooking. Therefore, it’s important to choose the best equipment based on what you’re intending to cook.
To understand the difference between them and which one is better, let’s first look at the features of each piece of equipment.
• Grill
A grill is a piece of cooking equipment whose surface features a series of slatted grates. These grates are usually suspended above gas burners or a charcoal fire pit. There are 2 kinds of grills. They include; bars that hold food over open flame directly and solid steel or iron plate with ridges.
The open grill type is the one in most BBQ grills. Contrarily the solid grills feature continuous ridges that heat the food. These ridges allow grease and oil to seep down between them.
Food cooked on grills has delicious, small grill marks caused by bars and ridges. The intense heat blackens or browns the food after contacting the metal. This process which results from heat caramelizing sugars in the food is known as Maillard reaction. Moreover, exposing food to the open flame provides the smoky flavor to food.
Grills produce a lot of smoke and heat. For that, they are mainly used underneath an industrial ventilation system or outdoors.
• Griddle
As I said earlier, a griddle is a flat, smooth cooking surface that is heated by a power source underneath it. Food is cooked directly on top of this surface. So, it’s simply a large rectangular frying pan without sides or handles. You can use it to cook granular foods like rice as well as liquid heavy foods like eggs or pancakes. Just like frying pans, you can use griddles to cook almost everything!
• What’s the difference between grills and griddles?
For one, the griddle has flat, smooth cooking surfaces, while grills have raised ridges for solid type grills. But bar type grills have openings in between that allows one to cook food directly over the fire.
One common thing about both items is that they are either powered by charcoal, electricity, or gas. However, for griddles, food never meets the flames or heat source. Instead, it’s cooked by the heated metal surface.
In terms of temperatures, grills use higher temperatures than griddles. This is because heat is directly transferred from the fire as well as through the grill gate’s metal. For that reason, grilled food has grill marks at the contact point with the grilled metal.
• Which one is better?
It’s not easy to give a specific answer to that question. This is because it will depend on various factors. For instance, what type of food are you intending to cook? Since grills with bars have openings, you cannot use them to cook heavy liquids like eggs or pancakes, right? However, they would work very well for something like steaks and hot dogs.
When it comes to cleaning, griddles are much easier to clean as compared to grills. The surface of a grill has crannies and nooks that hold onto grease. Therefore, you will need soapy water and a stiff brush to clean up grills. On the other hand, since griddles have a flat, smooth surface, you will only need a flat scraper and warm water.
When cooking poultry skin and fatty meats, I recommend you use a grill. This allows fats to drip off the meat while adding a smoky flavor to your food. Moreover, this makes your food a bit healthier since it isn’t sitting on oils and grease like in griddles. Not to forget that unique flavor of blacked grill marks that you will not get with griddles.
Overall, if you’re planning to cook regularly, you will need both a grill and a griddle. But if you’re just starting to collect kitchen appliances and equipment, invest in a double-sided griddle/grill combination! This will give you a cost-effective way of preparing any recipe.
Which is the best griddle to buy?
A griddle is an ideal kitchen companion since it dishes out a delicious meal in no time. Its large, flat cooking surface will save you a lot of time during hectic meal preparation. Moreover, if you don’t want your kitchen counter to get dirty while cooking, this is all you need! Not to forget that the meal will be delectable and evenly cooked!
There are many good griddles out there! Yet wading through the brands and models can be a daunting task. Luckily, I have reviewed most griddles in the market. At the moment, only to come up with 2 of the best griddles that are worth investing in. Feel free to go through these products and see what sets them apart from the other griddles!
1. Presto Slimline Griddle
This electric griddle has just about everything you’d expect to find in a griddle. It’s a budget-friendly and highly versatile griddle. Therefore, you can use it to cook various items including pancakes, French toasts, eggs, steak, ham, sausages, burgers, and more!
The most unique feature with this product is the slim look and compact design. This will inspire you to make great meals for your family. The compact design makes it easy to store this product in any cupboard or extra space.
It features a 13 by 22 inches cooking surface that is large enough for you to cook all the entire meals at once. Moreover, it gives room to make different meals at the same time.
The thick surface plate is made of sturdy cast aluminum. This surface doesn’t warp, crack, or break over time, thus increasing its durability. Once you remove the heat control, you can even submerge the griddle in water.
You also love the nonstick surface and the drip pan that makes it extremely easy to clean this griddle. Not to forget that its grill plates are dishwasher safe. You can easily control the cooking temperature using the master controller. This allows you to handle all meals without them burning out. All you need is to turn on the dial and the temperature will be adjusted automatically!
And did I tell you that this griddle has a slip-out drip tray? It always helps to keep the counter clean. However, you should remember to clean up this tray after every use.
Using this electric griddle to prepare your dinner, lunch or breakfast will make your life much easier. It’s also the ideal tool for a fast and scrumptious warm meal. Once you’re done, give it a quick wash and conveniently store it in your kitchen cabinet!
