A cast-iron skillet and a griddle are both versatile cooking tools made from cast iron, but they have distinct differences in their design and functionality.
- Shape:
Cast-Iron Skillet: A cast-iron skillet, also known as a frying pan, typically has slightly sloped or flared sides and a long handle. It is designed for frying, sautéing, searing, and baking. The sloped sides allow for easy tossing and flipping of food.
Griddle: A griddle is a flat, rectangular or circular cooking surface with no or very minimal sides. It often comes with two side handles for easy handling. The absence of sides allows you to cook foods that require more surface area, like pancakes, crepes, eggs, and other breakfast items.
- Cooking Surface:
Cast-Iron Skillet: Skillets have a smaller, concentrated cooking surface, which is suitable for preparing dishes that require higher heat and more oil, such as searing steaks or frying chicken.
Griddle: Griddles have a larger, flat cooking surface that allows for even heat distribution across a wider area. This makes them ideal for cooking multiple items simultaneously, like pancakes or quesadillas.
- Cooking Techniques:
Cast-Iron Skillet: Skillets are excellent for high-heat cooking methods, such as searing and browning, and they are also suitable for cooking dishes that require transferring from stovetop to oven, like frittatas or cornbread.
Griddle: Griddles are perfect for low to medium-heat cooking, as they provide a consistent surface to cook delicate items like eggs, pancakes, and tortillas without the need for excessive oil.
- Versatility:
Cast-Iron Skillet: Skillets are incredibly versatile and can be used for a wide range of cooking tasks, from frying and baking to sautéing and shallow frying.
Griddle: Griddles are specialized for cooking flat and thin items and are especially well-suited for breakfast dishes and certain types of flatbreads.
In summary, the main difference between a cast-iron skillet and a griddle lies in their shape and cooking surface. A skillet is a multi-purpose pan with sloped sides, while a griddle is a flat surface with no or minimal sides, designed for cooking flat items like pancakes and eggs. Both are valuable additions to a kitchen and offer unique cooking capabilities, depending on the type of dishes you want to prepare.