When it comes to summer cooking, grilling is practically an institution: not only do you get to enjoy your favorite smoky, savory dishes, but you also get to spend extra time soaking up the sunshine and fresh air. Yet as much as we love the deep, charred flavor and signature crosshatch pattern that comes from grilling food directly on the grates, we’re not always in the mood to deal with the flare-ups and heavy cleanup that come with it.
For those days, there’s the griddle—aka, the best workaround we can think of for easier, more convenient grilling. Today, we’re talking about the best griddles to use on a gas grill, and why carbon steel ultimately reigns supreme.
Why Use a Griddle on a Gas Grill?
While grilling directly on the grates is a wonderful way to build rich, deeply savory flavor over direct heat, it’s also messy, volatile, and requires more baby-sitting and grill prowess to prevent flare-ups and burnt food. A high-quality griddle can help mitigate these issues, preventing food and oil from falling into the flames and distributing heat evenly across the pan surface for consistent cooking.
You can also cook foods that aren’t typically compatible with grilling, like smash burgers, pancakes, and eggs, Plus, griddles made from naturally non stick materials like carbon steel and cast iron are easier to clean up than grill grates.
Best Foods for Griddle Cooking
Virtually any food tastes better when cooked on a flat-top griddle atop a grill. Some of our favorites include whole fish, burgers, and pancakes—though you could also cook up perfect omelettes, smoky fried rice, hash browns, and bacon and eggs.
Our Carbon Steel Griddle boasts strategically sloped sides that help contain small pieces of food and grease, making it versatile enough for any recipe.
What to Look for in a Griddle for Use on a Grill
Material Matters:
Regardless if it’s used on the stovetop, the grill, or over an open flame, a good griddle should deliver a balance of high heat tolerance; excellent temperature control, retention, and distribution; and portability. Carbon steel—one of our top favorite cookware materials—hits all of these marks, and allows us to consistently turn out tender, perfectly cooked meats and veggies.
Compared with cast iron griddles, which heat and cool down slowly with relatively poor heat distribution, carbon steel allows you to quickly adjust the temperature for perfect results. Carbon steel also trumps stainless steel, which—while it heats up lightning fast and distributes heat beautifully—has a lower heat tolerance, making it less ideal for cooking over an open flame.
Size & Fit:
This probably goes without saying, but your griddle should be able to fit comfortably inside of your grill. Our standard and half-size Carbon Steel Griddles are designed to fit most gas grills, even with the lid closed.
Handles & Portability:
If you plan to use your griddle while camping or tailgating—or even just in your backyard—you want to make sure you can easily and comfortably carry it. With ergonomic raised handles and a sleek, lightweight build, our Griddle is a dream to transport from backyard to backwoods—whether you have a designated griddle carrying bag or not.
Maintenance & Durability:
This is another area where carbon steel shines: with a naturally non stick cooking surface and durable, warp-proof construction, carbon steel griddles are designed to last—definitely an important trait for something used to cook over live fire. Plus, carbon steel griddles are easy to clean, especially when they’ve been properly seasoned.
The Best Griddle for Gas Grills: Made In Carbon Steel Griddle
The best pick for a griddle used over a gas grill is going to be our Carbon Steel Griddle. There are hundreds of reasons why we think it’s the perfect companion for your Weber, Traeger, Big Green Egg, or other gas grill this summer, but to name a few:
- Heat-safe up to 1200F (like the rest of our Carbon Steel Cookware Collection)
- Made from durable, professional-grade Carbon Steel
- Naturally non stick cooking surface when seasoned
- Dual ergonomic handles for easy transport
- Perfectly sized for most full-size gas grills (with round and half-size options for grills of all sizes)
Tips for Cooking with a Griddle on a Gas Grill
Using a griddle over the grill can make even the most novice grillmaster feel more confident. Here’s a few more tips from our own trial-and-errors to make it even easier for you.
Preheating Tips for Even Cooking:
For deeper, more intense browning and evenly cooked food, always make sure to preheat your griddle on the grill before adding ingredients. Start over low heat to avoid warping, then gradually raise the temperature.
Managing Flare-ups and Hot Spots:
One of the best things about using a griddle on the grill is that it significantly reduces the occurrence of flare-ups, which happen as a result of fat or other liquid dripping between the grates directly into the flames. However, flare-ups can still happen—especially if you overcrowd your griddle or aren’t careful when flipping and stirring food.
A griddle with angled sides can help you avoid this, as can not overloading your griddle with larger quantities of ingredients that spill over. You also don't need to worry about hot and cold spots with our Carbon Steel Griddle, as the cooking surface is designed to mimic the best parts of an even-heating restaurant flattop.
How to Clean After Grilling:
If your griddle is properly seasoned, you’ll likely need just a quick rinse with warm water and a sponge (sans soap) to remove any leftover oil or bits of food debris. However, if that’s not enough to get your griddle clean, you can try one of the deep cleaning methods listed in our guide.
Ready to Shop?
- Carbon Steel Griddle
- Griddle
- $169
A griddle is meant to enhance, not complicate, your outdoor cooking or grilling experience—which is why it’s important to pick the right one. Made from long-lasting, high heat-tolerant, naturally non stick carbon steel, our Carbon Steel Griddle makes it as seamless and easy as possible to create the savory, smoky summertime meals of your dreams.
