Grill pan tefal cooking recipes. Classic cooking steak on a grill pan

A grill pan is a versatile item in the kitchen, thanks to which you can cook healthy food with a minimum amount of fat. Which grill pan is better to choose - cast iron or non-stick? How to properly care for a cast iron skillet so that it lasts a long time? In this article I want to talk about my experience of using a cast iron grill pan, about caring for cast iron and tell you what and how you can cook on it.

What is a grill pan for? In order to fry without fat or with a minimum amount of many foods - meat, fish or vegetables. For example, during the frying process, a meat steak lies on the convex ribs of the pan, and all the juices flow down between these ribs, due to which the meat is fried, in contact only with the ribs of the pan, and not stewed in its own juice, as if cooked in a regular pan, and in At the end, a crispy crust is not formed and the dish turns out juicy, while being completely non-greasy.

For several months, my husband and I looked closely at a variety of grill pans and, finally, we opted for a cast-iron grill pan with a removable handle (there is also a lid included) from a Ukrainian manufacturer, like this

We have been using it for almost half a year and are still very pleased with this purchase, we cook on it often and with pleasure. We have something to compare with, because before that we used a non-stick grill pan several times, which we rented from friends. They doubted whether it was worth taking cast iron, because it requires a little more care than a regular coated frying pan, and besides, a cast iron frying pan is heavy. But these two disadvantages turned out to be quite insignificant compared to the advantages of using such a pan. Before using a cast-iron grill pan, be sure to familiarize yourself with the features of operating such dishes so as not to be disappointed on the first day.

About why you should buy a cast-iron grill pan:

1) Due to the fact that the cast-iron pan has a large heat capacity, it heats up to high temperatures, frying occurs very quickly, due to this, the meat or fish steak immediately “seizes” from above, and all the juices remain inside. The product on cast iron cooks much faster than on a coated aluminum pan, so it remains juicy - whether it is meat, fish or vegetables, steaks do not have time to dry out during the frying process. As a result, the dish turns out to be tastier than in an ordinary frying pan, juicy, with mouth-watering stripes from the grill.
2) Cast iron is a durable, environmentally friendly and safe material that does not emit toxic substances.
3) Foods can be stirred and turned over with iron spatulas or tongs without fear of damaging the non-stick layer, as in coated aluminum pans.

How to prepare a cast iron grill pan for first use

Be sure to prepare the pan for the first use. You need to wash the pan well with detergent,

dry thoroughly and ignite over high or medium heat with salt. To do this, pour coarse salt with a layer of about 2 cm so that it completely covers the bottom, and heat the pan.

The pan with salt will begin to smoke and smoke, so it is better to open the window and turn on the hood. Periodically stirring the salt, you need to ignite the cast-iron pan in this way for 15-20 minutes. This is an unpleasant, but necessary step, due to calcination with salt, industrial lubricants and odors are removed. Now you can pour out the salt and let the pan cool. Rinse again with detergent and wipe dry. Heat the dishes on the fire and grease with a thin layer of vegetable oil - now the pan is ready for use.

Caring for your cast iron grill pan:

1) After each cooking, the pan must be washed and thoroughly dried. This is necessary so that the pan does not rust. I do this: after washing, without wiping the pan, I put it on the stove, turn on the fire and warm it up for a couple of minutes to evaporate all the moisture that remains. Then I let the pan cool down and only after that I remove it to the storage place.
2) It is good if there will always be a light grease in the pan, so during washing it is not necessary to wash it 5 times in order to perfectly remove even the slightest remaining greasy film. Moreover, this will be difficult to do due to the porous structure of cast iron.
3) Cast iron cookware should only be washed by hand, without using a dishwasher, so that the pan does not rust and the detergent does not eat into the porous structure of the cast iron.
4) If suddenly, nevertheless, rust has formed on the cast iron for some reason - it's okay, just remove this rust with a metal brush, heat the dishes and grease with a thin layer of vegetable oil.

What and how do we cook in a cast iron grill pan?

Meat, fish, vegetables - everything turns out with a bang. I also like to cook chicken fillet or turkey fillet. I posted a recipe for turkey steaks earlier, you can take a look. Before cooking, cut the meat, fillet or fish into steaks 1.5-2.5 cm thick, if cut too thin - the meat may come out overdried, if it is too thick - it may not be fried (you can bring it to readiness in the oven). Then we marinate each piece in our favorite spices, it is advisable to do this in advance so that it marinates well, but if there is no time, you can fry right away. Before frying, grease each piece with olive or other vegetable oil and put it in a well-heated pan. If the pan is cold, the meat may stick to it, so it must be preheated. If the meat is fatty, then it is not necessary to lubricate it with vegetable oil. Fry on each side for 3-4 minutes. If there is a suspicion that the steak is not fried, you can cover with a lid and simmer for a couple more minutes. If there is no lid, you can bring the dish to readiness in the oven.

