Techniques
How to use a griddle pan
The short answer: heat the empty griddle on a medium-high heat for 5 to 10 minutes, oil the food rather than the pan, lay it on the ridges and leave it alone until it releases. For crosshatch marks, turn it 90 degrees halfway through cooking each side.
Step by step
Preheat the empty pan. 5 minutes on a medium heat, then up to medium-high for another 2 to 5. Cast iron heats slowly and evenly; rushing it gives a hot centre and pale edges. It is ready when a drop of water skitters across the ridges and vanishes in a second or two.
Dry the food. Pat meat, fish and vegetables dry with kitchen paper. Surface water steams and stops marks forming.
Oil the food, not the pan. Toss vegetables or brush meat with a thin coat of oil and season. Oil poured into a griddle runs into the grooves, where it smokes and does nothing.
Lay it down and leave it. Put the food diagonally across the ridges, press lightly once so it makes full contact, then don't touch it. It sticks at first and releases when a crust has formed.
Turn once. When it lifts cleanly, turn it over. If it resists, give it another 30 seconds.
Rest meat. 5 minutes on a warm plate before cutting, so the juices settle.
How to get crosshatch marks
Lay the food at about 10 o'clock across the ridges. Halfway through the first side's cooking time, lift it and turn it a quarter turn to 2 o'clock, back onto a fresh part of the pan. Turn it over and repeat. Only the side that faces up on the plate needs the crosshatch, so you can skip the turn on the second side.
What to griddle, and for how long
| Food | Thickness | Time per side |
|---|---|---|
| Sirloin or ribeye, medium-rare | 2.5cm | 2 to 3 minutes |
| Chicken breast, butterflied | 1.5cm | 4 to 5 minutes, until cooked through |
| Salmon fillet | 2.5cm | 3 to 4 minutes, skin side first |
| Halloumi | 1cm slices | 1 to 2 minutes |
| Courgette | 5mm lengthways | 2 to 3 minutes |
| Aubergine | 1cm rounds | 3 to 4 minutes |
| Asparagus | Whole spears | 3 to 4 minutes in total, rolling them |
| Sourdough | 1.5cm slices | 1 to 2 minutes |
| Peaches or pineapple | Halves or 1.5cm rings | 2 minutes |
For steak in detail, see how to cook steak with grill marks.
If something goes wrong
- It sticks. The pan was not hot enough, the food was wet, or it was moved too soon. Wait: most food lets go once it has browned.
- It smokes heavily. There is oil in the grooves. Oil the food instead, and open a window regardless: proper griddling makes some smoke.
- The marks are pale. The pan needed longer to preheat. Give it the full 10 minutes next time.
- Burnt outside, raw inside. The piece is too thick for direct heat. Finish it in the oven at 200°C for a few minutes.
To clean, let the pan cool, soak it in warm soapy water and brush along the ridges with a stiff nylon brush.
The Season Enamelled Cast Iron Griddle Pan
Our Enamelled Cast Iron Griddle Pan was designed by our cooks and chefs for high-heat searing. The interior is enamelled, so there is no seasoning to maintain, but unlike most enamel the finish is matte and slightly rough, so it grips oil. On a conventional griddle, oil runs off the ridges and pools in the grooves. Here it stays on the raised bars, which is where the searing happens. It is 27cm wide, weighs 3.5kg, works on all hobs including induction, is oven safe to 230°C and has a 10 year warranty. It is £60.
If you prefer bare cast iron, there is the Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Griddle Pan (26cm, £38) and the Cast Iron Wide Reversible Griddle (45.5 x 25.7cm, £55), which spans two hobs.
Keep reading
- About the Season cast iron griddle pan
- How to tenderise your steak (dry brining)
- Enamelled or bare cast iron: which should I buy?
- Can you use cast iron on an induction hob?
Questions people ask
Do you oil a griddle pan? Oil the food, not the pan. A thin coat on the food keeps the oil on the ridges where it is useful.
How long should a griddle pan heat up? 5 to 10 minutes. It is ready when a drop of water skitters and evaporates almost at once.
Why does food stick to my griddle pan? Usually it was moved too early. Leave it until it releases on its own.
Can I use a griddle pan on induction? Yes, cast iron is magnetic. Heat it gradually and lift it rather than drag it.
Can a griddle pan go in the oven? Ours can, up to 230°C, which is handy for finishing thick chops after they have been marked on the hob.
Cook it with
Cook like it matters.
From the cooks at Season, a London cookshop since 2005.