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Even with such superior functional features, this Presto Slimline Griddle is very affordable. It’s a portable product that you can conveniently carry around for some fun and tasty cooking with family and friends. With a simple supportive electrical system, you can use it for both indoor and outdoor cooking.
Manufacturer's Specification:
Little Griddle is one of the most popular manufacturers of flat top grill attachments. But don’t let their name fool you, as their items aren’t always little! Something you can see in their Sizzle-Q SQ180 griddle. The unit features ample cooking surface as well as generous sidewalls.
This camping griddle is entirely crafted from stainless steel rated to 600°F. You’ll also find this unit easy to clean because of the stainless steel material. This is because stainless steel is resistant to rust, corrosion, smoke, stains, oils, and grease among other things.
It also has an inbuilt grease well that collects any excess oil and grease. Together with the sidewalls, this grease well prevents fires and flares.
Another useful feature in this product is the patented ventilation build. It’s strategically positioned at the rear to promote uniform, adequate airflow. Not to forget the cross-bracing on the bottom to ensure extra strength and uniform heat distribution across the surface. Hence, ensuring that your food is cooked evenly.
Moreover, you can use this griddle for both gas and charcoal grills, considering it measures 3 X 18 X 13”. Thus, it will fit most gas grills and leave some space on the larger models. Also, this gives you enough surface to cook your favorite dishes. You can use it to cook different food items including, pizza, sliders, stir-fry, and Fajitas.
Regarding portability, this unit features superior side handles that for convenient cleaning and movement. The only issue with this griddle is that the grease trap doesn’t have a drain hole. Thus, you have to drain it frequently to prevent buildup.
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Considering the compact nature, this unit is highly portable and versatile. Therefore, you can use it in other places apart from camping, such as barbecue, poolside, and fishing. And you can even use it for indoor applications!
Manufacturer's Specification:
Coghlan is a popular company based in Canada that specializes in manufacturing camping products and accessories. So, you can rely on this Camp griddle for your camping needs since that’s what it’s specifically designed for! Note that this product only comes with a griddle top, meaning you’ll need a heat source.
Measuring 10 by 16.5”, this unit covers more than 2 burners on most home and camp stoves. Thus, you don’t need 2 separate cooking appliances when you’ve got this griddle. This makes it an ideal tool for making dinner or breakfast outdoors. The surface is also enough to prepare a meal for your entire family when you head out for a trip.
The unit is lightweight and simple to use to ensure convenient cooking and great food quality. Its cooking surface is also easy to clean since it’s nonstick. You can easily swipe the mess off with a paper towel while camping. Then when you get back home, feel free to clean it in a dishwasher. It also has an inbuilt hook for storing or hanging the griddle to dry after cleaning it.
If you love camping, this unit is must-have equipment since it’s surprisingly cheap. It gives you the easiest solution to cook over a fire. Moreover, the heavy gauge aluminum construction enhances the griddle’s durability.
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This model is ideal for day trips and camping overnight where you’ve to cook your food. Because of the small size, you’ll find it extremely easy to carry around between campsites.
Talk about a griddle that provides great value for your money! For over 60 years, T-fal has been dedicated to offering affordable, user-friendly, and high-performing cooking tools. Something you can clearly see in this nonstick griddle!
This lightweight griddle cookware from T-Fal is one of the most affordable nonstick products from the manufacturer. While the price seems like the griddle’s main selling point, it does a great cooking job for a long time!
It has a strong aluminum build that ensures a uniform heat base. This prevents hot spots while protecting both the exterior and non-stick interior surface. Moreover, this facilitates easy clean-up, both for the cooking surface and the outside surface. So, you don’t need to be concerned about stains sticking on the exterior surface because of spills.
While we’re still on clean-up, this griddle is dishwasher safe. Not to forget that it’s also oven safe up to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Besides being easy to clean, the nonstick surface heats up quickly to provide consistent cooking results. Furthermore, it does not peel and chip, which guarantees durability.
Another useful feature of this product is the ergonomic handle. This handle makes this product easy to use and remains cool during the cooking process since it’s heat resistant. It’s riveted to the cooking surface to give you a comfortable grip of the griddle.
The surface of this griddle measures 15 by 10.25 inches. This gives you enough space to prepare your favorite meal. Similar to most non-stick cookware, this griddle comes in gray color. Thus enhancing the décor and appearance of your kitchen.
Most of T-fal’s cookware features a unique Thermo-spot technology. The indicator allows you to know when the griddle is perfectly pre-heated so that you can start cooking. However, the interior of this T-Fal nonstick square griddle lacks that Thermo Spot indicator.
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This T-Fal Initiatives product has proved to be more economical than most similar products out there. Moreover, the manufacturer’s heat mastery combines the even heat base and superior nonstick coating. This ensures that you always get perfect cooking results! It’s an ideal griddle for preparing breakfast.
What is good to cook on a griddle?
When most people hear ‘griddle’, they instantly think about breakfast. Indeed, griddles are mainly used to make breakfast items like French toast, scrambled eggs, pancakes, and hash browns. However, these are not the only items that are cooked on a griddle. You can use a griddle to cook other items like hot sandwiches like grilled cheese as well as burgers. This is because it allows you to toast the buns at once.