If you also doubt, as we doubted, whether to take a cast-iron grill pan, then I would advise, based on my experience, to take it. I will be glad if the article is useful for you!

Hi all! With the onset of cold weather, he is drawn to heavy, fatty and junk food. It is true, because the body is preparing for the winter, making reserves. But what about trying to stay lean despite the changing seasons? It remains the traditional methods of struggle - to give preference to the right, but satisfying food. The ideal option is to cook in a harmless way. For example, without oil. Today I will tell you how to cook meat and vegetables in a grill pan is healthy, tasty, beautiful and low-calorie.

Inside there are interesting recipes and a description of the intricacies of how to choose the right dishes that will last for decades and will delight.

In my kitchen arsenal, for several years, utensils with a special coating have been living - a grill pan for the stove, I can't get enough of it. She always helps out, works perfectly. In addition, it has solid advantages:

• Significantly expands gastronomic possibilities (I can cook any dish from the cuisine of the world: from Russian to Asian cuisine);
• It serves for a long time (with proper simple care, the utensils “work” for decades);
• Helps make healthy food minimum fat, maximum preservation of vitamins);
• Easy to use (just you, dishes, stove - nothing more. Perfect date in the kitchen);
• It is easy to cook without oil, it turns out low-fat dietary food (salvation for losing weight);
• All recipes come out ideally, even the most seemingly intricate ones;
• Several different ingredients are combined in one dish: vegetables with meat (due to their size, convenient coating);
• Saves cooking time (high temperature brings food to readiness in 15-20 minutes).

Nice bonus - beautiful stripes from roasting in a grill pan on meat and vegetables (they look especially nice on eggplant, zucchini). It seems that the plate is just from the fire. You can add spices with the aroma of smoke, smoked meats, it will be almost like from a picnic.

Perhaps the only drawback heavy weight utensils. It’s difficult to take this one with you on hikes, on vacation, you won’t trust children to wear it (once again you’ll be on your guard while you carry the pan from place to place, God forbid it falls on your leg).

Making the right choice

If you want to pick up the right kitchen assistant for many years to come and not regret it, be sure to read the text below. In it, I have collected the fundamental points on how to choose and use dishes so that they serve for decades and never fail.

metal composition

Ideally, opt for cast iron (it will affect weight), and of good quality. If the alloy is not suitable for your stove (and be sure to check such subtleties with consultants, in the instructions for the technique), I advise cast aluminum options with non-stick coating(in cast iron, such a coating is not necessary). The rest of the alloys are bad, no matter what they promised in the store.

Remember, high-quality cast iron, aluminum goods are expensive. The above models are far from budgetary, so do not look at models for ridiculous money: 500 - 1000 rubles. Here it is more logical to spend money once, and then enjoy it all your life.

Price range

The price of worthy options starts from 2000 – 3000 rubles apiece. It may seem like a wallet cut, but the cost will pay off after so many years of using a delicious menu, new dishes, and the joy of loved ones.

Wall thickness

A very important parameter. The “chip” of a home grill for a stove is in high temperature, distributed evenly (the effect is best achieved with cast iron). The desired result is possible with thick walls. Food is heated evenly.

How to determine whether the selected model conducts heat well? The wall thickness is at least five millimeters. Thin walls - money thrown to the wind, so that shops do not try to impose there, talking about the reduced weight of inventory while maintaining all heat-conducting properties. There is only one rule. There are no exceptions.

bowl depth

Another selection criterion The deeper the bottom, the higher the temperature will remain, plus more food will come in (especially in a large family). There is a nuance. Fans of fish from a home grill, chicken breast, it is better to stay on a low dish, since these products require less intense heat. Medium temperatures will do. I recommend having two options: cook fish and other dishes.

Rib height

Ideally, when they exist not nominally, only for the sake of beautiful stripes, but rise significantly above the base. In this case, the food will not burn without oil, ensuring minimal contact with the surface (important for fish steak or halloumi cheese). Plus, the fat drains, allowing you to cook healthy meals. Even sausages for frying will become less harmful.

Pens

There are a few points left to remember. They must inspire reliability, since your bones do not ask for a cast-iron vessel that has fallen at your feet due to the fault of a weak holder.

