The cult of healthy food is incredibly popular in the modern world. But, often, such dishes are simply tasteless, moreover, they are quite expensive. Hence the question arises: "How can you prepare food so that it turns out not only healthy, but also tasty?" Of course, there are many factors required to successfully achieve this goal. But, perhaps, one of the most important is the right choice of dishes. It's no secret that many people who follow the diet have long since replaced conventional pans with grilled pans. What are they and what are they? What are their advantages and disadvantages? Most importantly, how to choose the best grill pan for 2020?
Content
Grill pan
The peculiarity of this type of cookware is the presence of a ribbed bottom, which allows you to replace the grill surface used for cooking on the barbecue grill. This element of kitchen utensils also differs from an ordinary frying pan by the presence of thick sides and a thick bottom, which is due to the peculiarities of its operation. What are these features, and how is the process of cooking in a grill pan carried out?
Cooking process
When the pan is heated, the walls and bottom create an intense heat, also known as the “oven” effect. Juice flows into the protruding parts - the gutter, in which, being soaked, the product is fried. Due to the above factors, the dish reaches a state of readiness without burning.
This dish is intended for cooking meat, poultry, fish, seafood, as well as delicious dishes with vegetables and fruits.
Advantages and disadvantages
Like everything else in this world, this kitchen device for the home, and not only, has its pros and cons.
Benefits:
- Benefit for health. Undoubtedly, the first item on this list will be the absence of harm to health from eating food cooked on this dish. This result is achieved due to the absence or minimization of oil, as well as the preservation of all the useful properties of the product due to the peculiarities in the cooking process.
- Saving. Moreover, we are talking not only about saving vegetable oils for frying, but also saving money and space for storing ordinary pans - all dishes can be cooked in a grill pan, and if you also fry them at the same time, you can also talk about saving time.
- Versatility. The kit includes a variety of parts and handles that increase the functionality of the cookware and provide the ability to bake food, as is done in a barbecue.
- A clean kitchen is a pride for any person. During cooking, excess fat flows into the gutters and evaporates there, which helps to avoid problems of unpleasant odor in the kitchen and in the apartment / house as a whole.
- Aesthetics. People-aesthetes will surely appreciate the incredibly appetizing appearance of dishes cooked on a corrugated surface.
Disadvantages:
- Regular care.Another significant difference from a conventional grill pan is in more thorough care, which consists not only in washing, which is hampered by the presence of bulges and grooves, but also in thoroughly wiping the dishes dry and lubricating them with special oil to eliminate the possibility of rust.
- Weight. These pans are a little heavier than regular pans, which also makes them somewhat difficult to care for.
- Lack of cover. Often the cover has to be bought in addition, since it is not included in the main kit.
However, all the existing disadvantages of this kitchen attribute completely fade against the background of its advantages.
Differences between grill pans
Frying pans of different brands and models have a number of differences in some characteristics. Here is a list with a description of each item.
The form
There are 4 shapes for this dish: square, rectangular, oval and round.
- The square shape is suitable for cooking all types of products, it is very spacious, which has earned an advantage over the round shape;
- The round shape is inferior in spaciousness to the square one, it is recommended for cooking meat and cutlets;
- Rectangular and oval shapes are the most suitable options for cooking fish and seafood.
Cover type
There are two types of lids on the market of goods: regular and press lids.
The first option is light, while the weight of the second comes up to 6 kg. However, this weight is justified by the advantage that the lid has - they have a ribbed surface, like the bottom of the dishes, and clog the air holes of the frying pan, which allows this method of cooking to make dishes especially juicy and tender.
A pen
There are three types of handles: cast, removable and fixed.
- Removable: helps to reduce the area occupied by the pan, as well as avoid melting when cooking;
- Cast: the most reliable of all three options, however, it is inconvenient because it gets very hot during use;
- Fixed: In contrast to the previous option, the least reliable and cheapest option.
