Flattop Griddling – I should have discovered it years ago

Flattop griddling is much easier than gas or charcoal grilling and I get way better results. I think of a griddle as a giant skillet with multiple heat zones. As a backyard cook, I love my griddle because I can manage several foods at once: steaks/burgers in one heat zone, hash browns and onions in another, eggs in another. Griddles also offer me excellent temperature control, and boy, can I create the perfect rib-eye.

One of the best things about griddling for me is how versatile it is. I can cook pretty much anything on my flat top griddle – meats, vegetables, eggs, pancakes, you name it. The large flat cooking surface gives me plenty of room to cook multiple items at once. I just divide up the griddle into different temperature zones. I’ll crank up one section for searing steaks while keeping another set to a lower temp for delicate foods like fish. The broad surface also makes flipping and moving foods around easy for me.

Griddling required a bit of a learning curve as I figured out the quirks of my particular model. But once I got the hang of it, I was amazed at how quick and easy it became to prepare full meals from start to finish entirely on the griddle. No need for me to dirty up multiple pans or transfer foods from one cooking vessel to another. I just throw it all on the griddle and I’m good to go.

The best griddles have thick, heavy duty cooking plates that retain heat well in my opinion. Even heat distribution is key for me to get proper browning. I did my research and found a griddle with strong burners or elements that allow me to fine tune the temperature.

When it comes to my griddling technique, it’s important for me to keep foods moving and turn them at the right time for attractive grill marks. I brush or scrape the griddle surface periodically to prevent food debris from burning. I use metal spatulas and tongs so I can press foods down for maximum surface contact.

Note: I changed my griddle’s gas orifice from propane to natural gas (drilled a bigger hole) to take advantage of a natural gas supply line already installed in my backyard. No more propane bottles!

Griddles are available everywhere and after researching brands I purchased a 36″ Blackstone griddle from Amazon.