• Buy Models With cast holders (after all, you will have to carry a heavy burden in your hands, albeit your own). With them, it’s not scary for a squishy bolt that unexpectedly unscrews, it’s convenient to use in the oven. No need to worry about where to put the plastic handle.
• Lovers to make life easier - silicone option. Avoid burns, weighting.
• Another option - with a teapot. Fits in the oven, on a regular stove.

Spout for draining liquid

Pay attention to its presence. For example, fry a pork steak or blood sausages, blood and fat will drain from them. Drain them immediately in order to avoid burning the mixture (it is difficult to wash it later), an unpleasant smell, soot.

Trust trusted brands

Last point. Foreign Tefal, Scovo, the familiar Russian company Neva Metal. Of course, the choice is much wider. But the same Tefal can be found in every hardware store, it has a wide range of thoughtful models.

How to use?

It seems that we talked about the intricacies of choice. Now it's time to learn the rules of how to cook in a grill pan.

The very first thing to start commissioning is water procedures. Quite often, in order to preserve, a beautiful presentation, dishes are lubricated with a special chemical industrial composition. Naturally, it is not at all intended for living organisms. The first rule is remove factory seal.

Aluminum

Aluminum alloy with non-stick coating will be easy to handle. Just wash it in warm water with a sponge, detergent.

Cast iron

Cast-iron beauty will have to tinker longer.

Pour on the bottom salt and heat it up, let all the technical fat be absorbed. After you need to wash the dishes also with a foam sponge.

An important point concerns the washing of used utensils. Do not fill it with water immediately after use, especially cold. Let the metal cool a little and only then fill it with warm water. Do not be afraid of solidification and subsequent peeling with a crowbar. Cast iron and aluminum are pretty easy to deal with.

What is a grill pan for?

With the basics decided, now let's get down to the important.

• First, when cooking, you can not use fat. Don't pour it when frying any eggplant. Vegetables retain juice. The maximum worth doing (and even then not always) is to lubricate the bottom with an oiled brush with the thinnest layer. You can use the usual olive, sunflower oil. Or coconut, such a product can withstand high temperatures, does not emit carcinogens. Plus - gives a pleasant aroma.
• Second, buy special forceps to turn the pieces. Useful for halloumi cheese (and any other cheese, so as not to damage the appearance), steak, fish. In general, they are more convenient and easier to cook with.
• If you love stew, consider buying lids, and some models already have it in the kit.

The nuances of working with food

• Don't be under the illusion that a stove can replace an open fire and cook the thickest pieces well. Therefore, when hot, always beat off pieces and make them about one and a half centimeters. Otherwise, they will not be fried well, they will be raw (although lovers of a steak with blood will appreciate it).
• Perhaps you can remain calm only for the thickness of the fish or chicken breast. These foods will still cook pretty quickly.
• Cut vegetables into thin slices as well. A potatoes pre-boil (it will definitely cook) before spreading on the ribs.
• Add spices and herbs, especially fresh ones. Under the influence of heat, they will give a pleasant aroma to the dish. In general, you have a lot of room for creativity and imagination.

I would like to share some of my favorite recipes.

The whole family loved this dish very much, and we use it as a side dish, it is very easy to cook, the vegetables are juicy and fragrant.

How to cut vegetables

• Mushrooms in two parts.
• Eggplant 0.5 cm slices or slices.
• Zucchini or small white zucchini in 0.5-1 cm layers.
• Bell peppers in stripes.

Marinade 1

1. Pour water into a large cup or saucepan.
2. Drip a tablespoon of olive oil.
3. We sprinkle spices to taste, I add a dry Caucasian mixture - adjika ulyapskaya.

Dip vegetable slices 3-5 minutes and then fry for 5 minutes on both sides.

Marinade 2

• Combine soy sauce with water in equal parts. This is necessary because it has a lot of salt.
• Add a teaspoon of oil (ideally sesame)
• We lower our pieces for a couple of minutes and put them on a hot surface, also grill for 5 minutes on both sides (if you like softer vegetables, increase the time. Some crispy ones retain useful fiber and maximum vitamins).
• The finished dish can be decorated with sesame seeds.

Chicken breast with Italian herbs

1. Grease the bottom with coconut oil, heat the grill. Take the breast, beat it with a kitchen hammer or the blunt side of a knife.
2. Add spices, Italian herbs (preferably fresh, especially basil and something from spruce).
3. Fry the chicken for 5 minutes on each side. I advise you to make a berry in advance sour sauce.

