Outdoor cooking: Gas Grill or Gas Griddle?

[mtnbkr]

First of all, I already have a Weber kettle for charcoal grilling and smoking.  I don't need another.  I also lack space for a wood-fired uber-grill.  This is strictly going to be about gas grills and griddles for outdoor cooking...

Wifey wants a gas grill for the ease of use.  She has no interest whatsoever in dealing with charcoal or wood, so we don't grill if *I* can't get the grill started in time for it to be ready to cook with by whatever arbitrary time we set.  A gas-powered implement would allow her to take over some grilling duties when I'm otherwise indisposed.

So, that aside, which would you go with?  I'm leaning toward the griddle because most of what we cook on the grill today are items such as steaks, burgers, hotdogs, etc.  The griddle would facilitate cooking masses of peppers and onions (those we do on the stove today).  We could expand our repertoire to cheesesteaks, quesadillas, bacon, etc. 

I got a chance to use my buddy's huge Blackstone griddle one weekend and immediately saw the utility.  We cooked burgers, brats, and mass quantities of peppers and onions.  The burgers were as good as any off a traditional grill IMO. 

However, wifey's not impressed with griddles.  In her mind, it's no different than cooking on a frying pan in the house.  To an extent, she's right, but you're not smoking up or heating up the kitchen.  You also have more space to work with.   And...you're outside!

I found a combo unit at Cabelas that has a decent amount of traditional gas grill space and a decent griddle space, both with separate burners (two each, 15k BTU each).  It's $300, but I'm not sure it's at the same quality level as a dedicated grill or griddle in that price range.  The grill lid felt a bit thin.

Thoughts or comments? 

Chris

[lupinus]

I worked a flat top as a teen, you can do a lot on them, esspecially when you get good at it. But that said, if it was one or the other I'd still go gas grill. And then spend a few bucks on a cast iron griddle for when you feel like flat topping it.

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[Scout26]

Get a Glock....



Oooops, wrong thread.  I like Lupinius' idea.  I'm in the market for a new gas grill.  If I want smokeyness I've got a smoker that works great, but I also have a charcoal grill for other stuff, that we use when we have the time.  But with winter coming on, sometimes it's a bit of a rush to cook, and it's nice to just walk out, fire up the grill and be cooking a few minutes, once everything heat up.

And for $300, I would be willing to a take a flyer on the grill/griddle combo you mentioned.   Do you have a link or something.  I am in the market for one.

[K Frame]

Get a Weber Genesis gas grill (you heathen!) and get yourself a cast iron griddle. In fact, I have a cast iron griddle (big rectangular one) that you can have if you want it. Now that I have a glass top stove I'll never use it again.

[Kingcreek]

no experience with the Cabelas hybrid but it looks good for what it is.
or go with a gas grill and a set on top griddle. We don't have one for the grill but my wife uses the one on our indoor JenAir range. I have enough cast pans around here to sometimes use one on the grill.
I posted some time ago about my experience with a lp gas grill. After 20 years of Weber charcoal happiness my wife wanted a gas grill. Bought a weber spirit gas grill and I hated it. Really hated it. Until i converted it to infrared grill grates. grillgrate.com Now I like it just fine for quick convenience on weeknights or quick grill for 2 of us. On weekends or when I have time I use the charcoal pit barrel cooker. I still have to weld up a table to hold the old weber that lost its legs but the kettle is still good.

[Ben]

But that said, if it was one or the other I'd still go gas grill. And then spend a few bucks on a cast iron griddle for when you feel like flat topping it.

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This is what I do. Works great. I also have an old cast iron pan dedicated for the grill, so grill plus pans, griddles, etc. is more versatile. Once you go gas griddle, that's what you're stuck with, unless you do something like buy a Weber Baby Q or something as a second grill.

