If You Hate Waiting for the Grill to Heat, This Flat-Top Le Creuset Gem Is the Faster Fix to Easier Hosting
It's the indoor-outdoor solution I can rely on all year
I am currently in the process of planning out my summer hosting, picking out the essentials and planning the menus for evenings spent in the yard with friends. One thing I already know for certain is that I do not want to be standing over a slow-heating grill while everything else is happening around me.
The solution is a cast-iron griddle, such as the Le Creuset Alpine Griddle. It heats quickly, retains heat efficiently, and delivers consistent, even cooking. Even compared to the best grills, it is especially useful when timing matters, and you are cooking under pressure.
It is proof that flavourful summer cooking does not need to be complicated or slow.
All prices correct at time of publication.
Le Creuset's Griddle is stunning and sears like a dream. On review, our chef, Lydia Hayman, found that it is easy to clean and doesn't require seasoning, bringing a sense of calm, ritual, and refinement to the chaos of outdoor cooking.
In the grill-versus-griddle debate, a griddle is often the more reliable choice for consistent, controlled cooking. Think of it like a frying pan. It is essentially a large cooking surface that can span multiple burners or be placed over a grill or campfire. It offers a flexible setup for both indoor and outdoor cooking.
This versatility makes it especially well-suited to summer hosting. It heats quickly and evenly, offering a more predictable cooking experience when your focus is divided between dinner, drinks, and guests. There are no flare-ups to manage, either, and when used indoors, no open flame to contend with.
While a griddle may not replicate the smoky depth of an open flame grill, it significantly simplifies the process. Flavour can still be built through marinades, seasonings, and finishing oils, after all, mitigating the risk of burns and scorches ruining your hard work.
The Le Creuset Alpine griddle is our top pick because it does not require seasoning, relying on the heritage brand's enameled cast iron, used on its best non-toxic cookware, to limit the time you have to devote to cleaning and caring for cookware. This removes the risk of rust at the same time.
Finding it to be 'polished, study, and well-balanced,' our expert chef, Lydia, loved how easy it was to use on her gas stove. Onions grilled evenly and didn't stick, but still had that slightly smoky scent, burgers came off juicy with a crisp edge, and brioche buns toasted evenly. There was nothing to fault. It's the perfect solution to speedy yet considered summer hosting.
What Else to Shop
From more affordable options to essential care tools, I’ve curated six summer cooking must-haves to get you fully set up with your griddle this season.
The Lodge Double Play Reversible Cast Iron Grill/Griddle covers two burners and can be used over a campfire. It is pre-seasoned, but requires seasoning over time, unlike the more expensive Le Creuset.
Know exactly when your griddle is hot enough for cooking with a digital thermometer. It features an LED backlit screen, the ability to switch between Celsius and Fahrenheit measurements, and single or continuous temperature read options.
Approved by the Environmental Working Group as non-toxic, this gentle dish soap is perfect for caring for delicate cookware without the risk of toxic residue.
These refillable oil spray bottles can be used with standard vegetable oil, making even application convenient without the added chemicals of traditional spray oils.
Complete with spatulas, burger presses, and tongues, these metal grill and griddle tools are perfect for use both indoors and outdoors.
Chain mail scrubbers are some of the best tools for cleaning cast iron, removing food debris without damaging the metal surface.
If you do not have an outdoor kitchen or cooking setup, this portable induction burner fix might be the perfect way to keep hosting social this summer.
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