I was considering the Signature Square Skillet Grill, but Sur la Table is having the 12.5" Bistro Grill on sale right now for $99.96 (Usually $195.00). The Bistro Grill isn’t as deep, but has a larger cooking area which would be good for larger items and skewers. I’m thinking that it will probably splatter further.
I live in an apartment with no outdoor space and am now WFH full-time—so as the outdoor temperature increases in L.A., I’m not going to want to turn on my oven. Granted, even turning on the burners will heat up my place, but I think this will be helpful since I’m cooking/eating most of my meals at home now.
We had a grill pan for many years and realized that we just never used it so donated. If we ‘grill’ on the cooktop we use one of our cast iron skillets. With those we can make little pan sauces.
I can’t recommend the Le Creuset because I haven’t used it. But I received the Emeril Lagasse grill pan as a gift. It’s reversible (griddle/grill), big, heavy, cast iron, takes up 2 burners and is a pain to clean. But! I having it and highly recommend getting a grill pan. The LC looks smaller and much more manageable. Go for it!
It should be a good size for me. I ended up ordering it over the weekend and am looking forward to using it. I think it’ll be great addition and will give me additional cooking options.
@TheCookie ---- any good tips for cooking on the grill pan? or favorite techniques or things to cook?
I finally received mine last week (the 1st shipment arrived broken, so I had to return it and wait several more weeks for a replacement). So far I’ve been experimenting but haven’t locked down the heat warm-up and cooking times yet.
I’ve made a burger (came out great), basic grilled shrimp (I need to try with butter or a marinade next) and marinated chicken thighs (those created a huge mess to clean up). Is it better to use a protein that’s “dry” vs with some sort of marinade or brushed on sauce?
I find that to get any char and still be rare inside it needs to be super hot. Is yours non-stick? Mine is cast iron so it needs a lot of seasoning and because I don’t use it frequently (therefore not seasoned enough) the protein needs to be slathered with oil, also I don’t move the meat until it forms a crust so it doesn’t stick. Yours looks easier because it’s an actual pan with a handle. Mine is a big, heavy square thing that goes across two burners and is a bitch to clean… but I still love it, lolol.
Is that because there’s no well to catch the liquid?
I’m running out but will find & post some photos soon.
This one is enameled cast iron…so it heats up like cast iron but comes precoated so I didn’t need to season it. I’ve tried brushing some oil on the grill before putting the chicken and shrimp down, but maybe brushing the meat is a better way to go.
I didn’t get the one w/ the large handle and higher sides (this one was $100 cheaper). I’ll attach a photo (I got a red one). It has wells, but not very deep ones.
Any tips/photos/recipies you have (and whenever you get to it…it’s not like I’m going anywhere. lol) would be awesome!
Have you tried the same dishes but just in a CI skillet. As I mentioned above, I’m happier with the skillet especially cause I can make easy little pan sauces. And it’s WAY easier to clean than all those little rivers or whatever.
CI would be fine for steaks and stuff like that, but I also want to be able to grill veggies and skewers. I’m looking for more of an outdoor grill effect inside.
I do both. IIRC my Grill Pan came pre-coated too but over time it was scrubbed off and now needs to be treated like a regular CI - it is getting better the more I cook on it.
I found this photo and hope to come across one with meat. It also has a flat griddle on the flip-side.
weeelllll… if I had a backyard or even a balcony I would be using a weber kettle (I so miss my weber…) but I live in an apartment in one of the most densely populated parts of Los Angeles with no personal outdoor space. So, this is probably going to be as good as it gets as far as available options.
I made a panini sandwich the other day and that came out very good too (chicken/mushrooms/swiss). I have a cast iron grill press and this worked well w/ the pan.
I don’t cook, but I do clean our cast-iron grill pan (which is a PITA). Yes, I would probably try brushing the meat, rather than the pan itself. How much oil are you using? My understanding is that, if the iron is seasoned (which isn’t an issue for you, if yours is enameled like a LC dutch oven), you really only need a TINY bit of oil. I read somewhere else that you don’t need to turn the flame up to more than medium (assuming you let the grill warm up fully).
Partner has a lovely chili grilled shrimp “recipe,” but he can’t remember where he got it from. Ancho, cumin, coriander, EVOO (although I personally am not sure if that’s a great idea on a grill), garlic powder. And he just “freehands” the measurements.
Also, do you have a good range hood? Or grill create so much smoke that it often sets off the smoke alarm (which isn’t even near the kitchen).
having it and highly recommend getting a grill pan. The LC looks smaller and much more manageable. Go for it!