Together with chicken, it is also easy to fry fresh or frozen vegetables: green beans, peppers, broccoli and cauliflower.

homemade shawarma

You probably know how to do it. If not, I'll make it short:

1. Take any prepared meat, cabbage, Korean carrots, fresh cucumbers, hard cheese, you can add onions.
2. Lubricate the pita bread with your favorite sauce and lay out the chopped products.
3. And now the most important thing - wrap the pita bread and put it on dry frying pan for 5 minutes on each side. It will turn out tasty, hot and dietary.

cheese steak

1. Take suluguni or halloumi, cut it into slices 3-5 millimeters thick.
2. You don’t need to grease the bottom with anything, the cheese is already quite fatty.
3. When the pan is hot, put the pieces of cheese in just 1 minute, and immediately remove with tongs. A great appetizer, to decorate the bottom, chop the greens to taste.

Salmon with vegetables

1. Pour a piece of 2-3 cm thick with soy sauce on both sides.
2. We spread it in the center, and put boiled corn cobs around. Fry 3 minutes on one side and 2 on the other.

It is convenient to immediately purchase a separate book with dishes. Watch the video on how the ribeye steak is cooked.

Where can I buy?

The easiest option is to buy a grill pan in an online store.

• On the site Ozon.ru a large selection, you can additionally read the reviews and ratings.
• On aliexpress order at a good price.
• IN El Dorado give a discount for pickup.
• IN Corporation Center there is an installment.

A distinctive feature of such a pan is its bottom - it is uneven and imitates a grill. This is what ensures minimal contact of products with a hot surface, and the fat at the same time merges into the grooves and does not touch the food. Any product is cooked quickly enough, since strong heat comes from the thick walls and bottom, like in an oven.

No oil is used for cooking, food does not stick to the ribbed surface. The cooking method is somewhat reminiscent of a barbecue on charcoal, and dishes even at home are just as healthy and tasty. The grill pan is universal, and not only meat, poultry and fish are cooked on it, but also vegetables and even fruits. Grilled baked apples and pears are very tasty and juicy.

It is not always possible not to use oil at all - the ribs of the pan and the food itself need to be lightly greased. But you should not pour oil into a regular frying pan. The size of the food being cooked also affects a lot, and it is desirable that the pieces be no more than 2 cm thick, 3-4 cm is acceptable for fish. This limitation is due to the fact that the pieces must be fried in a short time over high heat, and not remain raw inside . Usually the meat is fried for about 5 minutes on each side, but it is better to look not at the time, but at the type of meat.

Products are laid out only on a well-heated pan. If the pan is cast iron, it must be heated. The meat, which is placed in a cold and barely warm frying pan, heats up gradually and releases all the juices, so it can only be stewed, not fried. When laid out on a hot pan, a crust immediately forms, preventing the juice from flowing out; you can turn the products over only when it occurs. If you fry over low heat, most likely nothing will work, but when the meat begins to burn, the temperature is slightly reduced.

When choosing, you need to pay attention to the size. The wider the pan, the more servings can be placed in it at a time, but at the same time, its weight also increases. Round pans are versatile, oval pans are for fish, and square pans are the most capacious. But if you wish, you can cook for anyone. The material of the pan also matters, it is best if it is made of cast iron. Another metal does not create such conditions for cooking at high temperatures, and it is very easy to care for cast iron and their appearance does not deteriorate from fire and oil.

The juice and fat that leaked into the pan will begin to burn, so when frying several batches of meat, it must be removed after each frying. Otherwise, the frying pan begins to smoke, which is unacceptable at home, since the whole atmosphere is saturated with the smell of smoke. Meat or fish will also absorb the smell of burning.

Any frying pan is suitable for classic gas stoves, including heavy ones for grilling. On a glass-ceramic stove, you can only cook in dishes with a perfectly flat bottom, and with cast-iron grill pans, you will have to be extra careful because of their weight. For use on an induction hob, the pan will require an iron insert in the bottom, as this helps to magnetize the pan.

The grill pan is very popular among professional chefs, as its use gives dishes special flavors. You can use such a simple and useful device at home, the main thing is to make the right choice when buying. Let's try to understand all the intricacies of choosing and using this type of pan.

What is a grill pan and what is it for?

A grill pan can be distinguished from a regular pan by its specific corrugated surface and thicker bottom. They can be of different shapes, sizes and colors, but their peculiarity lies in the principle of cooking. In addition to appetizing stripes on finished products, such a frying pan ensures their juiciness and the absence of a burnt crust. A similar effect is achieved precisely thanks to the corrugated surface - the food comes into contact only with the stripes, and excess fat and liquid drain into the grooves between them, evaporating, thereby not starting to burn and ensuring the juiciness of the finished dish. Since meat or vegetables are not cooked in the liquid or fat itself, but above them, their surface sets faster.