Handle material
Also, handles are distinguished by the material from which they are made. There are silicone, wooden, a mixture of steel and bakelite, cast iron.
Inner surface
All pans are covered with a non-stick coating, of which there are several types:
- Teflon coated. Cookware with this type of coating can be cooked without oil, but they are very short-lived, because they quickly crack from high temperatures. The life span is 1-2 years.
- Ceramic coating. Unlike its predecessor, it is strong, reliable and durable. True, you should be especially careful with it: no scratching sponges and blades, only soft, gentle materials. The life span is 2-3 years.
- Marble or stone flooring. From the pros - a more embossed surface due to stone chips. Caring for her should be as careful as described in the previous paragraph. The life span is 2-3 years.
- Titanium coating. It is also very strong and durable, but the prices for cookware with such a coating bite directly.
Dependence on the type of slab
- Gas stove. There are no special prohibitions or permissions for this type of stove. It is only recommended to choose utensils with a thinner bottom to distribute heat and heat evenly.
- Electric stove. When choosing utensils for this type of stove, it is worthwhile to trace the coincidence in size of the diameter of the dish and the heating disc.
- Glass ceramic plate. For glass-ceramic slabs, it is worth choosing utensils with a smooth bottom, and, as in the last paragraph, make sure that the sizes match.
- Induction cookers. For such stoves, you can only use pans with a special magnetic insert.
Material
Basically, these pans are made of cast iron, aluminum or steel. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each of the materials?
Aluminum.
On such dishes, fish and chicken dishes are most successful, suitable for steaks.
Advantages:
- Low cost. Kitchen utensils made of aluminum are quite budgetary, their cost can only increase due to the expensive non-stick coating.
- Cookware heats up quickly due to the good thermal conductivity of aluminum.
Disadvantages:
- Aluminum does not withstand high temperatures, moreover, when the temperature rises above the prescribed level, it becomes toxic.
Cast iron
This material is a kind of unchanging classic in the gastronomic world; it is it that highly qualified chefs prefer to use.
Advantages:
- For a long time retains the effect of the "oven";
- Uniform heating of the entire surface of the pan;
- It is versatile in the choice of cooking devices, as it is resistant to mechanical damage.
Disadvantages:
- Careful care is required, in the absence of which the surface quickly rusts and spoils the taste of the products;
- The dishes take a long time to heat up;
- Cast iron cooking utensils are heavy;
- Not suitable for all types of stoves.
Steel
"Medium", according to buyers.
Advantages:
- Just like cast iron, it is resistant to mechanical damage;
- Steel pans belong to the middle price segment;
- Heat up quickly.
Disadvantages:
- They cool down as quickly as they heat up.
Interesting and useful additions
Some pans have additional accessories that can be very useful in the cooking process.
Double sided grill pans
This type of dish, according to the principle of operation, is very similar to an ordinary waffle iron. An indisputable advantage is convenience, which consists in the absence of the need to turn the dish over; this can be achieved by simply turning the pan over. In addition, parts of it can be used separately.
Grill pans with several compartments.
Such dishes have dividers, and in some compartments the bottom is ribbed, in others it is smooth, which allows you to cook all dishes using only one container.
How to choose a grill pan?
Now that it is known what this element of kitchen utensils is, what it is intended for, its strengths and weaknesses, as well as the differences between different brands, it is necessary to figure out what criteria should be taken into account and what should be paid attention to in order to avoid mistakes when choosing this dish.
Wondering which frying pan is the best to buy, then here are some tips and tricks:
- Bottom thickness. It is worth choosing the container, the bottom and sides of which are thicker, because the correctness and result of the cooking process depend on these two criteria.
- The height of the sides. It is necessary to decide in advance which dishes will be fried in this pan, because for frying meat it is worth using dishes with high sides. There are no special recommendations for other products.
- Height of bumps and depth of grooves. The minimum size for these two values is 0.5 cm. If the indicator is less, then the capacity loses all its grill advantages.
