Can you boil water on a flat top grill? It’s a question we hear a lot, because it would be convenient to boil water on a flat top grill while cooking other elements of the dish you are creating, but so many people are hesitant to try it for obvious reasons.
But don’t worry, you don’t have to go in blind and try it out just to warp or damage your grill in any way – read on for our advice before you try it for yourselves.
Boil Water On A Flat Top Grill
So, the million dollar question: can you boil water on a flat top grill? Well, yes, you can. But you should be aware that doing so isn’t the best way to boil water.
If you think about it, when we boil water on a stove, we position our pot of water directly on the burner. Basically, we put the pot of water directly over the heat source, which means we boil water much quicker.
By placing a pot or pan on a flat top grill, you should expect to wait a lot longer before the water inside reaches boiling point. That’s because the burners beneath your grill top are heating the metal of the flat top grill itself, rather than heating the pot or pan directly.
So while yes, you can boil water on a flat top grill, you should expect to wait a while before it starts to boil, so really it might be best to boil your water elsewhere.
But what about the pots and pans themselves, are they actually safe to put on a flat top grill that’s capable of reaching such high temperatures?
Can You Place Pots And Pans On A Flat Top Grill?
We’ve already touched on this whilst discussing boiling water, so yes, you can place pots and pans on a flat top grill, but there is definitely a warning that has to come with that.
We’ve already established that boiling water on a griddle is inefficient because of how long it will take you to achieve the temperatures you want, but using the wrong pot or pan could also cause some issues for you.
Large pots and pans take so long to heat up effectively, that it almost hoards the heat of the flat top grill by directing the heat towards it.
Doing so can be problematic, because it can warp the flat top grill where the pan is sitting, and given that the pan will be sitting there for a while, this warping can get pretty bad.
It should straighten out again as the metal cools, but it’s still something you would want to avoid, and it’s certainly something you wouldn’t want to do regularly.
A better alternative would be a hotplate or something similar for boiling water. The direct heat of these sorts of products would be a much more efficient way of dealing with boiling water, and your pots and pans won’t damage them because hotplates are designed for them, so really it’s a win win with these products.
But we understand why people are into to placing pots and pans on a flat top grill, because sometimes it helps with cooking certain things, away from boiling water.
Fish and vegetables can be tricky to get right on a flat top grill when you are cooking them directly on the top. Sometimes using pots and pans can be a great way of cooking something at a slightly lower temperature because the heat has to travel from the source, to the grill top, and then to the pot or pan before cooking the food.
That means you can fry your steak on the grill top, and cook your fish in a pot all at the same time – but what sort of pots or pans should you use if you are going to place them on a flat top grill?
Cast Iron On A Flat Top Grill
The answer to that previous question is a no-brainer. If you want to use a pot or pan on a grill top, then you should always reach for something made of cast iron. Outdoorcooking.com has some great deals on cast-iron packages that you should check out. Check out the deals at OutdoorCooking.com
That’s because cast iron pots are excellent heat conductors and heat distributors, so all the pan will be evenly heated, but also be capable of getting the most heat out of the grill top to begin with.
They’re also designed to deal with high heats. We’re not saying that other pots and pans couldn’t deal with the heat of a flat top grill, but cast iron is certainly the best bet and the safest choice for you.
Using any other pots and pans at a high temperature just isn’t worth the risk, because not only will you probably need to replace your pots and pans, but you’ll also cause some serious damage to your grill, and that’s definitely something we want to avoid.
Another significant reason to choose cast iron is its durability. It may be an initial investment, but they will last you a lifetime, even when used regularly at high temperatures.
They’re also non-stick in nature, so you can be just as confident cooking in a cast iron pot on a grill as you can in your seasoned flat top grill itself. So, if you really want to use a pot or pan on a flat top grill, make sure it’s cast iron to be on the safe side.
Points To Remember
Boiling water on a flat top grill isn’t the most effective way of doing it, but it’s certainly something you can do if you’re ever in a pinch. Just make sure you’re using a suitable pot or pan, even if you ignore our recommendation for cast iron.
You should do your research before using any pot or pan on a grill to make sure that it’s capable of dealing with higher heats, but don’t let that scare you.
Even away from boiling water, cooking more delicate foods such as fish and vegetables can be made a lot easier by simply using a pot or pan on your grill top to control the temperature better. Check out the deals at OutdoorCooking.com