[Triphammer]

My solution is a cast iron griddle that covers about half my (6 burner) grill. If I need the grill space, off comes the griddle. I've yet to run out of griddle space but I suppose you could use two if need be. Griddle also serves as a place for post or pre searing steaks, I can't decide which I prefer. The grill has a single side burner but that only gets used for making sauces or boiling something but you could put a skillet on it if you wanted.
My away from home solution in a "Camp Chef" two burner gas stove top, sort of two turkey fryer burners in a frame but taller. I'll use a griddle on that for breakfast & a stove top grill they sell to match for burgers & steaks. A campfire is nice but it's much easier to cook on gas.

[mtnbkr]

I worked a flat top as a teen, you can do a lot on them, esspecially when you get good at it. But that said, if it was one or the other I'd still go gas grill. And then spend a few bucks on a cast iron griddle for when you feel like flat topping it.

That is part of the decision matrix.  Though, I do like the working space of a dedicated griddle.

But with winter coming on, sometimes it's a bit of a rush to cook, and it's nice to just walk out, fire up the grill and be cooking a few minutes, once everything heat up.

That's another motivator for gas.  Additionally, while I like cooking over charcoal, it's overkill for simple stuff like hot dogs or just a couple burgers.  Also, I hate that I smell like a firefighter after I'm done. 

Do you have a link or something.

It's not on their website.

Get a Weber Genesis gas grill (you heathen!) and get yourself a cast iron griddle. In fact, I have a cast iron griddle (big rectangular one) that you can have if you want it. Now that I have a glass top stove I'll never use it again.

I'm looking at the Genesis as well.  How big is that griddle?

Chris

[MillCreek]

https://www.consumerreports.org/gas-grills/is-your-grill-hot-enough/

I saw this in my FB feed the other day.  I had been planning on buying a new gas grill, and had tentatively settled on a Weber Genesis II E-310 next year.  A big part of what I want a new grill for is searing temperature.  I am now rethinking the Genesis and looking at the Napoleon grills.

[K Frame]

Chris,

It's about the same size as this lodge on Amazon... 20 inches by about 10 inches...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00008GKDQ/ref=asc_df_B00008GKDQ5160183/?tag=hyprod-20&creative=394997&creativeASIN=B00008GKDQ&linkCode=df0&hvadid=167158323047&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5549433742522841261&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9008141&hvtargid=pla-299887821004

It's nice. I used to use it to make pancakes and burgers at home.

[Ben]

Chris,

It's about the same size as this lodge on Amazon... 20 inches by about 10 inches...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00008GKDQ/ref=asc_df_B00008GKDQ5160183/?tag=hyprod-20&creative=394997&creativeASIN=B00008GKDQ&linkCode=df0&hvadid=167158323047&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5549433742522841261&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9008141&hvtargid=pla-299887821004

It's nice. I used to use it to make pancakes and burgers at home.

That's the one I have. I think it was about ten bucks less back when I got it.

[Kingcreek]

the grill grates IR conversion on my weber runs 200-250 degrees hotter at the surface vs the original grates. I think they might make a griddle conversion also.
edited to add: yes the same company makes a griddle. The anodized aluminum is supposedly much better at conducting heat than most metal grates.

[41magsnub]

Get a Weber Genesis gas grill (you heathen!) and get yourself a cast iron griddle. In fact, I have a cast iron griddle (big rectangular one) that you can have if you want it. Now that I have a glass top stove I'll never use it again.

This right here.  I had one at the old house, rigged for natural gas.  Sold it with the house as the new one house is all propane and the conversion kits aren't available.  Doing everything on a pellet smoker right now and it is fine, but even with grill grates does not get quite as hot as I'd like for searing and takes a long time to get to max temp.

I will own another weber genesis next summer to complement it...  it will also have a side burner.  The house even came with the plumbing already to connect it straight to the big house propane tank.

[makattak]

I had never even heard of a gas griddle before... I think I'm in love now.

For grilling, I'll still insist on charcoal, but an outdoor dedicated griddle sounds amazing. I just put one on my amazon wishlist.

[charby]

Get a Weber Genesis gas grill (you heathen!) and get yourself a cast iron griddle. In fact, I have a cast iron griddle (big rectangular one) that you can have if you want it. Now that I have a glass top stove I'll never use it again.

