Flat Top Griddle Steel Plate Thickness?

[scott123]

A cursory search shows that restaurant griddles are anywhere from 3/8 to 1 inch thick.  3/8 has the advantage of heating faster, but, according to the articles that I've read, 3/8 is more prone to warping.  Can 3/8" steel plate really warp?  1/8" cast iron pans have curves that preventing warping, but I would think 1/4" steel would be pretty warp resistant- at least in the 12" x 12"ish dimensions that I'm looking  at.  I mean, how many 1/4" Baking Steels have been sold?  50K?  100K? One would think that if 1/4" steel would have any issue with warping, at least one Baking Steel owner would have complained by now.

For reference, this is going into a small 15 year old Weber grill. I'm trying to keep the dimensions to a minimum to facilitate the fastest possible preheat times.

[Katie Meadow]

20 minutes ago, scott123 said:

A cursory search shows that restaurant griddles are anywhere from 3/8 to 1 inch thick.  3/8 has the advantage of heating faster, but, according to the articles that I've read, 3/8 is more prone to warping.  Can 3/8" steel plate really warp?  1/8" cast iron pans have curves that preventing warping, but I would think 1/4" steel would be pretty warp resistant- at least in the 12" x 12"ish dimensions that I'm looking  at.  I mean, how many 1/4" Baking Steels have been sold?  50K?  100K? One would think that if 1/4" steel would have any issue with warping, at least one Baking Steel owner would have complained by now.

For reference, this is going into a small 15 year old Weber grill. I'm trying to keep the dimensions to a minimum to facilitate the fastest possible preheat times.

My pizza steel is 3/8 inch and I can't imagine it ever warping. We got that instead of the 1/2 inch option and I'm glad, because it is quite heavy. and does a great job. if you are planning on moving the griddle back and forth from wherever you plan to store it an inch thick griddle would be impossible to deal with. It would have to be built in. 

[palo]

Baking/pizza steels are usually used in the oven (indirect heat) whereas a griddle is subjected to direct heat (gas, electric or induction) which induces the possibility of warpage

 

p

[scott123]

23 minutes ago, palo said:

Baking/pizza steels are usually used in the oven (indirect heat) whereas a griddle is subjected to direct heat (gas, electric or induction) which induces the possibility of warpage

 

This makes sense. I know little about flat top burner configurations, but I've seen countless pizza oven burners and those can distribute heat somewhat unevenly.  i can see how thick steel plate would both help even that heat out as well as fight warping.

Since I'll be putting this in a grill that, for the most part, because of the flavorizer bars, acts a lot like a gas oven, I think I'll be fine with 1/4".  I know a LOT of folks that have put baking steels in grills- it trashes the pizza (too much bottom heat), but it's never warped the steel.

[scott123]

4 hours ago, Katie Meadow said:

We got that instead of the 1/2 inch option and I'm glad, because it is quite heavy. and does a great job. if you are planning on moving the griddle back and forth from wherever you plan to store it an inch thick griddle would be impossible to deal with. It would have to be built in. 

I'm familiar with the heft of steel.  I bake pizza on a 1/2" x 17" x 17" steel plate.  Love the pizza it makes, but that plate is a beast!

[Paul Bacino]

Only a suggestion!!

 

I sourced a metal fabrication company,  that made ( Cut ) me a SS plate.  I use on my grill Weber too,  Think it is 1/4-3/8's.  I hade them put handles on it too.

 

If u get crazy I also had them make me a 1/2"  SS  grill,  SOB  weights is close to 35-40 #

 

If interested I can take pictures,  SS never rusts (  I love it and use it all the time )   No maintance but scraping or high heat burn off

 

" x "  Bacino " the little kiss "

[TdeV]

Yes, Paul. Please post pictures.

 

@Paul Bacino

[Paul Bacino]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and the big Boy

 

 

 

 

or  u can deal with this

 

 

[scott123]

14 hours ago, Paul Bacino said:

I sourced a metal fabrication company,  that made ( Cut ) me a SS plate.  I use on my grill Weber too,  Think it is 1/4-3/8's.  I hade them put handles on it too.

 

That's pretty neat. Thanks for sharing.

It might just be the photo, but, is there a slight bow in the middle?

 

I've thought about stainless.  With my pizza background, I'm super comfortable with A36.  I don't think my plate is ever going to leave the grill.  I may season it.  Or I might find a food safe way to blue it.  Seasoning all depends on what temp I use it at.  If, for whatever reason, I push it beyond 600 on the preheat (if I can), then that would destroy seasoning. I'm also shooting for a $30 price tag, so, if it ends up rusting and I have to replace it, it won't be the end of the world.

[Paul Bacino]

Scott,

 

The plate expands as it heated and  it goes away,  that thing is about 8yrs old too

 

B

 

I  toast  mine to 700,  u never really destroy the seasoning...i will use super high heat to de carbonize the plate,  oil and ur good to go

 

 

I  actually build a pizza oven with , a stone on bottom, two sides of bricks and the plate on top

[scott123]

9 hours ago, Paul Bacino said:

I  toast  mine to 700,  u never really destroy the seasoning...i will use super high heat to de carbonize the plate,  oil and ur good to go

I've always assumed polymerized oil (seasoning) had the same flash point as the original oil, but, to be honest, I've never tested it, so perhaps seasoning is, indeed, happy to 700.  That's helpful information, thanks.  Perhaps I will season it.

Right now, I'm just envisioning steak on a flat top.  Maybe burgers.  I don't foresee myself doing eggs or any of the typical breakfast fare.  So I don't need seasoning for stick resistance, but, perhaps I can avoid some rust and make cleaning it a bit easier.

[paulraphael]

I don't think seasoning really survives 700F. The pan will stay black from the carbon, but the polymerized oils will burn. Effective seasoning is a mix of both. I'd estimate that seasoning starts to break down somewhere north of 500, depending (maybe?) on the kinds of oil it's made from. 

 

FWIW, I was in a restaurant kitchen once that used a grill pan for a few dishes. They kept on a burner on high all the time, so it would always be ready. Probably a ~25,000 BTU/hr burner. That pan was silver-white. Not a hint of seasoning anywhere on the thing. The cooking temp was too high for it to form or survive.