How to Use a Grill Pan
Pick a pan with raised ridges., Choose a cast iron pan., Rinse and dry the pan., Cut your food into relatively thin slices., Brush oil on the food., Preheat the pan on medium high., Place your food on the pan., Cover the pan., Avoid moving food for...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Pick a pan with raised ridges.
Generally, grill pans with dramatically raised ridges are better than those with gentle or shallow ridges.
Ultimately, the deeper the ridges, the more dramatic your sear mark.
In addition, the larger the ridges, the more grill-like your final product will appear. -
Step 2: Choose a cast iron pan.
Cast iron pans tend to retain more heat than pans with a non-stick surface.
In addition, cast iron pans tend to mimic the grill better than nonstick surfaces.
Finally, cast iron pans will sear your food better than nonstick pans.
While nonstick pans are easier to clean, they won’t cook your food the same way., Before you use the pan to cook on, quickly rinse it with warm water.
This will make sure any dust that accumulated on the pan while it was being stored is washed away.
After rinsing, dry the pan with a clean cloth. , Because you’re trying to simulate the grilling experience without burning your food, you’ll need to slice your food relatively thin.
This way, your food will get char marks and a smoky taste but won’t burn while you’re trying to cook the inside., Before placing your food on the pan, carefully brush oil on your food.
By brushing food onto the food, instead of the pan, you’ll make sure the food doesn’t stick and you’ll avoid oil burning on your pan.While you can use olive oil, it tends to burn at higher temperatures.
As a result, you may want to consider vegetable oil. , Allow the pan to heat for at least five minutes.
By doing this, you’ll make sure the entire surface of the pan is equally hot.
This will ensure your food cooks evenly.
In addition, it’ll help you get good char/grill marks., When the pan has had sufficient time to heat up, you’ll need to gently place your food in it.
Do so with tongs or other grill equipment.
Allow .5 inch (1.25 cm) between large items (like pieces of chicken or steak).
Make sure to place long pieces of vegetable perpendicular to the grill ridges, so they’ll lie across them instead of falling in. , While grill pans seldom come with covers, covering the pan may increase the speed in which your food cooks.
In addition, it may improve the flavor and enhance the smoky/charred flavor.
To cover your pan:
Use tin foil.
Sit a glass top over the pan. , Once you place the food onto your grill pan, you shouldn’t flip it or move it for about a minute.
By leaving it in place, you’ll help create those sear/grill marks that add so much character to your food., After a minute or more, you may want to rotate your food.
Use tongs to rotate the food slightly if you feel it needs to be rotated.
Usually, you’ll rotate it if you don’t think it’s getting evenly cooked on a given spot., Once you’ve rotated your food and allowed it to sit for several minutes, you’ll need to flip it.
Flipping it is important so that you cook the food evenly.
In addition, flipping your food will help prevent burning.
If you’re cooking steak that is about an inch thick, allow it to sit for 3 to 5 minutes on one side before moving or flipping.
If you’re cooking chicken that is about an inch thick, allow it to cook for 5 to 10 minutes on each side.
Allow shrimp to cook for 2 to 3 minutes before flipping.
If you notice your food charring or burning too much, flip it more.
If it continues to burn, turn your heat down., If you’re cooking meat, you should take its temperature before you remove it from the pan.
This way, you’ll make sure the inside of the meat has risen to minimum temperatures that will guarantee it is safe to eat.
Without taking the temperature, you’ll simply be guessing about whether the food is done and safe.
Shellfish should be cooked to 145 degrees Fahrenheit (63 degrees Celsius).
Poultry should be cooked to 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius).
Beef, Pork, Veal, and Lamb should be cooked to 145 degrees Fahrenheit (63 degrees Celsius).
Ground meat should be cooked to 160 degrees Fahrenheit (71 degrees Celsius)., After you’ve allowed the pan to cool, rinse it thoroughly with hot water.
Then, take a clean cloth, soak it with hot water, and carefully wipe the pan down.
Focus on the grooves in between the ridges.
To clean them good, take your finger, cover it with the cloth and wipe along the groove.
Rinse the cloth from time-to-time.
After cleaning the grill pan, dry it thoroughly with a towel. allowing it to air dry will invite rust., Before storing it, rub a light coat of vegetable oil into it with a paper towel.
Doing this after each use of the pain will improve the seasoning process, increase the effectiveness of your cooking, and prolong the life of your pan. , When storing your cast iron grill pan, you’ll want to make sure to put it in an area that is dry.
If you put it in a humid location – like in an outside storage area – it could wind up rusting.
As a result, try to store it in a pantry or another location that is cool and dry. -
Step 3: Rinse and dry the pan.
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Step 4: Cut your food into relatively thin slices.
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Step 5: Brush oil on the food.
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Step 6: Preheat the pan on medium high.