Given all the features of the functioning of grill pans, it can be argued that they contribute to the preparation of healthier food. This is confirmed by the following parameters of ready meals:

• excess fat accumulates in the grooves and does not fall back into the products, which makes even cutlets tastier;
• no harmful burnt fatty crust is formed on the meat;
• the ability to quickly process products, while maintaining the maximum of their benefits and juiciness;
• the contact area is minimal, the coating is non-stick, and therefore you can get by with a very small amount of oil when frying or not use it at all.

Thanks to the use of such a pan, you can not only make food more appetizing visually, but also more tasty and healthy.

In order to fully enjoy all the delights of a grill pan, you need to choose the right model. In this case, you need to rely on the following parameters:

Size

This characteristic depends on how many people will have to cook most often. Obviously, for two people and for a large family of 4-5 people, different amounts of food are needed. The larger the size, the more servings you can fry at a time. Also, do not forget about the size of your oven.

Material

There may be several options here:

Internal coating

Usually the choice is between Teflon and ceramics. The first is absolutely safe, but it does not tolerate high temperatures at all and, when overheated, releases dangerous volatile compounds. Ceramic coating is neutral to overheating, easy to clean, but requires especially careful handling - it can crack under temperature fluctuations or mechanical stress, after which it will be unusable.

Form

On sale you can find square, round, oval and rectangular models. Which one to choose depends on what products are most often planned to be cooked. So, for fish it is most convenient to use an oval shape, for beef or fish a round one is suitable, but these recommendations are not fundamental. The most versatile option is a square frying pan - it fits the maximum amount of food.

Rib height on surface

You should definitely pay attention to this parameter, since the quality of cooked dishes largely depends on it. The strips should be as high as possible so that there is enough space for liquids in the grooves between them.

Handle material

Pay attention to the fact that the handle is strong, especially when it comes to a cast-iron skillet. It is best if the surface is covered with a non-heating coating, such as special wood, plastic or silicone.

The presence of special “lugs” on the sides of the pan for draining the liquid is a very useful addition that simplifies the cooking process.

How to choose the right pan for your stove

One of the most important parameters when choosing a grill pan is the type of stove on which it will be used.

For induction cooker

Electric stoves are more demanding on the choice of dishes, and this also applies to grill pans. For induction hob models, it is necessary that there is a special metal insert at the bottom of the pan, otherwise there will be no heating. What the main part of the dishes will be made of is not important, it can be aluminum or cast iron.

For gas

Any frying pan is suitable for a gas stove, and a grill made of any material will work great on such stoves. Due to the fact that such pans have a very thick bottom, they evenly distribute the directed heat of the burner, which minimizes its disadvantages.

For glass ceramic hob

A glass-ceramic stove requires that the bottom of the cookware be perfectly smooth, so when buying a grill pan, you should definitely pay attention to this parameter. Separately, it is worth noting that when choosing a cast-iron model, you need to be extremely careful in operation, since its weight exceeds the weight of the dishes that are usually used for such stoves, and therefore, with careless handling, you can easily damage the glass-ceramic surface.

Rating of the best manufacturers of grill pans: photo

Grill pans are very popular today, as the products cooked on them acquire a special taste. Focusing on the main criteria for selecting such a kitchen appliance, you should pay attention to the offers of leading manufacturers, each of which has its own significant advantages.

Tefal / Tefal

The popular brand of kitchen appliances Tefal offers its customers several options for high-quality grill pans, among which the following models should be noted:
aluminum round with "ears" on the sides with a diameter of 26 centimeters;
square (26 by 26 cm);
rectangular (24 by 28 cm), etc.
All Tefal models have a high-quality non-stick coating, and the pans themselves are made of cast aluminum alloy, which ensures their lightness and durability. The peculiarity of pans is that they have a unique heating indicator, which will allow you to determine in time that the surface is hot enough for cooking.

Biol cast iron

Cast iron pans from Biol are available in three sizes: 26, 24, and 28 centimeters. All of them are square in shape with rounded edges. Due to the characteristics of the material from which they are made (and this is cast iron), the models have a very significant weight - an average of about three kilograms. The thickened bottom ensures uniform heating, prevents burning and guarantees fast frying of products. The pans are very strong and therefore resistant to mechanical damage. Models with a removable handle, so if necessary, it can be removed, and then fixed again due to a reliable fastening system.

