How to Use Cast Iron Griddle on Gas Stove

You may not be familiar with the process of using a cast iron griddle on the gas stove, but it is not hard to pick up if you are always cooking in the kitchen before and are accustomed to how a gas stove works. 

A cast-iron griddle is great for making fluffy pancakes, crispy burgers, and other tasty foods on the gas stove. With a well-seasoned griddle and a little oil application, practically any meal will not stick when cooked. The process of heating a cast iron griddle on a gas stove is straightforward and takes just a few minutes. When the griddle is heated sufficiently, food cooks quickly and easily.

Let us now go through how to use a griddle on a gas cooktop. After that, we will provide some expert-only tips and recommendations. To find out more, all you have to do is keep reading this article, and your understanding will be apparent in no time.

What Are The Benefits of Using Griddle on Gas Stove?

Understandably, some people find the concept of cooking on a griddle a little strange. If you use that griddle, you will not be able to go back to the old way of cooking.

A cast iron griddle has a huge cooking surface that spans the width of two burners of your gas stove. There is no limit to how much you can cook on its surface while preparing for a large group of people or only your family.

Consider how many times you have attempted to prepare a huge breakfast. Are your fried eggs still warm after they are all done? Someone will inevitably be served with cold foods when a group of people sits down to dine together. Using a griddle is not a problem. 

You may prepare everything simultaneously in the griddle if you want to save on energy use. Griddles, on the other hand, do not have the sidewalls that a standard pan has. They have an open, flat surface that cooks evenly on all sides.

Although you may not be aware of it, the walls of a pan may retain moisture, which can positively affect the food you are preparing. Food will cook more quickly and be crispier, and flipping your food will be a breeze!

To sum it up, the griddle’s strength lies in its capacity to cook a variety of different foods simultaneously. Afterward, you will have one pan to clean up after yourself!

How to Use Cast Iron Griddle on Gas Stoves?

You do not need any special skills or equipment to use a griddle on a gas stove. Contrary to popular belief, griddles can be used with both electric and gas stoves. Here is the step by step process of how to use a cast iron griddle on the gas stove:

Step 1: Set the Griddle on the Gas Stove

Immediately after cleaning the griddle, set it on the gas stove for use. The cooking procedure needs some setup. Place it correctly on the stove and do not move it around while you are will irreparably damage the bottom of the griddle if you do that to it.

It is your responsibility to place it correctly. If you notice it is not aligned, then adjust it right away. Since the griddles are often large in size, you will need to use two burners to accommodate them. It is best to put it on the closest burners to provide a uniform heat distribution.

Check to see whether you are perfectly content with your arrangement or not. In the beginning, it may be challenging to align the griddle properly on the gas stove, but with practice, you will be able to do it without difficulty.

Step 2: Turn On the Heat

The next thing you need to do is switch on the gas stove. For a gas stove, this will entail the ignition of the burner. The degree of heat you should use will be determined mainly by the kind of griddle you are using to cook on. If you prefer a steel griddle, you will have to use medium heat since the metal tends to become too hot quickly.

Cast iron will take longer to heat, but it will heat more evenly because of the slower heating process. It is essential to do a water test before putting any food on the griddle or frying pan. Spritz a few drops of cooking oil on the griddle after it has heated up. By what the water reacts, you may determine whether or not the temperature is right enough to start cooking our delicious foods.

It is necessary to use a high level of heat if the water just rests on the griddle. However, if the water evaporates immediately, it may be too hot, and it is at the right temperature if the water starts to bubble the griddle. Nevertheless, the amount of heat required depends on the kind of food you are cooking.

Step 3: Coat the Griddle with Cooking Oil

Griddles now come in a wide variety of designs, some of which are nonstick. Then you do not have to oil the surface to keep food from sticking there anymore. However, since we are dealing with cast iron griddles, you will need to use oil to grease the pan.

You may use whatever kind of oil that you desire for this cooking! As much as it contributes to the prevention of sticking, everything is good. In most applications, a little oil is sufficient to coat the bottom of these griddles; a thin layer is sufficient.

Step 4: Start Cooking the Food

Cooking is the last thing you should do. Depending on your griddle, you can be able to cook a wide variety of foods. Even though the kind of surface on your griddle may, in certain situations, impose some restrictions, For instance, you choose a griddle with edges that will not produce picture-perfect pancakes.

You can not do much with griddle cooking since it is simple. Nothing more than keeping an eye on the flames and checking whether the food is sticking to the bottom is necessary. As long as a recipe calls for cooking time to be specified, make sure you follow the directions precisely as explained. You will never want to use a standard pan for steak again after using a cast iron griddle. You can count on getting perfectly cooked steak every time!

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What Should You Avoid When Using a Cast Iron Griddle on a Gas Stove?

For some reason, that cast iron is excellent for searing meat. Additionally, you can use it to sauté veggies, bake cornbread, crisp up the bacon, and fry eggs, amongst many other foods. What does cast iron should avoid in cooking? There are two types of substances you should avoid: liquids and acids. Rust may form as a result of liquid exposure. Also, acid removes seasoning, which is undesirable. Thus, there is not any vinegar or citrus, as well as no tomatoes. 

How Do You Clean a Cast Iron Griddle?

Cleaning cast iron with soap is not recommended since it removes the seasoning. Take your filthy cast iron pan and use a gritty, dark-green side of a soap-free sponge to scrape it under flowing water until all food particles are removed. Using your gas stovetop, heat it until it has completely dried out (around 3 minutes). Afterward, while the pan is still hot, please take a tiny amount of cooking oil and spread it into the pan’s surface using a paper towel. And there you have it! Restored to near-new condition

How Should You Store Your Cast Iron Griddle?

Keeping cast iron around the house might be a hassle since it is so big and heavy! The cast-iron cookware in my kitchen sometimes simply sits on the gas stove, unused. However, if you want to keep them, we suggest either hanging them with an adequately heavy-gauge hook or stacking them on a cupboard. Using one of these approaches will ensure that you do not ruin the seasoning of your griddle. 

How Do You Season Your Griddle to Make It Taste Better?

We always recommend keeping your pan well-seasoned at all times. It is possible to mend a seriously damaged pan using a variety of demanding methods. However, if you have just seen a few dreary and rough spots, you need to give them some attention. Cooking some bacon is the easiest and most delicious method to restore it for having a shiny surface. If you do not want to use bacon, spread some cooking oil into the pan and cook it over a gas fire for a few minutes. Allow it to cool fully before using your smooth cast iron pan.

Additional Tips

You may also heat the griddle for 10 minutes with a 350 ℉ temperature in the oven before using it on the gas stove. If you do this, your griddle will be heated evenly. Allowing the griddle to cool down before cleaning it is recommended. Remove any residual oil from the griddle using a paper towel before cleaning to make cleaning simpler. It is possible to purchase cast iron griddles that have already had seasoning done, saving you time and money. If you are buying a cast iron griddle from a bazaar, garage sale, or other secondhand sources, be sure you clean and season it before using it.

The cast iron griddle should be re-seasoned when it starts to stick. Apply a thick coating of cooking oil or lard to the griddle’s surface on both sides. Set the oven at 350 ℉ and set the griddle on the middle rack. Place a cookie sheet under the griddle to catch drips that might dirty the oven. Allow the griddle rest in the oven, and then remove it from the oven and allow it cool until it is safe to handle with bare hands. Using paper towels, wipe away any excess oil from the griddle.