Apartment Dweller Seeks Good Grill Pan

[Zen Baker]

I've searched through the numerous cast iron and Le Creuset threads, but haven't really found the answer that I'm looking for.

This is my dilemma: I live in a high-rise with no balcony. I love grilling, especially now that the weather is nice. I have a round non-stick All-Clad grill pan, but it's not really doing it for me. I don't feel like it gets HOT enough for a proper steak, and no grill marks either (I like grill marks). Also - I like panini. Love it actually, and the All Clad doesn't work well for panini. You're also not supposed to get it really hot, which might explain the absent grill marks. I have a few regular cast-iron skillets, but again, no grill marks.

So. I was thinking. If I wanted BOTH steak and panini (though most likely not at the same time), would I be better off with:

A. Regular cast iron grill pan (like Lodge)

B. An enameled cast iron grill pan (like Le Creuset, which is awfully pretty and easier to clean, but does it get hot enough for a steak? Does it matter?)

C. Just giving up and going to one of Chicago's wonderful steak houses or to Little Italy for panini

All the while keeping in mind that I usually cook for one, do not have an exhaust system in my tiny apartment, and have a rather sensitive smoke-detector. Thanks!

Edited May 28, 2005 by Zen Baker (log)

[Fat Guy]

I just gave away my grill pan, because over time I came to the conclusion that the grill pan is not a useful piece of equipment. I've found that for any given food item there always seems to be a better way to cook it than with a grill pan. A lot of people grow up thinking the best way to cook a steak or a burger is to incinerate it on a grill, but if you take a little time to learn other techniques you may come to question whether grilling is ever the best way to cook anything. And whe you add to that the fact that a grill pan is a poor substitute for a real grill, it makes sense to start looking at other ways to cook. For steaks, I think the best results come from searing and creating a crust in a regular cast-iron or stainless-lined heavy copper skillet and then finishing in the oven. I think burgers come out better either in a regular skillet or under the broiler. For panini, I use two cast-iron skillets stacked up -- the bottom of the top one acts as the top half of a makeshift panini press.

[emsny]

I agree with FatGuy, mostly. I have long cooked all "grilled" meat in a skillet, finishing it in the oven if the piece is enormously thick. But I keep a grill pan for one remaining purpose: making lots of toast / "grilling" bread for crostini, etc. It is useful enough that I wish I could find a range-top cast iron grill measuring 24 or 25 inches in length that would fit over two burners of a big ol' Garland six-burner range. That is actually why I am posting: to find out if anyone knows of a source for such a thing. I have yet to find one longer than 19 or 20 inches.

[Fat Guy]

I've never seen one longer than 20 inches. I bet there's something you could rig up, though, like an oven rack atop a sheet pan.

(I do my large quantities of toast in the oven, placing the bread directly on the racks -- the racks even make a few marks if you get the oven hot enough).

[mpav]

I use my Lodge grill pan all the time. Burgers sit up out of the grease, I like the marks on steaks and chops, and my only problem is getting rid of the odor when I grill salmon. Well worth the space in the kitchen.

[Blondelle]

The cast iron enamelled Staub grill pan is MUCH easier to clean than the Le Creuset one. Just rinse and go over it with a Scotch-Brite sponge. The ribs are narrower and closer together too. I have the oblong version. You can get it really hot for a steak, and it's just about nonstick after seasoning. It seasons very easily, even though it's matte enamel inside. You can get a cast iron bacon/panini cast iron press to use with it for about $12. Just heat it on the grill pan, or over a flame and place on top, and instant panini. Here's a link to the press.

http://www.pebbleshop.com/store/bacp.html

The grill is at chefsresource.com., and is $59.99.

I have no exhaust either, and it doesn't smake a lot or set off my smoke detector.

I've searched through the numerous cast iron and Le Creuset threads, but haven't really found the answer that I'm looking for.

This is my dilemma:  I live in a high-rise with no balcony.  I love grilling, especially now that the weather is nice.  I have a round non-stick All-Clad grill pan, but it's not really doing it for me. I don't feel like it gets HOT enough for a proper steak, and no grill marks either (I like grill marks).  Also - I like panini.  Love it actually, and the All Clad doesn't work well for panini.  You're also not supposed to get it really hot, which might explain the absent grill marks.  I have a few regular cast-iron skillets, but again, no grill marks.

So.  I was thinking.  If I wanted BOTH steak and panini (though most likely not at the same time), would I be better off with:

A.  Regular cast iron grill pan (like Lodge)

B.  An enameled cast iron grill pan (like Le Creuset, which is awfully pretty and easier to clean, but does it get hot enough for a steak?  Does it matter?)

