In this article we compare a griddle to a grill, discuss the pros and cons of each, and help you decide which is best for you.
When I was just a kid, there weren’t a lot of choices to make when it came to backyard grilling. It really came down to a choice of charcoal vs gas.
But these days there are so many more options. You’ve got traditional charcoal grills, propane grills, pellet grills, Kamado grills, flat top griddles, infrared grills, and all sorts of smokers if slowly cooked barbecue is what you’re after.
Flat top griddles like the Blackstone have really increased in popularity in recent years. And for good reason, they’re well made and allow you to cook everything from scrambled eggs to fried rice.
But that does that mean you should ditch your old barbecue grill for a flat top? Not so fast!
Let’s dig a little deeper and learn more about both options.
What Is A Griddle?
In simple terms, a griddle is just a flat sheet of metal that’s heated underneath so you can cook on it. It’s like a giant frying pan!
Since the heating source is under the cooking surface the flames won’t directly touch or cook the food. Instead, the food is cooked entirely by the heat of the griddle surface itself.
Griddles come in a range of sizes, from a small tabletop version to a giant commercial griddle you’d find in an hibachi restaurant or an old-fashioned diner.
Since griddles have a flat cooking surface you can cook almost anything on them because you don’t have to worry about food falling through the grill grates.
What Can You Cook On A Griddle?
I’ll cook just about anything on my Blackstone griddle. Here are some ideas to get your brain cells going.
- You can make a full family breakfast including eggs, pancakes, bacon, and hash browns.
- Blackstone pizza is one dish you have to try!
- You can shallow fry breaded chicken cutlets or make chicken parmesan.
- Sear up some cod or mahi-mahi and make fish tacos.
- Dishes with rice and pasta that don’t work on a standard grill (try this recipe for Blackstone tortellini.)
- All the usual things you’d cook on a charcoal or gas grill like burgers, steaks, chicken, or hot dogs.
And of course a griddle is essential for cooking smash burgers. You certainly don’t want to try pressing your burger patties on a grill unless you want to watch them squeeze through the grates and into the fire.
What Is A Grill?
We’re all familiar with typical barbecue grills. Whether they’re strictly bare bones or have all sorts of bells and whistles, they work in pretty much the same way.
A grill’s cooking surface consists of slatted metal grates over gas burners or a firebox full of charcoal or wood. The slats allow grease and meat juices to drip down into the flames.
The open flame helps cook the food as well as the heat from the grates themselves, and the grates allow you to get those sought after grill marks.
You can cook all sorts of meals on the grill including steaks, chicken breast, ribs, sausage, hot dogs, fish, veggies, etc.
But you can’t make anything that will fall through the grates. That means no pancakes and eggs for breakfast and no fried rice for dinner.
Or Can You?
Of course there is a simple workaround that will let you use your grill like a griddle. It’s cheaper than buying a dedicated griddle and takes up much less room.
If you already have a traditional grill and you don’t want to spend money on an inexpensive freestanding griddle, you can buy a less expensive griddle insert to sit on top of your grill’s grates. With a flat surface you’ll be able to cook pancakes or omelets like a pro.
If you do go with a griddle insert, look for one with a groove to capture grease. This one is a good choice and it’s universal so it will fit whatever size and brand of grill you have.
- DIMENSIONS: 17 L x 13 W, package includes 1 Universal Non-stick Griddle. COMPATIBILITY: The Universal Griddle fits for Charcoal/Gas Grills, Perfect for camping, tailgating, and parties
- PREMIUM MATERIAL: Made of Nonstick Coating Metal to ensure long-lasting, heavy duty, not eay deform and warp, heat resistant, non stick, easy to clean. Nonstick Material make cleaning effortless, zero-burden!
- EASY TO USE : Perfect for breakfast, lunch and dinner; cook everything from eggs and pancakes to quesadillas and grilled cheese to steak and potato
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Is A Grill Healthier Than A Griddle?
When it comes to healthy cooking, there are two important factors to consider.
First is the type of food you’re preparing. Fresh vegetables are obviously a healthier option than a fatty steak. And in general the more processed a food product is the less healthy it will be.
The just as important is the way you cook something. Cooking French fries in the oven or air fryer is a healthier option than deep-frying them.
When it comes to cooking on a griddle vs a grill, the are a few differences to keep in mind. On one hand, a griddle can be considered safer than a grill because the food is protected from direct contact with the flame and smoke. You won’t get the same charring you’d get on a traditional grill but that delicious char is also considered a carcinogen and definitely bad for your health.
On the other hand, cooking on a griddle involves more use of butter or oil. Now, you can use a healthier option here too, just check out this article on the best oil to use on a griddle.
But because a griddle doesn’t have grates that allow grease and fat to fall through, your food will cook in a puddle of grease and fat. I’m not saying that won’t be delicious, but its definitely not the healthiest.
Griddle vs Grill – The Final Verdict
In my backyard I have both a Blackstone griddle and a Weber Genesis propane grill. I use both of them all the time. For burgers, hot dogs, and chicken breast I prefer the Weber. But the Blackstone is perfect for a big family breakfast with pancakes, bacon, and eggs.
So if you have room in your yard and your budget for both, you can’t go wrong. But what if you have to choose just one?
If it were me I’d go with the traditional gas grill over the griddle. As much as I love my Blackstone, I think I could get almost the same results by using a griddle insert on my gas grill.
