I have several posts related to cooking outside and I am always looking for ways to expand on the many ways to cook on the Large Big Green Egg. I saw the Little Griddle Kettle-Q Round Griddle and knew I had to have it.
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While cooking right on the grill surface is a great way to cook nearly everything, there is something rebellious about having the option to cook an omelet or steak sandwich on the grill. Anyone that has used a griddle for cooking hamburgers knows, it can be a messy, smoky affair that leaves a smell in the house that can stay for hours or even days.
The griddle takes those problems and moves them outdoors. The griddle is an impressive, heavy piece of stainless steel. It is one piece with several smoke vents under it that allows the smoke to escape. It has a grease well that extends across the entire front of the griddle to make it easier to clean up later.
Note: I get paid commissions for purchases made through any links to Amazon products in this post.
While cooking right on the grill surface is a great way to cook nearly everything, there is something rebellious about having the option to cook an omelet or steak sandwich on the grill. Anyone that has used a griddle for cooking hamburgers knows, it can be a messy, smoky affair that leaves a smell in the house that can stay for hours or even days.
The griddle takes those problems and moves them outdoors. The griddle is an impressive, heavy piece of stainless steel. It is one piece with several smoke vents under it that allows the smoke to escape. It has a grease well that extends across the entire front of the griddle to make it easier to clean up later.
TIME FOR TESTING
To test the griddle, I started up the grill using the Aura Electric Outdoor Charcoal Lighter (which I prefer to the Big Green Egg version because the handle is longer). Once I had a good fire going, I put the griddle on top of the grill and let it heat up for a while.
One I had a hot surface, I lightly toasted the top of the buns before I did anything else. Once that was complete, I threw on some hamburgers (my preference is the America's Test Kitchen/Cook's Illustrated process for the meat), but in this case, I just had some 85/15 ground beef since I wasn't worried about them drying out.
I got them onto the griddle and flipped them a couple of times. I am too cheap to buy a ThermoWorks Thermopen, but I always use a ThermoWorks Thermopop which is fast, inexpensive and fantastic for my needs. Once I had the burgers to the desired temps, I moved the grease to the back of the griddle and put the bottom buns on the front of the griddle, placed the hamburgers on them, put American cheese on top of the burgers, and then placed the top of the buns over the cheese. It only took a few seconds for the cheese to melt, and I pulled them off.
Once we had them on the plate, I remembered why I wanted the griddle. The burgers were juicy and tasted fantastic. I should note that I was using Cherry wood chunks, but I would suggest a heavier wood like Mesquite to get more smoke if you like a smokey flavor because I did not taste as much smoke as when I place the meat right over the flame.
One I had a hot surface, I lightly toasted the top of the buns before I did anything else. Once that was complete, I threw on some hamburgers (my preference is the America's Test Kitchen/Cook's Illustrated process for the meat), but in this case, I just had some 85/15 ground beef since I wasn't worried about them drying out.
I got them onto the griddle and flipped them a couple of times. I am too cheap to buy a ThermoWorks Thermopen, but I always use a ThermoWorks Thermopop which is fast, inexpensive and fantastic for my needs. Once I had the burgers to the desired temps, I moved the grease to the back of the griddle and put the bottom buns on the front of the griddle, placed the hamburgers on them, put American cheese on top of the burgers, and then placed the top of the buns over the cheese. It only took a few seconds for the cheese to melt, and I pulled them off.
Once we had them on the plate, I remembered why I wanted the griddle. The burgers were juicy and tasted fantastic. I should note that I was using Cherry wood chunks, but I would suggest a heavier wood like Mesquite to get more smoke if you like a smokey flavor because I did not taste as much smoke as when I place the meat right over the flame.
FINAL THOUGHTS
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All in all, I was very impressed with griddle. It performed like a champ and the results reminded me of the fantastic soul burgers at Earnestine & Hazel's in downtown Memphis that I haven't had for years. The cleanup obviously took more time than just cooking the burgers directly on the grill, but it was easier than cleaning up the kitchen after cooking burgers in the house. I can't wait to try my hand at "Philly Cheese Steak" sandwiches.
NOTE: The Little Griddle maker has a great website with videos and recipes.
NOTE: The Little Griddle maker has a great website with videos and recipes.
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