How To Use A Griddle On A Gas Stove

Griddles are widely used for several reasons. Such as their flat surfaces are more than amazing for scorching vegetables and searing meats. It’s even a healthy option to cook your food. However, if you don’t know how to use a griddle on a gas stove or what you can cook on a griddle, it’s high time you should know.

The good news is, you will get detailed information from this article regarding this topic. And, hopefully, you will have no confusion if you stick to the last.

So, if you don’t want to miss knowing the A to Z of griddle cooking, let’s just dive in, shall we?

How to Use a Griddle on A Gas Stove- 4 Simple Steps

Using griddle on a gas stove is easy. While many people believe that they can only be used with a gas stove, griddles can be used with either electric or gas burners. Let’s get to know the right ways of using a griddle on a gas stove. It’s as easy as it sounds.

Step 1: Place Your Griddle on The Stove

The very first thing you are going to do is to place your griddle on the stove. It’s important to set everything up before you start the cooking process. You should carefully place it on the stove and avoid dragging it around for any kind of readjustment to prevent the bottom of your griddle from being ruined.

In case, you notice that it’s not placed properly, well, you can pick it up anytime as well as place it as you want. In general, griddles come in big sizes, so you will want to use burners to place them over.

This positioning may take a few tries, however, you can place it correctly after some use. You will no longer take time to readjust the griddle as well.

Step 2: Heat it Up

And, here’s the next thing you are going to do. You need to heat it up meaning you need to start the flame when you are dealing with a gas stove. Which heat level you should select depends on the type of griddle you are dealing with.

For example, when you cook with a griddle that is made of steel, it will require medium heat since steel can become hot too quickly. On the other hand, if it’s a cast iron griddle, you should start the heat a bit slower. It will distribute the heat more evenly, no doubt.

Before you are going to put food on your griddle, you should go through a water test. Since your griddle got a few minutes to become hot, you should splash a little amount of water on its surface. If you see the water gets vaporized, sizzles fast, and start dancing on the griddle well, the temperature is right.

Otherwise, it will take a few more seconds to get hot. So, if you see the water is simply sitting on the griddle, it will need a high level of heat actually.

Step 3: Grease Your Griddle

Well, this step is not necessary. You will find several types of griddle in the market, and some griddles are nonstick. Those nonstick ones do not require greasing. Because grease actually is needed when you want to prevent the food from sticking.

And, nonstick griddles are able to prevent the food from sticking naturally. But if you are using a cast iron griddle, well, then you should grease the pan using any form of fat.

Yes, any type of fat can be used here. If only the fat can prevent your food from being stuck, that’s all you want basically. Most of the griddles do not need a lot of oil to do this job, only coating the bottom with oil is okay.

Step 4: Get Cooking

Finally, you are ready to cook the food. You have a lot of options to cook on a griddle, however, we will talk in detail about what you can cook on a griddle later. Sometimes, what types of bottom your griddle comes with may have some limitations.

For instance, if your griddle comes with edges, unfortunately, you can never end up having picture-perfect pancakes whereas other types will give you perfect pancakes.

To be very honest, cooking on the griddle is never a big deal. All you need to do is, just look carefully at the flame whether your food is becoming stuck to the bottom of the griddle or not. In case, you are cooking something by following a proper recipe, you should start the cooking time clearly and maintain the heat properly.

So, yes, that’s all about cooking on your griddle. Another thing you should know about, once you make steak on a cast iron griddle, you may not get back to the regular pans. Because cast iron griddles will give you the perfect steak every time, no doubt.

What Can You Cook on A Griddle?

“A lot!” is the shortest answer to this question. Yes, you can eat a lot of delicious foods on your griddle. You can make your breakfast, lunch, as well as dinner using only your griddle if you want.

However, whenever I hear of griddling, red meats are the first things that spring straight to my mind. Most of the vegetables are perfect for cooking on the griddle as well.

In simpler words, foods that you can put on a BBQ, are also can be put on a griddle. However, here we have made a shortlist of some foods that you should start cooking with your griddle.

10 Best Cast Iron Griddle in a Video Review

What About Cooking Chicken or Fish on A Griddle?

Well, you can cook both of them on a griddle. You will find chicken perfect to cook on the griddle. But you have to make sure that you follow the right ways to cook the chicken. Make sure there are no pink bits in the middle of your chicken.

While cooking chicken on your griddle, you should keep maintaining a lower heat compared to searing vegetables or meats.

And, people may say not to cook fish on a griddle as it can leave an unwanted smell on it. However, you can perfectly bake the fish using your griddle.

How Healthy Is It to Cook Food on A Griddle?

Now, this question may come into your mind whether it is healthy to cook foods on a griddle or not. The answer is, it’s surprisingly healthy to cook foods on a griddle! Yes, it is.

Do you think that griddling and frying food are quite the same? Well, they actually are not the same. When you deal with a griddle, you don’t need to use much oil, and you only need a bit of grease.

Things will be even better if you go for healthier oils like avocado oil or olive oil as these can lower the level of saturated fats in your food. Your food will be baked perfectly while you cook it on a griddle, it’s even a way healthier option than frying.

Also, these all largely depend on the food you are cooking. But getting the most delicious pancakes and burgers from a griddle is traditional. You won’t regret using it.

How to Clean and Store the Griddle

Once you use a griddle, it’s important to clean and put it away properly if you want a long shelf life of your griddle. Here’s how you can do the job perfectly.

Step 1: Cool Down Your Griddle

First thing first, you need to let the griddle cool down before you wash, clean, and dry it. Also, you shouldn’t let the food sit on your griddle for long. Otherwise, you may find it difficult to remove once it’s been hard.

Step 2: Clean it Using Soapy Water

You should clean the griddle after every use. Use soapy water to clean the griddle. Also, you should remain griddle level as they come with a flat and even surface. Avoid doing anything that may warp your griddle such as placing your hot griddle into cold water.

However, if you use dishwashing soap to wash your griddle, there are chances of damaging the surface actually. For this, it’s better to wash it with nothing but water and your hands. Even some of the griddles should not get in touch with the dishwasher at all, so it’s better if you read the manufacturer’s instructions before you deal with it.

Step 3: Use Soft Cleansers

Don’t overlook this step. You should always use a sponge, soft cloth, or a non-metal pad to clean your griddle, it will save your griddle’s surface from being damaged. Using something harsh may scratch your griddle which you never want to see. Avoiding metallic scrubbers or steel wool is crucial when you cook with a griddle.

Step 4: Put it Away

Choose an easy-to-access place to store your griddle. In case, you are planning to store your griddle in a drawer or cupboard, avoid placing any other kitchen appliances on top of it.

If you cover your griddle, it may scratch the surface. And, if you are planning to put your griddle out on the counter, make sure that there is plenty of space.

Step 5: Re-season Your Griddle as Needed

In case, you rub or remove the default seasoning of your nonstick griddle, you should always re-season it. To do so, make sure your griddle is utterly clean and dry. Then, take a little amount of cooking oil and wipe it gently. After that, use a soft, clean cloth to rub over the griddle’s surface as it removes the excess oil.  

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

There you have it! You now know all about how to use a griddle on a gas stove and what you can cook on a griddle. Not only these, but we also tried to layout with every necessary information regarding this topic.

A point we want to mention before wrapping up, make sure you use, clean, and maintain your griddle properly. It will add many more days to the shelf life of your griddle and you can make the most use of it.

Happy Cooking!