- Drain spout. A great convenience will be the drain spout, through which it is convenient to remove excess fat.
- Material and non-stick coating. The pros and cons of all available materials and non-stick coatings have been described above. It is worth making a choice based on the budget allocated for the purchase, as well as on the type and size of the stove.
- Pan diameter. This parameter must be selected based on the number of family members: the more there are, the larger the diameter, respectively. For one person, a diameter of 24 cm is suitable, for two - 26 cm, for three or more - from 28 cm.
Where to buy a grill pan?
You can buy it both in real life, offline, by going to the store, and virtually - ordering online in the online store. Since the 21st century is the age of information technology, the second option is more popular and in demand. This is understandable, on the website of the online store you can read not only the description of the product and its photos, not only see all its main characteristics, but also read the reviews left by real customers.
The nicest grill pans for 2020
What are the most popular models of this kitchen utensil? Which firms are the best to take a look at? The ratings of the frying pans will help you figure out these questions. The most successful solution would be to review both budget and premium cookware.
TOP branded premium grill pans
Fissler Special Grill 28 * 28 cm
The first item on the list of the best premium frying pans will be the German-made Fissler. Has an aluminum casing, which provides uniform heating of the entire surface and product. Equipped with Protectal Plus premium non-stick coating.
Price: 17960 rubles.
Advantages:
- The handle does not heat up even at high temperatures;
- The dish does not burn due to the high-quality non-stick coating;
Disadvantages:
- Very expensive;
- Lack of cover.
KitchenAid KCl10GPOB
The second item on the list is the American-made KitchenAid KCl10GPOB. Convenient and easy to use, there is no difficulty in maintenance. People who have such a frying pan in their kitchen recommend purchasing it, even despite the relatively high price.
Price: 14,990 rubles.
Advantages:
- Universal for any type of plate;
- Cover included;
- Possibility of cleaning this dish in the dishwasher.
Disadvantages:
- Very expensive;
- The enamel coating prevents the food from crunching.
Scanpan Pro IQ 68062700 27 * 27 cm
The last item on the list is Scanpan Pro IQ 68062700 27 * 27 cm Danish. Buyers leave very flattering reviews about this frying pan. The material is recycled aluminum.
Price: 10,950 rubles.
Advantages:
- Nice price for premium cookware;
- Uniform heating of the surface and food;
- The ability to use it in ovens, because the maximum temperature it can withstand reaches 260 degrees;
- Universal for all types of plates.
Disadvantages:
- Lack of cover.
TOP budget grill pans
Berlinger Haus Rosegold Line 28 * 28 cm
Hungarian version. Pleases with a pleasant minimalistic appearance, easy to use.
Price: 1987 rubles.
Advantages:
- Cover included;
- Universal for all types of plates.
Disadvantages:
- Dishes can burn.
Polaris Energy Line 28 * 28 cm
The next option is the Chinese-made Polaris Energy Line 28 * 28 cm. The frying pan has been recognized by customers for the quality of its dishes.
Price: 1949 rubles.
Advantages:
- Uniform heating of the surface and product;
- Bakelite handle does not heat up when cooking;
- There is no difficulty in leaving.
Disadvantages:
- Cannot be used on induction hobs.
LEO Berghoff
The next item on the list is the Belgian-made LEO Berghoff. This cookware manufacturer is popular all over the world.
Price: 2830 rubles.
Advantages:
- Uniform heating of the surface and product due to the material - aluminum;
- Universal for all types of plates.
Disadvantages:
- Not found.
Choosing a quality, comfortable, durable grill pan is not easy. It is worth approaching him with all responsibility, because it is on the success of this choice that health and enjoyment of the prepared dishes will depend. The tips above will help make it easier to find the right cookware at the right price. The main thing to remember is that healthy and tasty are absolutely compatible concepts for a dish cooked in a grill pan.
