Can You Use Pots And Pans On Your Blackstone Griddle?

A Blackstone griddle is an incredible investment if you enjoy cooking in the great outdoors. Featuring a flat-top plate made of steel, its expansive surface is perfect for making generous portions of foods that would otherwise fall through the grates of a grill, such as classic American pancakes, fried eggs, and veggies. The other perk of a Blackstone griddle is that you can place pots and pans directly on top of the plate to prepare the other elements of your meal.

As a Blackstone griddle has a level surface, you can easily put metal pans, woks, cast iron skillets, and stockpots on top as long as they too have a flat bottom. The bases need to be flat so they can come into contact with the hot surface and sit flush against it, which allows for even heat distribution. The best types of pans to use on a Blackstone or any other brand of flat-top griddle are made of stainless steel or aluminum, because they conduct heat well, or cast iron, which retains heat for longer. Just bear in mind that lighter pans will heat up faster, so you will need to keep an eye on them and adjust the temperature as needed. Cast iron pans will take much longer to heat up but have a tough and durable exterior, making them well-suited to the rigors of cooking outside.

While some might say that the point of using a flat-top is to take advantage of that non-stick seasoned surface and eliminate the need for extra pans, there are plenty of instances where using one makes sense. For instance, preheated pans are useful for preparing gravies, pasta sauces, and glazes that you want to serve with your griddled chicken or steak (and saves you from having to head inside to use the stove in the kitchen). You can also use smaller saucepans for melting butter for basting meats or warming syrup for drizzling over pancakes. Cooking in a pan on a flat-top also allows you to save more of the flavorful liquid released in dishes like vegetable stir fries, which would ordinarily spread out on the griddle and evaporate away quickly.

Meanwhile, fans of flat-tops on Reddit recommend using pans to warm through canned beans, make gravy and biscuits, or prepare delicate fish like salmon. They also mention that pans can be used to deep fry or boil water for cooking pasta, but ultimately warn that it does take more time than using the stove. Of course, pots and skillets contain all the cooking messes in one spot, too, making it easier to clean your Blackstone griddle after use with a quick wipe down.