How to Cook with a Griddle

by Lindsay Wilcox

Cooking breakfast or even dinner on a griddle doesn't have to be reserved for camping anymore; in fact, you can simplify your cooking by using electric grills instead of a bunch of pots and pans. With the right electric griddle and a bit of cooking oil, you can feed a crowd in minutes. Read on for tips on cooking with a griddle indoors and out.

Cooking on a Griddle:

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• Start simple.

  If you've never used an electric griddle to cook before, you'll want to begin with meals that are easy to make. Pancakes are a good place to start; just wipe a bit of cooking oil onto your pancake griddle and preheat the griddle to 350 degrees. Test the heat of the griddle by pouring a drop of water onto it and watching how quickly it evaporates; you want a lower temperature so you don't scorch your pancakes. Once your griddle pan is ready, pour the batter onto the surface and flip your pancakes when they begin to bubble.

• Combine flavors.

  One of the nice features of a cast-iron griddle is the ability to cook different foods at once. This works especially well for breakfast or for goulash-style dishes at dinner. For a delicious, easy-to-make breakfast, cook a batch of bacon on your pancake griddle first, wipe the surface with paper towels and then make scrambled eggs or pancakes. The entire meal will take on the flavor of the bacon when you pour other foods onto the thin coat of bacon drippings left behind. Be careful when trying to cook over-easy eggs on a cast-iron griddle; it is difficult to keep the yoke intact when the egg slides across the surface.

• Use plenty of cooking oil.

  In order to keep foods from sticking to your iron griddle or burning, you'll need to add cooking spray or a liberal amount of oil to the surface. If you don't like the greasiness of foods cooked on an iron griddle, use paper towels to blot the oil, especially on bacon. You can also avoid as much grease by using cooking spray on a propane griddle, as it is easier to apply than oil.

• Try using foil for thicker foods.

  To make sure ham, steaks and other meats are cooked thoroughly on a griddle pan, wrap them in foil and surround them by vegetables, including fresh corn, sliced potatoes and zucchini; flip them every few minutes to ensure the center is done. Pizza can also be cooked on a propane griddle if wrapped in foil. Don't forget to try making tin-foil dinners on a grill and griddle. Simply add chopped potatoes, carrots, zucchini, celery and pork or hamburger meat and seasonings to a pocket of foil. Cook your dinners on a double-burner griddle so you have room for a few more packets for your family.

• Cook everyday meals.

  A grill and griddle doesn't have to be used for full-blown dinners or breakfasts. Avoid the clean-up and cook grilled cheese sandwiches on a simple double-burner griddle, or purchase a crepe griddle to craft beautiful Scandinavian pancakes each time you use it. A crepe griddle can also be used to make thin tortillas or shells for enchiladas or burritos.