Gipfel / Gipfel

The company offers several options for grill pans with sizes of 24 and 26 centimeters on one side. Models differ not only in size and color, but also in the type of coating. So, you can choose a three-layer non-stick surface or a ceramic coating (especially resistant to mechanical damage). The handle can be coated with either silicone or Bakelite, which prevents it from overheating when cooking. Regardless of the specific model, the weight is not large - about 1.3 kg. The average height of the walls is 4 centimeters.

Lodge / Lodge

The American company Lodge produces cast-iron cooking utensils, and the line also includes several grill pans. You can choose from both round and square models (most are 26 cm in size, some in diameter, others on one side). If necessary, it is possible to purchase a large model - 30 cm. The base of the pan is cast iron, and therefore it heats up evenly and can retain heat for a long time. Products on such a surface are quickly and well fried, during which an appetizing corrugated surface is formed. The inner coating is non-stick, and therefore you can cook dishes with a minimum addition of oil.

Double-sided frying pan "Master Grill"

The double-sided frying pan is designed in such a way that during frying you do not have to turn the food over to the other side, it will be enough just to close the lid and turn the pan itself over. Both parts of the device are fixed with magnetic locks, so when turning over you do not have to worry that they will open. The dimensions of each “half” are 26 by 26 cm. Inside there is a special compartment for water, into which all excess moisture flows during cooking. The pan is made of aluminum with a non-stick coating. If you need to cook a large number of dishes, you can separate the parts of the device and cook as in two ordinary frying pans.

Which is better grill pan or electric grill?

An electric grill runs on electricity, but there are separate models that allow you to cook on gas as well. They can be open and closed, portable and stationary. Models for kitchen use are compact, they can be easily transferred to any place, no special actions are required for maintenance - just wash thoroughly. Compared to a grill pan, such a device has disadvantages: high cost, massiveness compared to a conventional pan, when a certain temperature is reached, the heating elements usually turn off, which complicates the preparation of large pieces. However, on an electric grill, you can set the frying mode and not worry about properly prepared foods, and the situation is a little more complicated with the temperature in the pan. The principle of cooking is equally based on the flow of excess liquids into the gutters, so which one to choose depends only on personal preferences and desires.

Video: how to use the pan and cook vegetables on it

Grilled vegetables are a great option for lovers of everything fresh and light. Ingredients for the dish include zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes and shallots. You will also need spices and herbs to give the vegetables a special taste, and meat eaters can complement the appetizer with fried bacon slices. How to cook the dish - see this video.

Video: how to fry chicken fillet

Meat in a grill pan immediately acquires a special shade of taste and appearance, but in order for the chicken breast to turn out juicy, you need to be able to marinate it correctly and cook it without overcooking. The secrets of the perfect grilled breast are revealed in this video from Glorious Friend.

Video recipe of chicken in a grill pan with a press lid

Real chicken tabaka is best cooked in a special cast-iron pan with a press to give the dish a specific appearance and juiciness. The whole process is clearly demonstrated in the video - from the preparation of the carcass to the final result of cooking.

Hello dear readers! Today I will tell you about my favorite and explain for what merits the grill pan has received a special place in my kitchen. Striped fried crust, minimum fat, barbecue aroma, mmm ... How can such an assistant not please? Foods cooked in such a pan are less high-calorie and not so harmful to the figure. I decided to dispel the myths and help those who are just planning to make a bargain purchase make the right choice.

The grill pan is one of the most successful inventions. A simple device combines several functions and allows you to make a barbecue without leaving your home. The peculiarity of the grill pan is the ribbed bottom. The bottom of the pan, imitating a grill, makes dishes juicy and non-greasy. Thanks to the corrugations, the products do not completely touch the base and 50% of the dish is steamed. It turns out that the pan acts as an oven. It does not spoil the products, it is easy to use, it is easy to care for it. Thus, you save your time and remain a superhost in the eyes of others. And for adherents of a healthy diet, the big bonus is that much less oil is used during frying. The calorie content is not increased and you can treat yourself to a delicious fried beef steak or diet chicken fillet 🙂

Advantages and disadvantages

To love a grill pan is not only for mouth-watering stripes.

