What constitutes a grill? Most of us think of a grill as an outdoor cooking appliance with grates, such that grill marks are achievable, whether it’s powered by wood pellets, charcoal or gas. Different regions put different spins on the word, however. “Grill” in the UK, for example, refers to the top-down broiler function in an oven. (Consider Burger King’s “flame broiled” terminology, which also confuses matters.) The very existence of a “flat-top grill,” furthermore, would seem to negate the grates theory as well, since the defining characteristic of a flat top is the very absence of grates.
In truth, “grill” most broadly means the direct application of high heat, in which case all the above methods apply. If you’ve ever struggled with the feeling that you’re supposed to have a grill for outdoor seasonal cooking (the grated kind) but find yourself looking for excuses not to use it — because it’s too hard to clean or because you can’t seem to master it — it’s possible that maybe what you actually need is a flat-top grill.
But is a flat-top grill worth it? I consulted an expert, Erica Blaire, the Food Network’s BBQ Brawl champion, acclaimed pitmaster, and ambassador for Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner. Blaire offered insight into the nuances of flat-top cooking and whether it might be right for you.
What is a flat-top grill and how does it work?
While the term may be obvious to some, many people associate flat tops with indoor cooking, such as on a griddle. “A flat-top grill is basically a griddle,” says Blaire. “You’re going to be searing. You’re not smoking, and you’re not grilling in the traditional sense,” she said. With a flat-top grill, “you are searing on a uniformly hot surface with no airflow underneath it.”
Flat-top grills feature a flat, solid metal cooking surface with zones powered by individual burners, depending on the model’s size. While many small griddles are available for indoor use, some of which can sit directly on your kitchen range for heat, outdoor flat-top grills are typically electric or gas-powered.
What can you use a flat-top grill for?
Consider your typical grill fare or outdoor cooking needs, then ask yourself whether a griddle or flat top might be a better fit than a traditional grill.
“For a flat top, you’re thinking burgers — especially smashburgers — you’re thinking fajitas,” Blaire said, as well as other batch preparations that are entirely out of the grill’s league, like fried rice, eggs and anything that you’re worried would too easily slip through the grates or that which otherwise regularly misbehaves on a traditional grill. (Looking at you, salmon.)
“Because you’re getting such high temperatures and such uniformity on a flat-top surface, the sky’s the limit on what you can do,” she said, which of course also includes the ultimate grill expression: steaks.
Many chefs say cast iron the absolute best way to cook certain types of steaks, even during grilling season; an outdoor flat-top grill offers the same functionality, letting you really crank the heat without smoking up your whole kitchen.
“If you’re doing super thin cuts like a flank steak or a skirt steak, on a griddle, you’re able to get the outside perfectly seared but keep the inside super moist and have lots of flavor without worrying about drying it out,” Blaire said.
What’s more, “with a traditional grill, you’re fighting against the open spaces,” said Blaire, “so all the sauces, those butters, and your herbs or other aromatics may end up in the void. With a griddle, you can put everything on there, and it’s going to stay.”
Maintaining and cleaning a flat top grill
Like a good cast iron, preparing a flat top by seasoning it goes a long way toward making your life easier every time you use it. “Using a thin layer of oil with a high smoke point, you turn up the heat until the oil smokes,” said Blaire, “then let it cool, and do it a few more times, wiping away any excess.” This essentially gives you a nonstick surface.
The particular challenge with a flat-top grill isn’t so much cleaning it, which can be extremely easy, especially if you’ve seasoned it; the challenge is timing the cleaning of it. “A lot of times after you use a flat top, you might just go eat, and think you’ll get to it later,” said Blaire, “but now you’ve ruined your life because it doesn’t have the holes and the void spaces in it, like a grill does.”
A flat top really needs to be cleaned right away, or at least while it’s still warm, so you’ve got a moment to start enjoying the fruits of your flat top labor, but in the pause you risk forgetting about it until after it has cooled. “When a flat top dries and cools, everything is stuck on there,” Blaire says. “So you’re going to be having to take a scraper and use a lot of arm power, but if you clean your griddle as soon as you’re finished cooking, and while it’s still warm, you wipe it down and it’s done.” Most flat tops designed for outdoor cooking also have a small well or catcher for the bits and scraps that collect during the wiping-down process.
Read more: A Step-by-Step Guide to Griddle Cleaning
The cleaning factor is an important consideration for an outdoor cooking host, especially if you have a personality type that makes your life difficult every time you use the flat top. Basically, a flat-top grill can be much easier to clean than a grates grill, but it can also be much harder.
How much does a flat-top grill cost?
Much like charcoal or gas grills, there’s a real range to what you can spend, depending on your size needs and budget. “It really depends on what you’re trying to get, because now every brand is making options in affordable tiers for all levels,” said Blaire.
A quick look at Amazon shows that many standing flat-top grills range in price from about $250 to $700, depending on what accessories you might want included, such as prep shelves and utensil hooks, with a little savings if you’re looking for a tabletop camping model.
Premium models, including complete outdoor flat-top cooking islands, can go from $700 and well beyond. The good news, according to Blaire, is that nearly any flat-top model will get the job done. “As long as all the burners work and the surface level gets hot, you’re good to go,” she said, whereas grated grills that include lids and multiple cooking levels have a lot more factors to consider in terms of value versus functionality.
So you know, for less than $100, you can even get a flat top surface to sit on top of your grated grill — in case you’re reading this and bemoaning the fact that you already own the wrong type for you.
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