grill pan

this weekend I went to use our sh!tty electric griddle to make pancakes and it was painful…all sorts of hot spots and uneven all around. I’ve been toying with getting a cast-iron grill pan both for indoor and grill usage if I want a flat top. any suggestions on brand (thinking lodge), size (single or double burner), etc.?

looking at this one - http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Cast-Iron-Reversible-Griddle-10-44-Inch/dp/B00008GKDQ?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_act_title_1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Cast iron will tend to have hot spots under the burners. A better alternative could something with a thick aluminum or copper core to distribute heat, and stainless steel cooking surface.

check this out:

thanks…I could see some hot spots but I would think it would still be a more even cooking surface versus a cheap electric griddle no?

baking steel griddle looks good but very pricey

I would be all over the baking steel if it was in my budget. Yes you’ll have some hot spots with cast iron, but it’s a great value. I would probably avoid the griddle for in-home use, I’ve had mixed results. I find a large skillet works better on the burner, and if you go for something stainless with a copper core as David mentioned, if you can find one for a good price that is ideal.

Has anyone used the steel pizza stone? I’ve read some positive reviews but $90 for a 16 inch stone isn’t chump change.

Scott

Not sure what the “stone” is…but, I have pizza oven (electric, Bakers Pride, two deck) in my garage and have for the last 8 years. I have the thicker stones in it. I tried the steel, but don’t think it cooks pizza as well as the Fibrament stones I have in it. (I think the stone is more porous and sucks up the moisture better). So…the steel sits on the top of the oven, unused for a couple of years.

I am a HUGE fan of the DeBuyer carbon steel pans , which I first read about on WB, for “grilling”, griddling, etc…the stay flat and conduct the heat very evenly and responsively. I use this one most often (love the handle, though it seems hoky) but also have two larger ones I use a lot. http://www.amazon.com/BUYER-5670-28-Mineral-Frypan-11-Inch/dp/B00B8KMSR4/ref=sr_1_3?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1402084856&sr=1-3&keywords=de+buyer+mineral+b+frypan

i have this one and i’ll never use a stone again. putting aside the fact that it cannot break, steel transfers the heat more efficiently than stone. in a pizza oven, it matters less since you have so much more heat to play with, but in a home oven that tops at 550F, you want the most heat transferred in the shortest amount of time.


NerdChef Steel Stone - High-Performance Baking Surface for Pizza
by NerdChef
Link: http://amzn.com/B00JXVNUHW

I use both Lodge and DeBuyer for high heat stove stop and on-the-grill use, as well as some copper core pans for more delicate work, as I do think they show the most even heating. I personally think grill pans, if by that you mean the ones with ridges, are really just good if your priority is having lines on your food.

I have coveted a baking steel, but am resolved not to buy anything new until the new house/kitchen is done.

FWIW, my comments are with use in a pizza oven. A home oven that goes up to 500-550 “only” might be a better use for a pizza steel than a “stone”. I suspect that’s why my experience in the pizza oven with the “steel” was disappointing.

Agree, I’m not overly concerned with the lines/ridges, it’s more about having a larger flat surface inside as well as a flat-top for the grill if I want to do something a la plancha.

joe - i’ve used the version i posted as a plancha. it can sit over two gas burners and it rips hot. amazing for scallops, etc. doesn’t have the grease channel like the more expensive one, but it works.

good deal, thanks…I do bacon in the oven primarily so the grease channel isn’t as big of a factor. what thickness do you have?

you gonna buy me a drink first? champagne.gif

quarter inch is what i got. i think the serious eats article mentions that there’s only an incremental benefit to the thicker ones. but also there’s a few online that are 1/8 which may be too thin. it’s a beast.

that type of honesty probably won’t score you many drinks [rofl.gif]

thanks for the feedback

touche!!

When we were on the Oceania Marina cruise ship last November and December, my wife took some cooking classes offered by the chefs on the ship. We learned that they use steel pizza stones exclusively. The last longer, heat very well, and allow them to produce consistent pizza crust time after time. At home we use an extra thick pizza stone we purchased from Wolf for our Wolf oven. Our luck with the thinner stones from Sur La Table and other cookware stores has not been good.

I have a Lodge cast iron two-sided (one side smooth and one side with ridges) griddle that straddles/covers two burners and it works great for pancakes. Paid like $15 at Marshall’s/TJ Maxx for it.

just used my baking steel for pizza the other night and got a great crust

thanks for the follow up!