I will reveal secrets to you her superiority:

• in an ordinary frying pan, the juice released by the food during frying burns and smoke appears. As a result, it forms a carcinogenic crust, which is bitter in taste and unhealthy. In a grill pan, food practically does not come into contact with a hot surface. All juice flows into the grooves and gradually evaporates;
• if you are on a diet or, then it will help you not to overestimate the calorie content
• the pan heats up evenly and maintains the reached temperature for a long time, which allows you to quickly cook food without overdrying it;
• less oil is used. It is enough to spray it on the surface, lightly grease the bottom with a special brush or sprinkle the product;
• you can cook different foods at the same time. For example, pork steak + mushrooms + vegetables;
• can be used for cooking if you are on a diet and you can’t fried;
• products do not stick to the bottom;
• beautiful stripes on the finished product are obtained 🙂

cons the grill pan has an order of magnitude less than the pluses. But still there are some:

• significant mass. Weight largely depends on the size of the pan and the material from which it is made;
• cooking in a frying pan may be accompanied by smoke, so be sure to turn on the hood or open a window;
• most often the pan is sold without a lid. When frying large pieces, fat and juice flowing into the grooves begin to splatter over the surface of the stove.
• this one follows from the previous one - after such frying, you will have to wash not only the pan, but the entire stove 🙂

To avoid the last 2 cons, I usually resort to a little trick. When fried stripes appear on the product, I cover the pan. You can even cover it with a regular round lid, just to make sure there is less splatter.

How to cook

Let's talk about some of the nuances of cooking. Believe me, this pan can surprise you. Most often, meat, chicken, and fish are cooked on the grill. You can also cook vegetables and hard cheeses. If you cook without oil, the dish will turn out to be almost dietary.

To properly fry the product, you should follow simple rules:

• oil is not used, or at a minimum. You can simply brush with a brush dipped in oil on the ribbed surface of the pan or the product itself.
• to reveal the taste of the dish, first soak the products in the marinade. And while cooking, it is better not to add salt.
• it is better to turn meat, fish and vegetables with special tongs. You can also use a wooden or silicone spatula.
• Grill stripes will be more pronounced if the food is not turned over often.

Be careful - everything cooks faster on a grill pan. Therefore, at first it is heated, and after laying out the products, the fire is reduced.

How to fry meat and chicken

Do you want to get a juicy product with a grill flavor? The meat is obtained with a characteristic striped pattern. Toasted crust, but juicy inside.

Pork steaks

For example, steaks are very easy to prepare. It is better to take pieces a little thicker than 2 cm, although this is a matter of taste. Before frying, they need to be beaten off a little. If the steaks are thin, it is better not to fry them for a long time, they will turn out dry. Broken pieces of meat must be marinated. Take some olive oil, lemon juice, spices to taste. I love adding a couple more cloves of garlic. Let the steaks marinate for about an hour. After that, they are laid out on a hot frying pan.

Fry first for 1 minute on each side. Then another 3 minutes on both sides. If you like deep roasted meat, you can hold it a little longer.

Do not flip with a fork as she pierces the meat, juice flows out of it. The cooked steaks should be slightly springy when pressed, but not stiff.

Grilled chicken breast

To prepare, take the fillet, cut it lengthwise into 2 parts. Cover with cling film, beat off a little. For the marinade, chop the greens in a blender: dill or parsley, garlic. You can add cilantro, spices to taste. Add oil to the mixture. Marinate the breast pieces for about an hour.

On each side, the pieces are fried for 2-4 minutes. Be guided by their color, the strips from the grill should be ruddy. And the meat itself is light golden.

Fish

Fatty varieties are ideal for this pan. You can cook mackerel, salmon, salmon, tilapia, cod. Too tender meat of flounder, halibut, trout can simply fall apart when turning the pieces. Therefore, work with it with care.

Fish steaks or fillets are marinated before frying. Choose which one you like best. You can pickle in oil and lemon juice, sour cream, cream or ready-made spices. 15-20 minutes is enough, then it is laid out for frying one piece at a time. You can not lubricate the dishes with oil, the fish will give juice during cooking.

Cooked over medium heat. The fish should be placed diagonally relative to the stripes. This feature will prevent the fillet from falling apart. And there will be beautiful stripes.

As for the cooking time, here you need to focus on the readiness of the product. I cook a whole fish for about 15 minutes. If these are steaks, then usually they are ready in 5 minutes.

It is important not to overdo the fish in the pan. I love the taste of fish on a grill pan and often fry tilapia. And you?

Vegetables and cheese

Grilled vegetables go great with meat or fish. Perfectly obtained, both separately cooked and mixes. Not a complicated recipe - take a tomato, zucchini, sweet pepper. Peel and cut into circles, add spices to taste. Do not forget that salt is added to vegetables when they are almost ready.

You need to fry on both sides until dark stripes appear. If you want to cook grilled potatoes, you need to boil them until half cooked. Fry in the same way as other vegetables - until ruddy stripes appear. Then you can either just eat them or make such an original sandwich.

Want to grill cheese? To do this, choose solid varieties. They can be spiced, spicy or classic creamy. Grilled suluguni cheese is very tasty.

