Non-stick or iron cooking plate, which is better?

We are often asked why we only have iron griddles, grills and grills in the store. That is why we have made this complete guide to find out why it is important to use an iron grill if what we really want is to GRILL, given that there is no comparison in the results of using iron grills, pans and grills when grilling, versus doing it in a non-stick pan or grill. You will also see tips to be able to choose between the different types of griddles that exist.

Below you will see:

• Why You Need a Cast Iron Cooking Grill to Actually Make Plancha
• The great benefits of cooking in iron
• Types of iron grills that exist
• Buy a round or square grill
• Reasons to choose between a smooth griddle or a grill with grooves
• When you might want to cook on a non-stick griddle
• How to use cast iron grills: tips for cooking on cast iron

1. Why a grill, pan or iron griddle to make a grill?

When you grill, you want to quickly seal the food to retain all the juices inside and grill the meat, vegetables or fish in just a few minutes, also acquiring that grilled flavour so characteristic of a good roast.

To do this, to seal and really roast, what you need is TEMPERATURE: a lot of temperature to seal in one second.

And how do you get that high temperature? With iron. Only with an iron griddle will you achieve the high temperatures you need for a good roast (with non-stick grills, you will never get the same temperature, it is a physical issue of the materials themselves). Iron can get red hot!

Le Creuset iron griddles .

2. Other ADVANTAGES of cooking in iron

1. By quickly sealing with iron, the food practically does not release juices, so all the flavor remains concentrated inside.
2. The juices that are released evaporate quickly, due to the temperature of the iron. In a non-stick pan or grill, the food is more likely to boil over precisely because of this: the juices are released because you are not able to seal it properly, and the liquid that remains on the grill does not evaporate and boils the meat instead of actually roasting it.
3. An iron utensil lasts a lifetime, literally!
4. Non-stick grills should not be put on high heat because it burns the non-stick coating (and becomes harmful to your health, so you will never be able to make a good grill for that very reason), and over time and with washing they lose properties, become scratched and have to be changed.
5. Most cast iron grills are made entirely of iron, which makes them completely oven-safe . Do you know what you can do on cast iron grills besides using them as a griddle? From roasting a chicken in the oven to some potatoes, spreading a pizza base on it and baking a delicious pizza in the purest Italian style, making puff pastry tarts also in the oven, making breads and galettes, making cookies that will brown in no time. A cast iron griddle is an ideal oven base for baking dough , for the same reason that it is a good griddle: the iron in the oven will get very hot, and will cook the dough in no time leaving crispy crusts and a fabulous bake.

3. Types of iron grills and how to choose

Broadly speaking, we can classify iron grills according to 3 characteristics:

3.1. Iron grills according to the iron of their construction:

• Vitrified cast iron griddles and skillets: Le Creuset griddles and skillets are griddles that have been made by pouring molten iron (iron in a liquid state) into sand molds, they have been cooled and a vitrified coating has been applied to protect them from rusting and also helps prevent food from sticking. They are more expensive than other iron griddles, but their design, construction, the ability to clean them without having to dry them immediately and the help that the vitrified coating provides to prevent food from sticking, if you can afford it, is worth it. They are griddles with a lifetime guarantee (isn't that all said?). A one-time investment in a griddle that will last a lifetime.

• De Buyer grills and pans: you cangrill on De Buyer's Mineral B iron . Regardless of whether we are talking about the brand's Mineral B frying pans, grills, crepe makers or paella pans, you will be grilling on an iron plate that has been shaped with the help of a press, and a layer of 100% natural beeswax is applied to them, which will help to a certain extent to prevent them from rusting and from sticking in the first uses, until a natural patina is generated.

• Other iron griddles and pans: new concepts are emerging that are worth considering, such as WMF's Fusiontec griddles and pans . They are still 100% natural grills, which have been built by fusing iron and other minerals at high temperatures, giving them a natural non-stick coating. They are modern, attractive and come with a 10-year guarantee.

NOTE: All of them are iron plates, 100% natural, chemical-free, suitable for all types of fires (they also induct wonderfully) and that will last you a lifetime.

