Cooking on Griddle Plates on a Collapsible Grill

How to use flat steel griddle (plancha) plates on a collapsible charcoal grill: heat, oil, what to cook, and cleanup.

A griddle plate turns a charcoal grill into a flat top. The Slot Grill Griddle Add-On is carbon steel made for the grill's two-piece top: run one plate and one grate, or two plates for a full flat top, on either the Compact or the Full Size. The plates stack flat with the grill for travel.

What griddle plates are best at

• Smash burgers and crispy-edged patties
• Breakfast: bacon, eggs, pancakes, hash browns
• Fajitas and sliced vegetables
• Small foods that fall through grates: shrimp, chopped onions, mushrooms
• Toasting buns and tortillas

Heat and oil

1. Season the plates like the grill (how).
2. Preheat over coals for several minutes.
3. Check heat: a few drops of water should skitter and evaporate quickly.
4. Add a thin film of high-smoke-point oil right before the food.
5. Use the coal layout under the plate to make hot and cool areas.

Cleanup

While still warm (not scorching), scrape with a flat metal scraper. Wipe with a paper towel. If something is stuck, a little water on the warm plate loosens it; scrape and dry. Finish with a thin coat of oil. Let it cool before stacking.

Fire safety on any collapsible grill

• Outdoors only. Burning charcoal makes carbon monoxide, which you can't see or smell. Never use it in a garage, tent, camper, vehicle, boat cabin or under a roof or awning.
• Non-combustible, level ground. Soil, gravel, sand, concrete, pavers or a fire-safe pad.
• Clearance. Away from walls, vehicles, tents, overhanging branches and dry grass. Kids and pets kept back.
• Seated tabs. Check every tab is fully in its slot before you add fuel.
• Water and gloves at hand. Hot steel looks exactly like cold steel.
• Leave it alone until cold. Don't move or take apart a lit or warm grill.

Mistakes new flat pack owners make

1. Too much charcoal. A small firebox gets very hot. Start with half a chimney and add.
2. No cool zone. Without an empty end, a flare-up has nowhere to go.
3. Cooking on black coals. Wait for gray ash.
4. Old ash left in. It blocks airflow; empty it before every cook.
5. Heavy oil when seasoning. Thin coats cure; thick coats turn gummy.
6. Packing it warm. Wait until steel and ash are cold, every time.

The one-minute care habit

Most carbon steel problems come from skipping the last minute of a cook. After the grill cools, scrape the grates, empty the ash, and wipe a whisper-thin coat of oil or Seasoning Balm on the cooking surfaces. Store it dry. That habit is the difference between a grill that darkens into a slick patina and one that shows orange freckles every spring. If freckles do show up, it's not a disaster: see surface rust.

Questions people ask