For cooking, you should cut it into squares, 4x4 cm in size. More can be. Spread the cheese on a hot frying pan, fry until stripes appear. It is an independent dish, but it can be used in salads.

How to choose for home

And now let's decide which is the best grill pan to buy for the home.

Which material is better: cast iron or aluminum?

Among experts on the most delicious steaks, cast-iron grill pans are considered the best. However, I am not an expert and decided not to dwell on one material, comparing the pros and cons of competitors.

• cast iron pans respected for uniform heating great strength and durability. According to the experience of the housewives in such a pan, the meat is more juicy, soft. Food cooks faster and more evenly. For the sake of these advantages, you will have to work hard at the sink 🙂 But it’s better not to store food in it - cast iron gives the products a metallic smell. It is better to transfer the leftovers to a ceramic bowl. In addition, not every housewife will agree to carry such a burden around the kitchen.
• aluminum frying pans designed for ease of use, but they are less durable. But they are more "friendly" to the hostesses, because. light and there is no problem with washing this pan. And to increase strength, the bottom is often reinforced with an anti-deformation disk.

Judging by the shop windows, there is generally a much greater demand for aluminum grill pans. But finding a cast-iron grill pan in stores is difficult.

Internal coating

Non-stick coating is applied to aluminum pans. A solid non-stick coating is applied in several layers. The first provides scratch resistance, the second provides adhesion strength, and the third enhances the non-stick properties.

The simplest is teflon coating. This coating is cheaper than competitors and copes with its function. But when using it, you need to be "on the alert." The fact is that at a temperature of 200 ° C, it begins to release volatile substances. The coating begins to evaporate and its components enter the lungs (animals die at the slightest dose, and in humans these substances cause cancer).

Recently gaining popularity ceramic and polymer-ceramic coatings. Grill pans with such a coating are more expensive, but it can withstand high temperatures and does not emit any carcinogenic substances. A significant disadvantage of such a coating is fragility. The coating can crack with a strong impact and deteriorate with sudden changes in temperature.

The durability of the coating can be extended by carefully washing the pan and using wooden or plastic spatulas.

There are many more variations from each manufacturer. For example, Tefal uses titanium coatings in some pans. In this case, the label should indicate: Allowed to use metal accessories". There are also granite and even diamond coatings!

I recently read that they have now come up with some kind of thermolon material to cover the pan. In terms of quality, the material is similar to natural ceramics. At the same time, it is incredibly durable and can withstand heating up to 450 ° C without negative consequences for human health. Although, after reading reviews on the Internet, there is a feeling that this is a marketing "husk". And they write that this is an ordinary non-stick coating, which is still made in China 🙂

What else to pay attention to

The main parameters have been studied. I also advise you to pay attention to important characteristics:

1. bottom thickness. The bigger, the better. The ideal option is pans with a reinforced (anti-deformation) bottom, which accelerates the distribution of heat and protects against deformation.
2. the height of the bottom ribs must be significant.
3. capacity and shape do not affect the quality. When choosing a diameter, be guided by the size of your stove, burners and the number of family members. The most popular are square models with 20 cm sides.
4. the outer coating of the pan is enamel, lacquer. Enamel coating is practical and durable.
5. it is good when the handle is solid and covered with heat-resistant material. Equally convenient are the folding handles that allow you to use the grill pan in the oven.
6. The grill pan does not require a lid. As a rule, manufacturers offer to buy a lid made of metal, heat-resistant glass, or a press lid separately.

It will also be very useful for you to see what the expert says in this video:

Typically, manufacturers report the compatibility of a particular pan with different stoves. In general, there are no restrictions for gas stoves, but not every frying pan can withstand the temperature of an electric burner. This question should be clarified when buying. For glass-ceramic cookers, choose a frying pan with a smooth outer bottom. For induction, both cast iron and aluminum with iron inserts in the bottom are suitable.

Overview of the most popular models

We will study in order the better the Tefal grill pan, reviews on the products of the company and its competitors. Let's evaluate the properties of materials, find out the prices and look at the photo of the pans 🙂

TEFAL Talent- square shape is made of aluminum, and the handle is made of bakelite and stainless steel. It has a Titanium Pro non-stick coating and an anti-deformation disc. The dimensions of the pan are 26x26 cm, and the bottom thickness is 4 mm. Compatible with all plates.

Grill pan Tefal TALENT, Tefal

6 779 rub.

To the store
top-shop.ru

TEFAL Flavor- round shape made of die-cast aluminum and has a Resist Plus non-stick coating. Its diameter is 31 cm. The bottom thickness is 5 mm. It is suitable for all cooktops except induction.