Le Creuset Skillet and De Buyer Cast Iron Grill Pan

3.2. Smooth or grooved iron: Why choose a grooved or smooth iron?

You can cook it on a smooth griddle or grill or on the classic grill with a ribbed bottom.

• Ridged irons help you:

• Let the meat be marked with the classic grill lines
• Food sticks less, because there is less contact surface between the food and the grill.
• Allows air to circulate beneath the food, creating a caramelisation effect on the juices that are released and achieving the purest and most authentic touch of the grill.

The big con is that it is more difficult and time-consuming to clean them.

The most popular among these are the round grill , the rectangular grill and the folding handle grill from Le Creuset .

• Smooth grills

Smooth grills have the great advantage of being very quick to clean, and they are also more versatile: often we don't dare to cook certain fish on grooved grills, and above all, as they are suitable for the oven, on a smooth grill you can also make biscuits, puff pastries and oven-baked pizzas, something that you won't be able to do as well on a grooved grill because of its grooves.

Unless you're primarily going to be cooking meat, you're a purist when it comes to cooking meat with that more authentic caramelization effect, you care a lot about the aesthetics of stripes and you're not lazy about cleaning, we highly recommendsmooth grills , they really are more practical when it comes to cleaning and using.

3.3. Choosing a round, square or rectangular grill

The usual shape of the hob is round, so the best thing to do is to choose a round grill for an even distribution of temperature, since it is distributed radially and the entire surface and sides will heat up at the same time. If the size of the round grills suits you, it is a great option. In addition, Le Creuset's best-selling griddle, the smooth round griddle , is already very large, 32 cm in diameter; or the very popular Skillet frying pan , in which you will undoubtedly make grilling, also comes in many diameters.

But if there are a lot of people at home or you usually cook a lot of food, you will need a larger rectangular grill . Also if you want to use the grill often to make pizzas and rectangular cakes, or as a baking tray. These are the cases in which a rectangular grill is recommended. The most popular among them are the Le Creuset deep grill with handles and the Le Creuset Tradition .

Rectangular grills with folding handle (also in square ),round grill and square Le Creuset Skillet

When to use a non-stick griddle

There are times when we do recommend non-stick grills, especially:

• If you are not able to lift a lot of weight and are looking for a lighter grill, especially for older people or people with physical difficulties, they see a benefit in choosing a non-stick grill. We highly recommend the Infinity grill from BRA , with its ultra-reinforced coating and very wide, it is a great non-stick grill.

It should be said, if this is the case, that if you are looking to grill on a light but 100% natural surface, then it is advisable to use a stainless steel pan .

• For cooking white fish and for gentler cooking: it is difficult to keep white fish from falling apart when grilling, so we recommend a non-stick grill. However, if this is the case, I have a tip for you: use an iron grill but place baking paper on top, placing the fish on top. You can take advantage of the high temperature of the iron to cook the fish, using a 100% natural surface.

BRA Infinity Grill and Le Creuset Cast Iron Grill with Folding Handle

How to use cast iron grills: tips for cooking on cast iron

• Cast iron grates will distribute heat fantastically, but put them on low heat from the start to give it time to distribute the heat to the edges of the grill. Once the whole thing is hot, you can turn the heat up to full.
• The iron first grabs the meat and then releases it. That's why, if you try to turn the food on the grill and see that it's stuck, it's raw. Don't insist, wait a few more minutes and try again. It may be a bit stuck at some point, but turning the meat when it's seared shouldn't be difficult - when you see that you can do it, it's time.
• Cast iron is ideal for meat, vegetables and oily fish. White fish requires gentle cooking, and it is the only thing that is appropriate to cook on non-stick (so that it does not stick or crumble). However, you can also grill white fish on the cast iron grill: place a sheet of baking paper on top of the grill and place the fish on top.
• Cast iron grills do not scratch, you can handle the food with all kinds of utensils, from tongs to cast iron spatulas.

Remember that you will find all the griddles, grills and skillets that we have talked about in our Grills and Grills section .