C.  Just giving up and going to one of Chicago's wonderful steak houses or to Little Italy for panini

All the while keeping in mind that I usually cook for one, do not have an exhaust system in my tiny apartment, and have a rather sensitive smoke-detector.  Thanks!

←

[emmapeel]

I have two Le Creuset grill pans, but only use the little square one. It's seasoned and easy to clean now, but at first cleaning it was a bitch! It gets very hot and it doesn't smoke as long as there is no oil on it. I oil the steaks, but once they are cooking, I begin getting the smoke factor (a moderate amount). I do have a semi-useless exhaust. I open the windows from the top and hope for the best. After the first time, I've got the smoking under control. I wasn't able to make a decent steak at home without it, but Fat Guy is probably right and I'm going to try it with my cast iron pan next time.

[Richard Kilgore]

I do panini similar to Steven's method, except that I substitute a brick wrapped in aluminum foil for the top pan.

[rlibkind]

Go with the plain old cast iron skillet. If you must have grill marks, do what (I am told) Howard Johnson's central plant did with the frozen burgers they sent to the restaurants: paint 'em on with caramel coloring; if you have that old favorite from the 1950s pantry, Kitchen Bouquet, use that.

[oraklet]

raw cast iron is no doubt the best material for a grill pan: you can heat it till it's smoking without risking to ruin it, which means that it is hot enough to give you grill marks AND at least some of the authentic grill taste.

look for a grill pan with high, sharp ridges that are close to each other. le creuset won't do, in my opinion, as the ridges are rounded, low, and very far apart - AND you pay a lot extra for the enameling which is of absolutely no use, but is rather frail. the swedish make "skeppshults" is ideal, as i see it, but i don't know if it's available in your corner of the world.

and, please forget about seasoning it. it's burned off every time you use the pan, any way.

Edited May 30, 2005 by oraklet (log)

[emmapeel]

and, please forget about seasoning it. it's burned off every time you use the pan, any way.

←

I have not had that experience. After researching seasoning cast iron, I have successfully done it. First, it's a method using bacon fat, not oil. One coats the interior of the skillet in bacon fat, and then bake it in the oven on low heat for 2 hours. After this the skillet should be rinsed and not washed with soap ever, but you can use salt as a cleansing agent. As of yet, I have not had to reseason a pan, but I'm sure I might have to at some point. As Blondelle pointed out, a well-seasoned pan is almost non-stick. Here's another thread regarding stovetop grill pans. There is much discussion on seasoning.

Edited May 30, 2005 by emmapeel (log)

[Ruth]

I just gave away my grill pan, because over time I came to the conclusion that the grill pan is not a useful piece of equipment. I've found that for any given food item there always seems to be a better way to cook it than with a grill pan. A lot of people grow up thinking the best way to cook a steak or a burger is to incinerate it on a grill, but if you take a little time to learn other techniques you may come to question whether grilling is ever the best way to cook anything. And whe you add to that the fact that a grill pan is a poor substitute for a real grill, it makes sense to start looking at other ways to cook. For steaks, I think the best results come from searing and creating a crust in a regular cast-iron or stainless-lined heavy copper skillet and then finishing in the oven. I think burgers come out better either in a regular skillet or under the broiler. For panini, I use two cast-iron skillets stacked up -- the bottom of the top one acts as the top half of a makeshift panini press.

←

I am with Fat Guy when it comes to grill pans, although I enjoy cooking with a good grill. However, if you must have a grill pan I think the Lodge ridged grill pan is about as good as you can get. I don't know if the Italian "bistecceria" is still around. Also made of ridged cast iron it is about 1/2 the size of the Lodge and could easily be turned over on to a large grill pan to satisfy your panini urge. Check around. Mine is 25 or more years old and have no idea whether or not they can still be found

[Shalmanese]

and, please forget about seasoning it. it's burned off every time you use the pan, any way.

←

I have not had that experience. After researching seasoning cast iron, I have successfully done it. First, it's a method using bacon fat, not oil. One coats the interior of the skillet in bacon fat, and then bake it in the oven on low heat for 2 hours. After this the skillet should be rinsed and not washed with soap ever, but you can use salt as a cleansing agent. As of yet, I have not had to reseason a pan, but I'm sure I might have to at some point. As Blondelle pointed out, a well-seasoned pan is almost non-stick. Here's another thread regarding stovetop grill pans. There is much discussion on seasoning.

