What Is a Griddle?
Is a griddle right for you?
Between air fryers, slow cookers, emulsifiers and more, it can get confusing trying to keep up with cooking gadgets. If you’re looking to expand your cooking gadget vocabulary or just need to know if a griddle is right for your cooking needs, keep reading! This guide is about to dig into just what is a griddle.
What Is a Griddle?
A griddle is a wide, flat surface that is used to cook food like pancakes, french, toast, and eggs. And because of their size, griddles can cook all of these foods at once. When trying to identify griddles, look for their completely smooth surface. In a commercial setting, think about the flat cooktops that you see at a hibachi restaurant or at a diner.
Griddle vs. Grill
The difference between griddles and grills is very minute, which can lead to a lot of general confusion on which is which. Looks-wise, a griddle has a completely flat surface, while grills have raised lines that leave those classic sear marks on food. Both griddles and grills can be powered by electricity or gas but only grills can be made for outdoors as well as indoors. Outdoor grills are much larger freestanding appliances. Griddles come in handy when they’re used to cook flat foods that require flipping, like pancakes, omelets, eggs, french toast, etc. Grills come in handy for anything that has a savory taste as the char pairs best with foods like vegetables, steak, chicken, fish, etc. Most people use griddles for breakfast foods but use grills for dinner foods.
Benefits of a Griddle
More space: Unlike a cooktop pan, electric griddles are usually much larger and can allow for more items to be cooked at one time. That means instead of making pancakes one at a time, you can make eight at a time. Think of the time you’ll save!
Less space: Griddle pans are perfect for those interested in using a griddle but might not have the space for a large electric one. Griddle pans can be tucked away neatly in a drawer or cabinet. Be sure your griddle is compatible with your stove type.
Even cooking: Electric or gas, many stoves don’t always cook food evenly. Because electric griddles are much smaller appliances, using one makes it easier to get a more even cook, thus ensuring a consistent outcome every time.
On the go: Electric griddles need only be plugged into a power outlet. Take your griddle camping with you or if you’re a college student, set one up in your dorm room for pancakes all day!
Easily stored: Whether they’re stovetop or electric, griddles can be tucked away when they’re not in use. This leaves your counter and stove top free of clutter and leaves your counter free for chopping, plating, and more!
Types of Griddles
Electric Griddles: Electric griddles are entirely independent countertop appliances. They have smooth surfaces and are powered by electricity. They have different features like temperature control, lids, timers, removable surfaces and more.
Griddle Pans: Griddle pans are wide, flat surfaces or pans that fit into existing appliances like a stovetop or grill; they are very similar to cooktop pans. Griddle pans are heated by the stovetop beneath them.
Adding another kitchen tool to your collection may feel overwhelming. You might be worried about where to store yet another small appliance. Not to worry! Griddles come in various sizes.
Small Griddles: Small griddle cooktops are typically about 15-19 inches long and about 9 inches wide. That amount of space can cook 6-8 eggs at once. This is the perfect size for households of 1-3 people. A small griddle can be stored in a drawer or cabinet and won't take up too much counter space. If you’re really lacking space, opt for a griddle pan. The lack of electrical wiring and panels make them flat and easy to store in a drawer or kitchenware divider.
Large Griddles: If you have the opposite problem and wonder if you’ll ever find the griddle that is big enough for you, check out larger sized griddles. You can cook eggs, bacon, french toast, pancakes, and more for an entire family, all at once. Gone are the days when everyone eats before the hardworking chef!
The beauty of griddles doesn't stop at their cooking ability. They can do so much more! For example; if you’re worried about the clean-up, some griddles are nonstick and dishwasher safe. Some even come with removable surfaces for those who love a really good deep clean. And if you’ve seen the griddles at restaurants and are worried about the smoke becoming a problem, some griddles come with lids and are smokeless.
Smokeless: Griddles are notorious for creating a lot of smoke when liquids touch them. To keep your smoke alarm from going off every few minutes, try a smokeless griddle.They have a non-stick coating that ceases the need for cooking oils that may cause smoke.
Non-Stick: With such a large surface area, cleanup may seem daunting. Opt for a non-stick griddle to save time on cleaning up.
Dishwasher-Safe: Want to skip hand-washing altogether? Dishwasher-safe griddles are perfect for those who’d rather leave the cleaning up to someone (or something) else.
Removable Surface: Getting a griddle with a removable surface is an amazing idea for two reasons: cleaning and functionality. Removing the surface of a griddle will make getting into the cracks and crevices of the griddle easier and will help you clean off food that might’ve remained hidden otherwise. Also, some griddles come with removable surfaces that are interchangeable with other surfaces like grill plates.
Temperature Control: Guessing your food's cooking temperature is a thing of a past with the luxury of temperature control. Get a griddle with this feature to cook things at the temperature you want for however long you want.
Searing: Looking for the best of both worlds when it comes to griddles and grills? Don’t feel the need to choose one over the other. Searing griddles come with interchangeable or sectioned off grill plates that are sure to give your food that perfect sear every time. And by combining two appliances into one, you can save space and money!
Lids: When used correctly, griddles can perform similarly to stovetop pans. For certain dishes, stovetop pans use lids to trap heat; getting a griddle with a lid will allow you to use your griddle to cook any dish a stovetop pan can cook – with this feature, your griddle may even replace your stove!
