The Basics
Nothing replaces the flame-kissed flavor of cooking over a fire, but a grill pan is a good alternative. The key feature of these pans, which can be used on gas or electric stoves, is the raised ridges that leave charred lines and allow excess fat to drain away from food. Heavy-duty, cast-iron pans distribute and retain heat best.
Food Prep
To ensure even, quick cooking, pound or cut the pieces of food you’re grilling to a half-inch thickness so they lie flat. Why? Thicker cuts tend to become overcooked on the outside long before their centers have reached the desired degree of doneness. Food should be no thicker than a half-inch to avoid this unbalanced doneness due to the pan’s high heat.
Dry Heat
The key to grilling is dry heat. Leave one-and-a-half to two inches of space between pieces of food. Jamming too much meat in the pan traps moisture and poaches it instead.
Firing It Up
- Fully preheat the grill pan over medium (not high) heat for up to 20 minutes before starting to cook.
- Never coat the pan with oil -- it'll smoke and burn during preheating, creating a black buildup that’s tough to clean. Over time, it'll also affect the pan’s functionality.
- Brush or spray oil directly on vegetables to keep them from sticking to the pan.
- Don’t oil beef, chicken, pork, or most fish. Their natural oils and juices prevent sticking.
Ridges
The size and spacing of the ridges determine the size and depth of the charred lines on your food. Pans with thicker ridges make deeper, wider grill marks than pans with thin ridges.
Grill Marks
To get good lines, arrange the food so it points slightly sideways from the pan’s vertical ridges (think: three o’clock) and only flip once when it “releases” from the pan. To make crosshatch sear marks, pivot so it points to nine o’clock.
Cleaning Tips
- Hit the water After cooking, pour hot water into the hot grill pan and let it sit while you eat dinner. When it cools, pour out the water and wipe clean.
- Use a nylon scrub brush If you have cooked-on bits (which are usually the result of using too much oil or too high heat), this gets them off effectively.
- Ban suds Because the material is so porous, traditional cast iron should never be cleaned with soap or immersed in water.
- Season after each use Dry immediately over a hot flame or in a warm oven, then wipe the pan with one teaspoon of canola oil.
[Nestpert] Jamee Ruth, author of
The Grill Pan Cookbook: Great Recipes for Stovetop Grilling
-- Colleen Rush
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