←

It seems oraket is advocating getting the pan blistering hot in which case any seasoning will be stripped off. At moderate heats, the seasoning should be fine.

[oraklet]

and, please forget about seasoning it. it's burned off every time you use the pan, any way.

←

I have not had that experience. After researching seasoning cast iron, I have successfully done it. First, it's a method using bacon fat, not oil. One coats the interior of the skillet in bacon fat, and then bake it in the oven on low heat for 2 hours. After this the skillet should be rinsed and not washed with soap ever, but you can use salt as a cleansing agent. As of yet, I have not had to reseason a pan, but I'm sure I might have to at some point. As Blondelle pointed out, a well-seasoned pan is almost non-stick. Here's another thread regarding stovetop grill pans. There is much discussion on seasoning.

←

as shalmanese points put, i'm talking smoking hot. and it's actually the grease which at lower temps might become seasoning that smokes when you heat your grill pan. but you're right, a cast iron skillet, which isn't used at extremely high temps, will be almost non-stick if properly seasoned.

[merrybaker]

I...do not have an exhaust system in my tiny apartment, and have a rather sensitive smoke-detector. 

←

Me, too. I've set off the smoke-alarm so many times with my grill pan, that I now turn off its circuit-breaker before I start cooking, and then turn it back on when supper's over. The VCR is on the same circuit, so that has to be set up all over again. A real pain, but worth it because I really love my Lodge grill pan!

[Zen Baker]

Thanks guys, I appreciate all your insights. I bought a 10.5" square pre-seasoned Lodge cast iron grill pan from the Chef's Catalog retail store here in Chicago for $17 (cheaper than ebay, even!). Anyway, I haven't tried it out yet, but I'm pretty excited about it! I still have to pick up a panini press - the one that I wanted at Chef's was sold out. In the meantime, I might try that foil-wrapped brick idea.

[k43]

Bridge has (or used to) its own 12¼ x 19 super heavy corrugated cast iron grill that fits over two burners. They're having a moving sale this week. Bridge Griddles

According to a NY Times article rating stovetop griddles a few years back, Peerless makes a 24" x 36" griddle that fits over 4 burners on its stoves. This may be it: Peerless Griddle Top though I suspect it would take 4 industrial-strength burners to heat it.

[Kevin Weeks]

I've searched through the numerous cast iron and Le Creuset threads, but haven't really found the answer that I'm looking for.

←

A grill pan can't really make up for a charcoal grill. But that said, I have a Lodge pan that does a good job. I use it for steaks and chops, but primarily for pannini -- which I think it does an excellent job on.

The thermal inertia of the cast iron means when it gets hot it stays hot, and once the surface is well seasoned it's as good as teflon.

[emsny]

K43: That's a helluva gizmo, isn't it? I'd seen that on a previous search, but it is just too bulky for apartment living: I need something that can just be slid away into a tall, skinny tray-storage cabinet. From the third photo on that page, though, it looks as though it also comes in a 12 x 24 version to sit over two burners.

[Blondelle]

Amazon has the All-Clad nonstick double burner grill on sale for $55.99. It's usally $99.99. Comes with two free mitts too. Read the reviews on Amazon of the grill pans. Has great reviews. Some even like it better than their cast iron grills. It's puts a great sear on meats, although for just steaks I think the CI has a bit of an edge.

K43: That's a helluva gizmo, isn't it? I'd seen that on a previous search, but it is just too bulky for apartment living: I need something that can just be slid away into a tall, skinny tray-storage cabinet. From the third photo on that page, though, it looks as though it also comes in a 12 x 24 version to sit over two burners.

←

[Kevin Weeks]

A grill pan can't really make up for a charcoal grill. But that said, I have a Lodge pan that does a good job. I use it for steaks and chops, but primarily for pannini -- which I think it does an excellent job on.

←

An update on this post, I'd been working on a post to my blog on the subject when it came up. The post is now available.

http://seriouslygood.kdweeks.com/2005/06/panini.html

Edited June 4, 2005 by Kevin Weeks (log)

[CaliPoutine]

Thanks guys, I appreciate all your insights.  I bought a 10.5" square pre-seasoned Lodge cast iron grill pan from the Chef's Catalog retail store here in Chicago for $17 (cheaper than ebay, even!).  Anyway, I haven't tried it out yet, but I'm pretty excited about it!  I still have to pick up a panini press - the one that I wanted at Chef's was sold out.  In the meantime, I might try that foil-wrapped brick idea.

←

I bought the lodge cast iron press. 14.99 at Bed, bath and beyond, then i used a 20% off coupon too. They do have them at amazon if you're interested.