What Is a Griddle Used For?

Griddles are a type of cooking surface that is essential to almost every kitchen and are used in homes and restaurants worldwide. Because they are able to handle high heat, griddles are often used over an open fire in hunting camps and family camping trips. The more modern-day electric griddle can be used for cooking any type of flat-food item.

History

Early griddles were made of flat rocks used to cook flatbreads over an open fire. Many early wood-cook stoves incorporated a "griddle" eye into the cook surface. Some brands of home-stove cooktops have optional griddle eyes or offer a drop-in replacement for one or more eyes of the cooktop.

Function

Griddles are used wherever high heat is needed and the item being cooked is relatively flat. Pancakes, tortillas, French toast and eggs are favorite griddle cooking items. Grilled cheese, Reuben and hamburgers are a few of the many types of sandwiches cooked on griddles. Large griddles are used in Asian cooking, with teppan-style cooking using griddles that can be 8 feet in length, and Mongolian cooking, where the large circular griddle can be 36 inches or larger in diameter.

Types

Industrial or commercial griddles are made of steel or aluminum. Home griddles can be made of steel, aluminum or, more often, cast iron. They can be round, square or rectangular in shape. Electric griddles for home use are made of Teflon-coated aluminum. Soapstone griddles were once prized for their natural nonstick properties but are rarely found today. Many cultures still use rock, stone or clay griddles for outside cooking, such as the Budare found in Latin America.

Identification

Most griddles in use are easily recognized by their flat surface and many have two sides. One side is flat, while the other has raised "grill" lines to give food the appearance of cooking over an open-flame grill. Some griddles have depressed ridges that allow grease to flow away from the food being cooked to a trench around the outside edge.

Size

Industrial griddles are generally heated by gas, propane or electricity. They can range in size from 2 feet to more than 8 feet in length. Home griddles are electric or fit over one or more eyes of a kitchen stove.

Benefits

While most foods that can be cooked on a griddle can also be cooked in a skillet, the griddle has the advantage of being able to cook more than one item at a time. Several sandwiches, pancakes or bacon and eggs can be fixed to feed several people at once, with only one pan to clean afterward.