Firing up the grill usually means leaving pots and pans in the kitchen, but is that the best plan or just a habit? There’s no unwritten grilling code that says the grates must be the only surface in play. Cooking over grates presents a host of problems, not least of which is the inability to get a full sear on certain meats while other, slighter foods fall through to the flames below.
It’s easy to assume the whole point of grilling is direct flame contact — those char marks on a steak, a pizza, a slab of cheese, a piece of fruit, whatever you’ve decided to cook outside that day. And surely anything that calls for a pot or pan is better handled on the stove indoors anyway… right?
Not exactly. A cast-iron skillet has just as much of a place in outdoor cooking as the grill itself. You’ve probably used a cast-iron skillet over an open flame while camping — there’s no reason it can’t earn its keep right on the grill, too.
Many grillable items actually fare better on a flattop or cast-iron skillet than on an open flame, and there’s no rule against using your grill as the heat source for high-heat equipment like a cast-iron skillet. Here are the reasons, tips and tricks for letting your cast-iron skillet do some of the grill work this summer.
Reasons for putting your cast-iron skillet on the grill
First, remember — “grilling” technically refers to direct, high heat. Grates are optional — so is the outdoors. So if you somehow feel like you’re not honoring the spirit of “grilling” with a cast-iron skillet, put that thought aside. At least semantically, you absolutely are.
As for the why of bringing the cast-iron skillet out to play with the grill, “the biggest benefit is being able to effectively cook an entire meal in one place,” says Brad Baytch, YouTube’s Butcher Wizard and author of Primal Cuts: A Butcher’s Guide to Selecting, Preparing, and Perfecting Beef. “So many times when you’re grilling, you are splitting your time. If I have to run inside to tend to the side dishes, my steaks run the risk of overcooking on the grill,” he says. “If you can find a system where you can cook everything on the grill, it just makes getting dinner done easier.”
Also consider that bringing the cast iron skillet outside actually allows it to live up to its greatest, high-heat potential. “Another benefit of using cast iron outdoors is ventilation,” says Breanna Stark, cookbook author and founder of Married to BBQ. “When you heat oil above its smoke point, you will end up smoking up your house quickly, or even setting off the indoor fire alarm,” she says. “Cooking outdoors with cast iron allows for infinite ventilation that will prevent the smoke or the smell from filling your house,” while allowing the cast iron to most effectively do what it was born to do, she says.
Foods that benefit from cast-iron cooking, even when a grill is available
Some steaks absolutely want those grate marks, or the ambient smoke that woodfire grilling can provide, but “the main benefit when cooking steak in a cast-iron pan is that the steak can cook in its own fat,” says Baytch, which can provide more appealing flavor than that of even the most perfectly grate-grilled steaks. “The caramelization on a well-seared steak is more even and not as bitter as a charred-on-the-grill steak,” he says, and putting the cast iron skillet on the grill allows you to cook items side-by-side that do really benefit from grilling in the classic sense.
In addition to steaks and other meats, “there are some foods that you don’t want to place directly on the grill grates like certain fruits, cheeses and other soft foods that may not stay together as they heat up,” Stark says. “Additionally, cast iron is a great way to prevent an over-abundance of grease when you are cooking things wrapped in bacon, like jalapeno poppers, that can help prevent flare-ups on the grill.”
Also consider how many times you’ve lost certain items to the pit because of poor grate management. “Vegetables like asparagus, carrots and broccoli can vary in size and run the risk of falling through the grill grates,” Stark says. “The cast-iron pan will help keep everything on the grill and not down in the grease trap.”
Once the cast-iron skillet is outside, consider other items that may not have been part of your grilling repertoire before. Baytch recommends a cast-iron skillet for “smaller vegetables like Brussels sprouts or diced potatoes,” but why shouldn’t your grilled burger get its companion fries while you’re grilling outside? Yes, you could bring out the air fryer, but in the true spirit of grilling, cast iron allows you to cook them in the same line of fire, so to speak.
Best practices for using a cast-iron skillet on the grill
If you’re ready to take your cast iron with you outside, Baytch and Stark recommend a few best practices to get the most out of it.
“The most important thing to remember when you are using a cast iron skillet on a grill is to give the skillet adequate time to preheat,” Stark says. “While cast iron is great for retaining heat once it’s hot, it can take some time to reach a proper cooking temperature because of the thickness of the metal,” she says. “A good rule of thumb is to place the cast iron on the grates of the grill while the grill is preheating and let it sit for a minimum of 15 minutes prior to adding any food or oil.”
You’ll also want to manage the cast-iron skillet with a dual- or multi-zone mindset. “After you’ve preheated it, you can shift the skillet to a less hot part of the grill, and it will stay hot,” freeing up the hottest space for other items, Baytch says.
Finally, practice additional safety when bringing the cast iron outside, since its handle is also exposed to heat on a grill, unlike on the stovetop. “The handle of the pan will get extremely hot,” says Stark, “so you want to have a pair of heat-resistant gloves, a dry towel or an oven mitt close by to prevent burning your hands when you remove it from the grill.”
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