Indoor Grilling
There are times when grilling outdoors is impossible or just impractical. But if you’re craving the seared, juicy results that only grilling brings, an indoor grill pan is your new best friend. Our enameled cast iron and Toughened Non-stick PRO grill pans bring the delicious flavor of outdoor grilling conveniently indoors. From savory whole fish to a colorful mixed grill, our grill pans give you sun-soaked flavors in any weather.
What can you grill indoors? Pretty much anything you can cook on the outdoor grill. Stove-top grilling is perfectly suited for quick cooking ingredients like steaks, burgers, summer veggies and even meat alternatives like tofu. They all come off the grill with gorgeous sear marks and delicious char-grilled flavor. And for longer cooking recipes, such as a pork loin or half-chicken, the entire grill pan can be placed in the oven after searing on the stovetop to finish cooking.
Grilling Tips from our Kitchen
Preparing food for indoor grilling is easy and much the same as for the outdoor grill. Let the meat or veggies come to room temperature before grilling and then season. Dry rubs, marinades or a simple salt and pepper dusting are all welcome.
A key step when grilling indoors is to remove any excess moisture from your ingredients before they go on the heat. Dripping liquid will steam the food from the bottom and create smoke in the kitchen. To prevent this, pat the food dry with paper towels before placing it on the hot grill to ensure good sear lines. The high heat sear will seal in the juices with tender, flavorful results.
Another important thing to note about our enameled cast iron grill pans is that they will develop a natural patina over time, similar to a raw cast iron pan. The patina builds up to make the pan virtually non-stick and even easier to use. While it’s tempting to want to really scrub your grill pan to clean it, note that this will remove the patina. If you’re looking for a grill pan that is easier to maintain, then be sure to try our Toughened Non-stick PRO grill pans as well.
Ready to get grilling? Here is our recipe for indoor grilling success:
- Bring your meat to room temperature – Room temperature meats, and also vegetables and tofu, sear better and cook more evenly when they aren’t straight from the fridge. Let your ingredients sit at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes before you start.
- Season the meat – Add your choice of seasoning before placing the food on the grill. This is a great time to add any smoky elements, like smoked paprika or chipotle powder, to mimic those smoky flavors of an outdoor grill.
- Preheat the grill pan – For the best results, the pan needs to be evenly heated. Let the grill pan heat for about 5 minutes on medium to medium-low heat. The heat level depends on your stovetop, so it might take a few tries to figure out the perfect level for you.
- Oil the pan – Using one of our silicone basting brushes, lightly oil the pan to increase caramelization and prevent sticking. We recommend an oil with a high smoke point – like grapeseed or canola. Heat the oil just until simmering, not smoking.
- Grill undisturbed – Once you place the meat or vegetable on the grill pan, let it sit for a few minutes until it releases naturally from the pan. Then flip and sear the other side for perfect grill marks.
- Rotate 45 degrees – For that photo-worthy, cross-hatch pattern, rotate the meat 45 degrees and sear again before the first flip.
- Finish in the oven – Unlike an outdoor grill, the grill pan doesn’t have circulating heat on all sides. To finish cooking larger cuts of meat or thicker cut vegetables, place the whole grill pan in the oven until the desired internal temperature is reached.
- Let the meat rest – For any cut of meat, let the food rest after cooking to finish cooking and seal in the juices. Vegetables don’t need any rest time so you can enjoy them immediately off the grill.
- Clean your pan – After the pan has cooled down slightly, clean the grill pan with mild soap, warm water and our Grill Pan Brush. Check out our “How to Clean a Grill Pan” post for more details.
- Dry the pan – Dry thoroughly to protect the black satin enamel interior and the patina.
How to Choose your Grill Pan
An effective indoor grill pan has two requirements: heft and high ridges. All of our grill pans promote even heat distribution so the grill stays piping hot and cooks evenly. And the high ridges drain off excess fat and allow grease to drip away from the food as it cooks. The black satin enamel interior of our cast iron grill pans allows for higher surface temperature cooking, for even searing and caramelization. And the triple-reinforced textured interior of our non-stick pans promotes browning and searing for exceptional flavor.
The exact grill pan you choose will depend on the amount and size of foods you want to prepare and the type of stovetop in your kitchen. Single-burner grill pans like our Signature Deep Round Grill or Signature Square Skillet Grill work well on electric, gas and induction stovetops, and are ideal for grilling 2-4 steaks or chicken breasts. The Giant Reversible Grill is designed for larger format grilling projects and really works best with a gas stovetop. A whole rack of pork ribs or a mixed grill with multiple elements will easily fit on this versatile piece of cookware. If you’re looking for a pan that is versatile, easy to use and easy to clean, then try our Toughened Non-stick PRO Grill Pan.
No matter what grill pan you choose, though, once you have one in your kitchen you’ll put grilling on the menu year-round.
