Cooking on a Flat Top Grill: How to Perfect Your Technique

Cooking on a flattop grill isn’t like cooking on a traditional grill. You’ll have a wide, flat space to work with, which gives you more room to perfect your technique; this space is also perfectly suited to certain types of food. If you have an outdoor flat top grill, you’ll have even more flexibility, since you won’t have to worry about odors or vapors – and you’ll have a much easier cleanup on your hands when you’re done.

But what tips and techniques can you use to master the art of cooking on a flat top grill?

Pay Attention to Storage and Accessibility

Cooking on a flat top grill isn’t especially difficult, especially if you already have some grilling experience. But getting everything ready and making it available for you as you grill can be nightmarish if you’re not properly prepared.

Keep storage and accessibility in mind, using carts, trays, or caddies to store all the food ingredients and utensils you’re going to need while cooking. It’s also a good idea to prep everything you need in advance, so you’re not chopping vegetables or cutting meat when it’s time to grill.

Don’t Use the High Setting (Without Caution)

Many inexperienced flat top grillers immediately turn to the high setting. They believe that setting the griddle to high will make it heat up faster, therefore shortening the time between initial food preparation and consumption.

This is usually a bad idea. Relying on the high setting isn’t going to preheat your grill much faster, but it’s going to make the temperature of the surface much hotter than it should be. If the grill is too hot, your food won’t cook properly. Instead, rely on lower settings and cook for a longer time if necessary.

Get to Know Your Temperature and Heat Settings

Every flat top grill is slightly different, so it’s going to take you time to get to know your temperature and heat settings. Some online instructions and recipes encourage you to use “low” or “medium” settings, but you’ll probably have to do some fine tuning on your own once you get to know your grill better.

Use Multiple Burners

If your flat top grill runs hot, you may feel like the best course of action is to use a single burner; after all, one burner will produce far less heat than two burners. However, this usually results in lopsided heating, making it more difficult for you to cook your food evenly and predictably. You’re much better off using multiple burners simultaneously on a lower setting.

Turn the Flat Top Grill Off Early

You should turn your flat top grill off a few minutes before you’re actually done cooking. This is a simple way to save energy, while allowing you to retain enough heat to finish cooking and warming your food. It’s also a great way to prevent burning and overcooking.

Use a Scraper to Clean (and Clean as You Go)

A scraper is going to be your best friend while cooking on a flat top grill. It’s easily the most useful tool for scraping up stuck on food and keeping your griddle clean. The best way to utilize this cleaning instrument is to continue using it as you go, cleaning up small messes as they arise.

Keep Your Surface Oiled

After you’re done cooking and cleaning the surface of the grill, apply a thin coat of the oil of your choice with a rag. Your intention isn’t to season the grill surface the way you might season a cast iron skillet; instead, this thin layer of oil protects your grill from accumulating rust.

Utilize Pans and Pots on Your Flat Top Grill

Don’t be afraid to use pots and pans on your flat top grill; in fact, this is an excellent way to cook multiple types of food simultaneously. You can sauté a pan full of vegetables on one side of the grill, while cooking sausages on the other side, directly on the surface.

Create Different Temperature Zones

Next, consider creating different temperature “zones” on the flat top grill. You can have one area with high heat and another area with low heat; when you’re done cooking food in the high heat area, you can move it to the low heat area to keep it warm before serving. This is also a good way to cook different types of food at the same time.

Keep Experimenting

Finally, be ready to keep experimenting. There’s a lot to learn about your flattop grill, and there’s never a shortage of new recipes to try. The only way to get to know this kitchen appliance better is to use it more frequently and continue challenging yourself.

With a flat top grill, you can open the door to new culinary possibilities and cook your old favorites like never before. And if you follow these tips, you’ll be in an even better position to find success.