Anyone use 'Grill Pans'

[BigLeonard]

I've seen these on TV and have always wondered what their purpose was. Is it simply to make food look like it's been grilled? Is that it's only benefit? I'm dumbfounded.

 

[jimmyjazz]

We have two -- one is a nonstick grill pan, one is a Lodge cast iron grill/griddle pan.

Both are useless, but for different reasons.

Ultimately, neither one can be heated to the point that's necessary to sear meat well. The nonstick grill pan has an upper temperature limit well below 550 - 600 F, which is where you want to be (minimum) to sear. The cast iron version can go as hot as you like, but the seasoning (in this case, it came pre-seasoned) smokes like a mother and makes the house inhabitable once you're done "grilling". (We have a ventless oven hood, so that's part of the problem, but I have to believe even the most robust exhaust fan couldn't keep up with this amount of smoke.)

 

[accuratehorn]

I have one, and one time I had it in the back of my car in plain view, and went into the HEB, and the windows were rolled down. I remembered my mistake too late-when I returned to the car, there were four more in there.

 

[hornface]

the little tunnels help take the drippings away, so your meat isnt fried.

 

[NickDanger]

I have a Venmar commercial grade hood that will suck your shirt off and it won't keep up with the grill pan.

 

[Texas007]

What everyone else said. The cast iron one is awesome and the food you can make on it is pretty good. But man unless you have some sort of high octane vent hood your house will look like a bbq pit.