What I was going to say. I use a cast iron griddle on my Weber charcoal grill.

[mtnbkr]

Chris,

It's about the same size as this lodge on Amazon... 20 inches by about 10 inches...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00008GKDQ/ref=asc_df_B00008GKDQ5160183/?tag=hyprod-20&creative=394997&creativeASIN=B00008GKDQ&linkCode=df0&hvadid=167158323047&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5549433742522841261&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9008141&hvtargid=pla-299887821004

It's nice. I used to use it to make pancakes and burgers at home.

Oh, ok.  I had one of those and didn't like it.  It didn't work well for me.

As for the suggestions to use a cast iron frying pan on a grill, I've tried that as well. 

Nothing else seems to have worked as well as a dedicated griddle.  I don't know why, but it felt more secure and there was a lot of room to work, making it easy to move food around, rotate it, turn it over, etc.

Chris

[makattak]

Oh, ok.  I had one of those and didn't like it.  It didn't work well for me.

As for the suggestions to use a cast iron frying pan on a grill, I've tried that as well. 

Nothing else seems to have worked as well as a dedicated griddle.  I don't know why, but it felt more secure and there was a lot of room to work, making it easy to move food around, rotate it, turn it over, etc.

Chris

Without any experience whatsoever with a dedicated griddle*, the idea alone is enough to see a massive difference between a giddle pan and a griddle.

Find a pan that's 2+ feet long with protected sides and a drip area. Then it might be comparable. I'd love a chance to try one out first, but I don't think I need that to know I'm going to enjoy it.

I am particularly excited about the idea of camping with one.








*BUT THAT'S NOT GOING TO STOP ME FROM COMMENTING!

[Scout26]

Hey Mike Irwin,

If Chris doesn't want your extra cast iron griddle, I'll take it.  Just PM how much.  I'll PM you my address.

 

[RevDisk]

I was pondering exactly this. Anything I should know about cast iron griddles for gas grills?

I made the move from charcoal to gas recently. I love the charcoal grill a lot more, but I use the gas grill five or ten times as much. But I found I could really use a griddle surface for a fair amount of cooking. Just redid my deck as well, AND won a very nice zero-G outdoor chair. So... Lots of incentive to spend more time on the deck.

[charby]

Hey Mike Irwin,

If Chris doesn't want your extra cast iron griddle, I'll take it.  Just PM how much.  I'll PM you my address.

 

Shipping might be close to what a new one costs

[charby]

My griddle is a big Wagner from the 1930' probably 3 square feet of cooking surface.

[Jim147]

Get the gas grill then find someone local that can cut a thick piece of stainless to fit and put a grease trap on one side with a mill. Use what you need for what you are cooking.

[wmenorr67]

"Taste the meat, not the heat," Hank Hill.

[K Frame]

Hey Mike Irwin,

If Chris doesn't want your extra cast iron griddle, I'll take it.  Just PM how much.  I'll PM you my address.

  

$1 billion, Mr. Bigglesworth!

I think Charby might be right that the shipping will likely be quite high.

[Brad Johnson]

https://www.consumerreports.org/gas-grills/is-your-grill-hot-enough/

I saw this in my FB feed the other day.  I had been planning on buying a new gas grill, and had tentatively settled on a Weber Genesis II E-310 next year.  A big part of what I want a new grill for is searing temperature.  I am now rethinking the Genesis and looking at the Napoleon grills.

Comparison

https://blog.yaleappliance.com/bid/81716/a-review-of-napoleon-vs-weber-gas-grills

And a bit of hard-core "how to tell what you're really getting" with regard to things like models numbers, features, and warranty claims. The sections about materiels, warranty, and place of manufacture claims may have you re-rethinking the move away from Weber. Seems Napolean is, although still a very nice product, is playing a bit fast and loose with some of their claims.

http://lovethatbarbecue.com/thinking-of-buying-a-napoleon-grill-here-is-the-skinny/

Brad