Barbecued fans are divided into groups: fans who are only interested in eating barbecued food and the ones who like to throw BBQ parties to show their barbecue skills.
For many people, griddle and grill are the same things used for the same purposes but for the latter chef group, BBQ fans griddle, and grills are two different things designed for different types of cooking because both have differences in cooking surface. There are even replacements for each other.
What is Grill?
Table of Contents,
The surface of a grill is a series of distinct slat grates separated by minor gaps between them, generally placed above a charcoal fire pit or gas burners. It is clearer from the fact that a grill leaves “grill marks” on anything you cook on it. It is great for grilling hamburgers, steaks, chops, sandwiches, and all kinds of vegetables.
Features of Grill
The most highlighted features of a grill are: the grease and water from the food can easily run off between the slats. It edges separate cooked food from its grease which is healthy because of the elimination of the overall fat content of food. Most of the grills contain a tray in the lower area that collects fats and water during the cooking process.I personally use this weber genesis propane grill to make delicious BBQ steaks you can have this too as currently, it’s on a discount.
The food is exposed to an open flame and it adds a smoky flavor to the food. The contact of the grill with the meat not only browned it but also intensifying the Maillard reaction.
What is a griddle?
A griddle is a smooth and flat metal surface. It looks like a rectangular pan which gives more cooking surface than the standard round pan, heated from underneath on the stove or grill. Electric griddles are also very famous.
A griddle flat cooking surface perfectly suits granular food like rice and breakfast items such as pancakes, French toast, eggs, bacon, fries, sausages grilled cheese sandwiches, quesadillas, and anything else that one can usually cook on a frying pan.A very well know Example of the griddle is Presto Griddle
Features of griddle
There are various designs for griddles and so the features are different for each design. The size varies depending upon use, indoor or outdoor, and home or commercial cooking.
A basic electric griddle is like a large pan with an open griddle surface that is used for making batches of foods like pancakes or grilled cheese sandwiches. Some griddles have both upper and lower griddle surfaces for simultaneously cooking the food from both sides.
Small griddles are designed for cooking press-style foods like two or one sandwiches at a time. The Large griddle comes with an additional grill side, and reversible plates for both the griddle and grill. Some griddles have waffle plates for making waffles.
What is the main difference between grill and griddle
Surface difference
The main difference between grill and Griddle is the surface. Grill has a series of bars with openings in between while the griddle has a smooth, flat surface.
Heat source
The food on the grill is exposed to open flame while the griddle is heated from underneath on the stove or grill. The source of heat or flame can be gas, charcoal, or electricity for both grill and griddle.
Cooking of food
Griddle evenly heating and browning the food while grill leaves brown grilling marks on food.
In the grill, the heating source/flame is directly in contact with food while in the griddle there is a metal surface between food and flame.
The grease and water run-off from food to lower tray in grills while in griddle food stays in fats and water.
Type of Metal Comparison Between Grill and Griddle
Grill bars are made up of a variety of different materials such as stainless steel, nickel-plated steel, cast iron, porcelain-enameled cast-iron, and porcelain-enameled steel. The porcelain coating helps in easy cleaning but does not have any role in the cooking process. As plain steel and iron can rust and break bars. After cleaning, just wipe on a little vegetable oil to prevent rust.
Usually, griddles are made up of steel or cast iron. Commercial griddles are made from stainless steel and even chrome. These are used in hotels and restaurants.
As with griddles, the thicker the metal, the longer they retain heat and resist warping. For dense cooking such as burgers and potatoes, go with thicker steel. It cannot warp and has excellent heat retention and recovery.
Cooking Temperature difference
The major difference between a grill and a griddle is cooking temperature. Grill cook at higher temperatures of at least 400°F (204°C) or above. The griddle cooks perfectly around 350°F (177°C).
Cooking Environment difference
The grill gives off more smoke and heat, it belongs outdoor or under a commercial hood ventilating system. The griddle can be anywhere in the kitchen because it is safer since the food is not in direct contact with open flames and no smoke.
Which one is easy to clean?
Of course, the flat griddle is much easier to clean than a grill. The griddle can be washed with warm water and a flat scraper while the grill needs a stiff brush and soapy water to clean the burnt grease from corners and crannies. Hence, more effort is required for cleaning grills as compared to griddle.
Choosing between grill and griddle
Choose your cooking surface grill or griddle on the available space in your kitchen and the kind of cooking. A stovetop grill or griddle is easily stored in a drawer or tall cabinet, which can easily be pulled out whenever you need them.
Deciding between buying a grill or a griddle, a reversible grill/griddle may be the wisest choice in terms of versatility and efficiency. It has a grill surface on one side and a griddle on the other. Those made for stovetops are commonly available in cast iron and nonstick versions.
A basic electric grill or griddle makes the most sense when you don’t want to tie up the stovetop for big meals.
When you commonly cook for one or two people, a small contact grill/griddle is perfect. These can stay on your countertop but are small enough to stash in a cabinet or drawer. A large contact grill/griddle is the ultimate in versatility, but it’s a sizable countertop appliance that will most likely stay parked there.
Can a griddle replace a grill?
A griddle can be used in place of a grill for some foods but it is not a perfect substitution. For example, grilling gives food a nice char and smoky flavor that can not be replicated on a griddle. Additionally, some grill-specific foods like kebabs or whole fish are difficult to cook on a griddle. That being said, a griddle can still be used to cook many delicious meals.
Is Steak better on a grill or a griddle?
grilling the steak is more preferable way as it helps in tenderizing the meat and also gives it a smoky flavor. On the other hand, griddling is better when you want to cook the steak evenly on both sides without burning it.
Final words
Both grill and griddle have their own unique set of features. For smoky, less greased food grill is a more appropriate choice while for breakfast snacks and fat dip food griddle is preferable.
