If you’re serious about cooking, then you need a cast iron griddle pan in your life. It’s the cookware of choice for most chefs, deployed in Michelin star kitchens and gourmet burger joints alike. If you don’t own one, it’s about time you got your hands on one of these searingly hot pans. Yes they are heavy and an absolute bugger to clean, but every cook needs one. Whether you’re cooking marinated meat, tenderised squid or slices of aubergine, you know it tastes better with that criss-cross of charred, caramelised goodness. So, with all that high praise ringing loud, here are 5 IDEAL reasons why Le Creuset’s cast iron griddle pans are a worthy investment for any kitchen.
IT RAISES THE BAR
Quite literally. It’s the raised bars that make the real difference. These ridges provide the real flavour, caramelising meat and vegetables and giving a smoky, grilled taste. Those smoky lines of blacks across your meat and vegetables that are satisfyingly crunchy don’t only taste amazing, they also make your food look all the more appetizing. The raised ridges on a griddle pan are also great for draining excess fat, allowing it to flow out of the meat, keeping it grease-free and super tasty.
IT COOKS EVENLY
Chefs consider cast iron pans to be precision cooking tools. This is because they conduct and retain heat efficiently. If you’ve ever had a pan with a really bad hot spot, where half your foods burnt and the other half is barely cooked, you’ll know why this is important. With a cast iron pan, you can say goodbye to cooking hotspots for good.
IT WON’T STICK
If you season your cast iron pan correctly, it becomes nonstick. It does take time and lots of cooking to build up a nonstick surface on your iron pan, but it’s worth the effort and the time. Make sure you read the information provided with a quality griddle, as the approach you take before you even sear your first steak has a lasting impact on the product.
IT’S VERSATILE
Your can use it on top of the stove, the most common method with these great pans, but they boast surprising versatility. It can go in the oven, enabling you to finish off cooking a larger piece of meat for even, perfectly finished results. What’s more, it can take a super high-heat, conducting proceedings with the skill and grace of an orchestra leader.
IT’S ECONOMICAL
A quality cast iron griddle pan will last a lifetime with proper care. You’ll save money investing in a good one, rather than wasting it on many mediocre pans that will just crack and burn. So please don’t throw away that old one which was your mothers or grandmothers. Cast iron is built to last. As long as it isn’t damaged, you can clean it, season it and use it. Also you’ll save on soap as once a cast iron pan is seasoned, soap actually damages it.