Furthermore, griddles are used to cook other dishes in various parts of the world. For instance, in India, they are used to cook whole grain flatbread (chapatti), galettes & crepes in France and Teppanyaki in Japan.
How do you smoke on a griddle?
In cooking, smoking refers to the process of preparing meals with smoke. Exposing any meal to smoke for hours gives it a different taste. It’s also worth noting that different materials, including tea, coal, and wood, give the dish a different taste.
Besides smoking food preserves it from antibacterial features of the fumes. For that reason, for a long time, the main aim of smoking food has been to preserve it. After the invention of smokers, people can now smoke different dishes in their backyards.
Now, let’s get back to our main issue: how do you smoke food in a griddle? Is it even possible? We all know that a griddle does not have an open fire. However, this is not to say that cannot create a flame on your griddle’s cooking surface. You can then use that flame and smoke your meal the same way you would on a grill. Amazing, right?
To do this, you will need the following items; torch, wood chips, aluminum foil pan, and a resting rack. You can either cover up the griddle with an aluminum foil deep pan or a basting cover.
Once you’ve done that, griddle up the meal on the flat cooking surface. When the cooking is half done, prepare the smoke hack. Then fill up the aluminum foil pan with wood chips and torch it up to produce smoke.
Place your smoking pan on the griddle beside your ingredients. Use an aluminum foil deep pan or basting cover to cover everything up. Now let your dish cook for the remaining time smoking!
What’s the difference between skillets and griddles?
Since both griddles and skillets are cookware, confusing one for another is understandable. They are some of the most useful kitchen appliances in any household. You can use them to prepare any dish, including dinner, breakfast, and even snacks. Besides cooking, they are both easy to clean up.
So, how do you differentiate a skillet and a griddle? Here is something that will help resolve that confusion!
What is the best way to clean a griddle?
To clean a griddle, you will need some kitchen aids. They include; a griddle scraper/ brush, sponge, and cleaning soap.
Start by warming up the griddle. If the griddle has a detachable grill surface, it’s easier to separate from the remaining part of the unit while cleaning.
Mix griddle soap and warm water in a bucket or small bowl. Avoid submerging the griddle in the water fully, especially if it’s an electric griddle. Doing so might damage your griddle’s electronics.
Dip the sponge in the soapy water and squeeze it thoroughly to protect the unit’s electrical parts. Use the damp sponge to wipe the griddle’s cooking surface. Repeat this process a couple of times until the surface is completely clean.
If the sponge is not cleaning the griddle well, use a stronger scrubbing device like a griddle scraper/ brush. It’s also worth noting that you can alternate between various cleaning tools for better results.
Most importantly, avoid damaging the griddle or its surface when cleaning it. Make sure you don’t expose the electrical components to cleaning agents or water. Also, avoid using abrasive scrubs or sponges and steel wool on the griddle’s cooking surface. These items can easily damage the nonstick coating and scratch the surface.
FAQs:
Q1. Are steaks good on a griddle?
Fortunately, steaks cook very well on every type of griddle out there. This is because the surface of e griddle ensures there is uniform heat distribution. Thus, ensuring the steak is cooked evenly. It’s just the same way as cooking steaks on the BBQ or frying pan. So, if you want to eat a juicy and delicious steak in no time, get yourself a griddle!
Q2. Is cooking on a griddle healthy?
Cooking your food on a griddle has some health benefits. This is because it involves cooking food on a hot plate that’s greased with minimal oil or no fat at all. Instead, food is baked using its juice and not fried. This ensures you enjoy a healthy meal and eliminates issues associated with a traditional BBQ.
Q3. Can you put a griddle on a gas grill?
Of course, you can. And there are even many griddle plates that can be put on gas grills out there. This allows the griddle to get even heat across the top surface and get much hotter.
Q4. Can you BBQ on a griddle?
Even though griddles will not leave marks on your food, they can easily be used to barbecue. They can handle all your grilling needs and you can also use them to cook other items as well.
Q5. Can you cook burgers on a griddle?
Yes, griddles can be used to cook burgers. Just preheat your griddle on high heat for four minutes and turn down the heat to medium. Then put your burger on the griddle and press them down lightly with a spatula. This ensures that the burger meets the griddle fully.
Q6. Can you cook chicken on a griddle?
Griddles can be used to cook small chicken strips, chicken drumsticks as well as entire chicken breasts. Start by spraying or brushing the griddle with some oil. Moreover, when cooking the chicken, remember to turn it to ensure that it’s done uniformly.
Final Words
The best thing about griddles is that you can use them to cook anything, including burgers and omelettes. They are more flexible than burners and easier to maintain than grills. After going through this article, I’m certain you now know everything there is to know about griddles.
If you’re thinking about buying a griddle, make sure you consider its plate surface. This will prevent you from buying a product that will not last. You can also consider other factors like price, size, and quality. Or you can just consider buying one of the two superior griddles that I have included in this article. You can use them to cook almost any food and they will save you money since they’re very durable!
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