Pancake Griddle

How To Season A Cast Iron Griddle

admin — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:33:23 +0000

So if you have followed my advice and purchased a used cast iron pancake griddle from a garage sale you need to know how to season it. So how exactly are you supposed to season a cast iron griddle? Well if you ask 20 grandmas this question you’ll like get roughly the same answer with a little variation. However, I know this method works because I’ve done it myself:

1) Wash your cast iron griddle with warm soap and water

2) Make sure you dry the pan thoroughly by letting it air dry

3) Then place the griddle in a 200 degree oven for just 10 minutes to finish the drying process and to ensure that all moisture is out

4) Rub lard generously around the griddle. Don’t be shy on this step make sure you really pile the lard on!

5) Place the pan face down on your oven rack and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Of course you are going to have a mess in your oven so make sure you place some tin foil at the bottom of your oven to catch as much falling grease as possible

6) Once out of the oven allow the pan to cure for 24 hours before washing

7) Wash and dry your pan with warm sudsy water

Enjoy your newly seasoned griddle as it is now a family heirloom

I have used this process on at least 25 pancake griddles in my day. I have a huge family and have become quite the expert to the point that every family member brings their pan to me for seasoning. Good thing I’m a stay at home mom!

Where To Buy A Pancake Griddle

admin — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:25:25 +0000

So if you are looking to buy a pancake griddle where do you start? There are just so many choices it isn’t even funny. Again we are back to which kind do you want the electric model or the cast iron model. Lets look at each and some possible venues to purchase them.

Cast Iron Versions

The absolute best place to buy a cast iron griddle is at a garage sale. Don’t laugh at this! The secret is in the seasoning as my grandma used to say. You see an old griddle is perfectly seasoned and made of good quality materials. It has likely been used hundreds of times. Just like wine cast iron skillets get better with time! The grease from the cooking oil or meat fat has baked itself into the pan and made it rust proof. Trust me I would take a garage sale pancake griddle over a store bought model any day of the week and twice on Sunday!

Electric Versions

Well this is where the search gets crazy. There are many places to buy an electric griddle. Some include Walmart, Target, Amazon, etcetera, etc. So who has the best variety and who has the best prices? I think the winner is Target. They carry a large variety of griddles in all sizes and at very good prices. My favorite model they carry is the Presto Big Griddle with Cool Touch technology. That is quite a mouthful huh? This unit has a heavy cast aluminum base and a non-stick finish that is very easy to clean. Plus, the unit is big and can prepare food for a very large family. It comes complete with an instruction manual and a small cookbook although I found the cookbook to be a bit weak. The good news on this one is that the thing is rated at 1500 watts and this means there is enough power to cook food well. I guess you could also buy an electric griddle at a garage sale as well but I think with the sheer number of retailers selling this item it makes sense to buy it new.

The decision of where to buy your pancake griddle is yours to make. As stated above my preference is to buy a used one at a garage sale and make it a cast iron version. Then you can enjoy the full experience of using this cooking tool as it was meant to be used.

Pancake Griddle Lovers Unite

admin — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:22:55 +0000

In case you didn’t know the pancake griddle is a staple of the American culture. From electric models to cast iron versions the pancake griddle has been used for more than 150 years in the United States. This versatile cooking tool can be used to make pancakes, cook sausage or bacon, make hashbrowns and much more. Up until the 1950’s the standard griddle was of the cast iron variety. It wasn’t until the 1950’s in the post World War II era that the electric pancake griddle was born. Many households felt that the electric version was much more modern and housewives both young and old used the pankcake griddle as a status symbol.

Nowadays you can still find both the electric and cast iron types. Since I have used many of these throughout the years I thought I would share with you my insights into these products. First lets examine the electric ones. I think one of the most important features is that the griddle have a draining system. Just so you know most do. When you are cooking a very large portion of bacon or sausage you want a place for the grease to drain away from the food. Next, you want a high wattage model something like 1500 watts or more of cooking power. Last thing you need is cold and half cooked pancakes! Finally, you want a pancake griddle that is quite large something on the order of 20 inches plus wide. My big family would kill me if I couldn’t make breakfast quick enough. I have big hungry kids. Some brands that have served me well are the Presto electric griddles and the Hamilton Beach electric griddles. Both are a great choice if you want electric models.

We will now turn our attention to the classic cast iron version of the pancake griddle. These heavy and well made pans spread heat very evenly allowing your pancakes and other food to cook thoroughly which is very important. The one downside to these types of griddles is the seasoning of the pan before use. My grandmother taught me how to season any cast iron pan as follows: first coat the entire pan with bacon fat or lard then bake in a 300 degree oven for about an hour. This process will fully season the pan and prevent rust. One thing is for sure though when you make pancakes on a good cast iron griddle they taste great and cook perfectly! As far as recommendation for cast iron models the absolute best is one that is 50 years old. Yeah thats right, you really want one used by your grandma. If you can’t get a hand me down than the new models from Circulon or Nordic Ware are good choices.

In the end whichever version you choose I think every home should own a good quality pancake griddle. Their versatility can’t be matched and you are owning a little piece of history when you have one. Breakfast as you know is an American staple, at least where I grew up, and having good griddle is a necessity.