Why have a stainless steel griddle instead of simply a stainless steel pan?
I've seen a lot of gas cooktops that have stainless steel griddles built into them. This seemed like a useful feature, but it occurred to me that I could just throw on a stainless steel pan, presumably to the same effect.
Are there any advantages to having a stainless steel griddle like this vs. a good stainless steel pan?
Best Answer
A built-in griddle has much more area to work with, and is stationary relative to the cooktop, so wouldn't shift when you move food around on it.
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Why use a griddle instead of a pan?
Typically, a frying pan has a round shape and raised walls, while a griddle is rectangular/square and has low /no walls. Additionally, griddles are most suitable for foods needing high heat and fast cooking, whereas a frying pan does better with foods requiring a slow cooking process.Is a griddle better than a frying pan?
Skillets are excellent if you want to fry a steak or two or sear some veg to accompany your meal. However, skillets are the smaller of these pans. So, if you intended on cooking a lot of meat or veg in this way, a griddle may be better. If you have a lot of food to sear or fry, a griddle is a good choice.Is cast iron or stainless steel griddle better?
The simple answer is iron cast is stronger than stainless steel griddles. Yet, it can rust. So, cast iron is more durable and will also last longer if you take care of it properly.What are the disadvantages of stainless steel cookware?
One possible downside of stainless steel is that it may leach heavy metals into food. This is more likely if you cook acidic foods in a stainless-steel pot for a long time. Stainless steel can contain iron, chromium, and nickel, the latter having no nutritional benefit in the body.A TRICK EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW | How to make any stainless steel pan non-stick | THE MERCURY BALL TEST
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Answer 2
A griddle's low sides make it easier to flip large and/or delicate things.
I have not seen the cooktops you speak of, but I lived in a rental with a very huge old gas cooker that had a cast aluminum griddle in the center. It was bigger than the cast iron one my mom's got which covers two burners. A big griddle is pretty fun to have and very handy if you're making breakfast for a crowd, so it's no surprise that a high-end-ish cooker might have one.
tl;dr: Those are for people who really like pancakes.
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