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Step 7: Place your food on the pan.
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Step 8: Cover the pan.
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Step 9: Avoid moving food for about one minute.
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Step 10: Rotate or move your food.
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Step 11: Flip your food.
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Step 12: Take the temperature of your food.
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Step 13: Clean the pan.
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Step 14: Season the pan.
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Step 15: Store the pan in a dry location.
Detailed Guide
Generally, grill pans with dramatically raised ridges are better than those with gentle or shallow ridges.
Ultimately, the deeper the ridges, the more dramatic your sear mark.
In addition, the larger the ridges, the more grill-like your final product will appear.
Cast iron pans tend to retain more heat than pans with a non-stick surface.
In addition, cast iron pans tend to mimic the grill better than nonstick surfaces.
Finally, cast iron pans will sear your food better than nonstick pans.
While nonstick pans are easier to clean, they won’t cook your food the same way., Before you use the pan to cook on, quickly rinse it with warm water.
This will make sure any dust that accumulated on the pan while it was being stored is washed away.
After rinsing, dry the pan with a clean cloth. , Because you’re trying to simulate the grilling experience without burning your food, you’ll need to slice your food relatively thin.
This way, your food will get char marks and a smoky taste but won’t burn while you’re trying to cook the inside., Before placing your food on the pan, carefully brush oil on your food.
By brushing food onto the food, instead of the pan, you’ll make sure the food doesn’t stick and you’ll avoid oil burning on your pan.While you can use olive oil, it tends to burn at higher temperatures.
As a result, you may want to consider vegetable oil. , Allow the pan to heat for at least five minutes.
By doing this, you’ll make sure the entire surface of the pan is equally hot.
This will ensure your food cooks evenly.
In addition, it’ll help you get good char/grill marks., When the pan has had sufficient time to heat up, you’ll need to gently place your food in it.
Do so with tongs or other grill equipment.
Allow .5 inch (1.25 cm) between large items (like pieces of chicken or steak).
Make sure to place long pieces of vegetable perpendicular to the grill ridges, so they’ll lie across them instead of falling in. , While grill pans seldom come with covers, covering the pan may increase the speed in which your food cooks.
In addition, it may improve the flavor and enhance the smoky/charred flavor.
To cover your pan:
Use tin foil.
Sit a glass top over the pan. , Once you place the food onto your grill pan, you shouldn’t flip it or move it for about a minute.
By leaving it in place, you’ll help create those sear/grill marks that add so much character to your food., After a minute or more, you may want to rotate your food.
Use tongs to rotate the food slightly if you feel it needs to be rotated.
Usually, you’ll rotate it if you don’t think it’s getting evenly cooked on a given spot., Once you’ve rotated your food and allowed it to sit for several minutes, you’ll need to flip it.
Flipping it is important so that you cook the food evenly.
In addition, flipping your food will help prevent burning.
If you’re cooking steak that is about an inch thick, allow it to sit for 3 to 5 minutes on one side before moving or flipping.
If you’re cooking chicken that is about an inch thick, allow it to cook for 5 to 10 minutes on each side.
Allow shrimp to cook for 2 to 3 minutes before flipping.
If you notice your food charring or burning too much, flip it more.
If it continues to burn, turn your heat down., If you’re cooking meat, you should take its temperature before you remove it from the pan.
This way, you’ll make sure the inside of the meat has risen to minimum temperatures that will guarantee it is safe to eat.
Without taking the temperature, you’ll simply be guessing about whether the food is done and safe.
Shellfish should be cooked to 145 degrees Fahrenheit (63 degrees Celsius).
Poultry should be cooked to 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius).
Beef, Pork, Veal, and Lamb should be cooked to 145 degrees Fahrenheit (63 degrees Celsius).
Ground meat should be cooked to 160 degrees Fahrenheit (71 degrees Celsius)., After you’ve allowed the pan to cool, rinse it thoroughly with hot water.
Then, take a clean cloth, soak it with hot water, and carefully wipe the pan down.
Focus on the grooves in between the ridges.
To clean them good, take your finger, cover it with the cloth and wipe along the groove.
Rinse the cloth from time-to-time.
After cleaning the grill pan, dry it thoroughly with a towel. allowing it to air dry will invite rust., Before storing it, rub a light coat of vegetable oil into it with a paper towel.
Doing this after each use of the pain will improve the seasoning process, increase the effectiveness of your cooking, and prolong the life of your pan. , When storing your cast iron grill pan, you’ll want to make sure to put it in an area that is dry.
If you put it in a humid location – like in an outside storage area – it could wind up rusting.
As a result, try to store it in a pantry or another location that is cool and dry.
About the Author
Andrew Harris
Andrew Harris specializes in lifestyle and practical guides and has been creating helpful content for over 7 years. Andrew is committed to helping readers learn new skills and improve their lives.
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