Gas griddles are a popular choice for outdoor cooking, but many people don’t realize that they need to be cared for properly. It’s easy enough once you know the right tips.
Pro Tips
Season Your Cooking Surface
Season the cooking surface before you start to cook on it. This will help provide a better seal between ingredients and prevent food from sticking so that your meal turns out beautifully every time.
“What’s so special about seasoning?” you might ask. Well, before non-stick coatings were invented there was only one way to keep food from sticking on the stove surface and that was by using burnt-on oil as a layer of protection for your cooking space! Not only will this process give you beautiful results but it’ll also guard against scratches or oxidation due in part to its incomplete digestion by bacteria.
To avoid food from sticking to the pan, carefully clean it with gentle soap and water. After that’s dry use a cloth or paper towels until you’re ready for cooking again. A light coating of oil will help keep your frying surface looking shiny while also preventing foods from drying out before they are done cooking.
To season the surface properly, you should use vegetable or canola oils with high smoke points. Place the oil evenly across your frying surface and set it at 275°F before turning on all four burners so that when they’re heated up enough for smoking purposes (which may take about 10 minutes), everything will be ready in no time.
After waiting for the oil to start smoking and darken, turn off burners after the griddle has started blackening. Let cool. Continue to repeat these steps until the entire area is filled with darkness.
All done! Your new griddle is now non-stick and corrosion-resistant.
Maintain The Griddle Every Season To Optimize Its Performance And Life
- Store your griddle in a dry place when not using it so that the outside doesn’t rust.
- When you’re done using your griddle, make sure to unplug it from the outlet and store both the gas tank and valve closed.
- A griddle cover is always a great idea to keep pesky insects and dust away.
- When you’re ready to use your griddle again, make sure that there are no spider webs in the area, and then wipe it down with a damp cloth. If these pesky creatures catch on fire they can produce an unfortunate flare-up that could ruin all of those hard-worked hours spent cooking.
- Make sure you have enough gas in your tank to begin cooking by checking for any leaks and filling up if necessary.
- Make sure you do a new season on your griddle after connecting the tank so that all of those newly cleaned surfaces can get back into action and make some tasty food.
The Methods For Cleaning A Griddle
It’s important to clean your griddle after each use, but don’t wash it like you would other pots and pans. You may think that dish soap is an effective way to clean your cooking surface, but you will lose coating and get rough spots on the griddle. This can result in poorly cooked food with a greasy bottom. The detergent you use can reduce the effectiveness of your seasonings, so be sure to find one that does not have any grease-cutting agents.
The best way to clean your griddle is with a special tool that professional cooks use for this very job. Use a griddle scraper and hot water. You can buy one to remove any leftovers from the pan without compromising what you’ve worked so hard for an even coat of seasoning. You may dissolve fat and sauce in a wash with very hot water, which you can then scrape off.
The key to a shiny grill is regular cleaning. If you don’t clean your griddle after each use, it will get dirty and dull quickly – even if there are no food stains on the surface!
Invest In A Few Quality Tools
The Griddle is a cooking instrument that requires specific equipment to make the most of it. Invest in two long metal spatulas to get the most out of your griddle. These sturdy, durable tools allow you to turn large quantities at once without spilling anything on either yourself or kitchen surfaces with their thin and flexible shape that’s perfect for scooping up full hash browns.
You will also need long-handled metal tongs to safely cook on the griddle. These are perfect for reaching all areas of your cooking surface without getting burnt.
Experiment with Various Oils and Fats
There are many benefits to cooking with a griddle, including the ability for you as a cookbook author or chef-in charge of your own kitchen space. For one thing – since fat doesn’t fall onto coals or gas jets as it does on most traditional grillers – you can play around with different types to achieve the best results.
Diverse oils are not only flavorful, but they also have a variety of effects.
- Olive oil provides a powerful, yet subtle flavor that adds depth and dimension to meals. The only drawback is its smoke point; once it reaches certain temperatures (especially higher ones), olive oil flavor begins tasting burnt which means you should use this type of fat in lower temperature cooking methods – but don’t fear! You can still get great results.
- If you’re looking for high-heat cooking oil, try canola or vegetable oils. They’ll allow you to cook at higher temperatures without getting a burnt taste in your food.
- Butter, the king of all grill fats has more taste than nearly everything else but also tends to burn. For low heat cooking or quick meal prep use butter instead, so you don’t ruin your dinner.
The Perfect Burger
Ever since man first discovered how delicious a juicy, fresh beef burger could be when it is cooked just right – there have been those who wish to replicate this flavor at home. They grind their own meat and try out different methods in the search for that perfect bite every time.
For some, the perfect burger is one that utilizes waygu beef. Others say high heat over charcoal gives them their desired flavor profile and texture in a juicy patty without fail.
The first step in making the finest burger you’ve ever had is to increase the fat content. When shopping at your local grocery store, there are usually two options 20% or 10%. This will not suffice when it comes time to create the perfect patties. If you want the best burgers, make them yourself with ground beef. You need between 25% and 30% fat content in order for it to be considered “ideally adjustable” by experts who study culinary matters such as this author here. If not willing or able to do so – inform your local butchers that high-quality fats are desired when ordering.
Using fresh ground beef whenever possible will give you the most delicious burger. If it’s been sitting in packaging for more than two days, then buy another patty because that means there is no juice left.
Once you’ve found the appropriate beef, mold it into 1/3-pound loose balls. don’t overwork them or squish them together; instead allow these little patties to hold their shape as they are made.
To get that perfect sear on your burger, you need to use medium heat and let it cook for a while. Too high of temperatures will result in undercooked patties so make sure not only do they brown but also lock themselves together with grease.
Place the burger on a griddle with oiled vegetables and press down. Do not mold it; simply push until flat, then season it in the center.
Once the first side has a good sear, flip and salt both sides. Cook for an equal amount of time after flipping so that your burger can render even more fat while it’s cooking this way. Keep an eye on the burger while it cooks, and then remove it from heat when you see that they’re browned enough. Give them five minutes to rest before flipping over.
The toppings are up to you! Have a burger with the finest ingredients for an unforgettable taste.
Maintenance Tips
Your griddle is a valuable tool in your kitchen and it should be taken care of like one. The following tips will help you keep this important piece running smoothly for years to come.
Your Griddle is Clean & Sanitary
To keep your griddles clean and sanitary, make sure you wash them after each use. First Scrape off any food residue with a scraper or brush before washing in hot water then dry carefully on paper towels so they don’t rust against the metal parts of the appliance.
Guard Against Rust
Keep your griddle clean to prevent rusting. If you notice any spots that look like they’re going dull, scrape them thoroughly with 40 or 60 low grit sandpaper and steel wool.
Coat Your Griddle
When you are done cooking on the griddle, it’s important to protect its overcooking surface area with a thin coat of spray. Not only will this prevent rust from forming but also helps keep your food from sticking.
Storage and Care
Store your griddle in a cool and dry place to prevent rust. Wrap it well, away from the humid region so that you can avoid accumulating dust on its surface which could affect the durability of metal parts or coating for non-stick surfaces.
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