Grills are undoubtedly the best way to cook outdoors on an open flame. Grilled food can be quite healthy and have incredible flavor because of the caramelization and charring from the grill. But what if you want to use a different pan on the grill — is that possible?
You can use a frying pan on a gas grill as long as it can withstand high heat. Cast iron skillets are the best to use on a gas grill. Never use a pan with plastic, stainless steel, ceramic, or Teflon on a grill because they can’t withstand the heat.
Now that you know you can use your frying pan on your gas grill, keep reading as I explain why you should consider cooking this way. I’ll also suggest some tips for using a frying pan on your gas grill.
Advantages of Using a Frying Pan on a Gas Grill
Cooking on the grill is great but needs a little finesse. Apart from the technique itself, there are several reasons why you might want to use a frying pan on the grill.
Clean Up Is Easier
The flat surface of a pan is much easier to clean than a grill. Pans are smooth, and even any scorch marks can be rubbed out with a little bit of elbow grease. If you’re using a cast-iron pan, you won’t have to deal with the scorch marks at all.
Better for Delicate Meats and Fatty Marinades
Flaky fish and anything else that might fall apart when cooked can be hard to cook on a grill.
Unless you’re very comfortable with the way your grill works and how much time it’ll take to cook the meat, you’re better off cooking the more delicate meats in a pan.
Additionally, there are health risks to cooking on a grill. The high, inconsistent heat from the grill interacts with the proteins in the meat and the fats in the marinade to create amines.
To avoid the creation of these amines, you can use a pan. When you use a cast iron pan on the grill, you get more consistent heat. The pan can get hot and keeps heat, so you can move it away from the grill and stop the pan from getting too hot.
The meat will keep cooking because of the residual heat from the pan. Pans also help you cook the meat more evenly.
Good for Cooking Vegetables and Other Sides
If you’ve already fired up your grill, it can be annoying to have to cook in your kitchen as well. But you can’t exactly grill all your sides, so the easiest thing is to throw them in a pan and set the pan on the grill.
- Cooking your vegetables in a pan placed on the grill gives them the same lovely smoky, grilled flavor and even the char from the grill as well.
Food Is Juicier
Grilled burgers are delicious, but cooking a burger on a flat pan caramelizes the entire side and makes for a delicious crust on the outside. Cooking burgers on a flat frying pan placed on a grill gives you juicy, perfectly cooked burgers with a fantastic crust.
The grill’s high heat combined with the flat surface of the pan cooks the meat thoroughly while keeping it juicy. Unlike cooking on the stove, you’ll get all the smoky flavor of cooking on the grill when you put your pan on the stove.
Versatile Enough To Make Desserts
While you can grill fruit for some interesting and delicious results, throwing a pan on the grill increases your options dramatically. You can put together quick crumbles or cobblers.
If you’ve got the option to put a lid on your grill, you’ve basically got an oven because the grill is definitely hot enough. You can bake a whole array of desserts in your cast iron or aluminum pans with the lid down.
Check out this YouTube video as an example of cooking with a pan on a grill.
Can You Use Non-Stick Pans on a Gas Grill?
Teflon is one of the more popular non-stick coatings to make pans non-stick but breaks down in high heat.
You can use non-stick pans on a gas grill. Any pan that can withstand gas grill heat can be used, but it’s always good to double-check that your pan doesn’t have elements that can be damaged by high heat, such as plastic components.
Alternatively, you can use a non-stick spray on your regular pans and use them on the gas grill.
Can You Use a Frying Pan on a BBQ?
You can use some frying pans on a BBQ or gas grills just as you would use them on the stove. The best option would be a cast iron pan. Stainless steel is a bad choice of materials to use on a BBQ, as is Teflon, which starts breaking down at really high temperatures.
Here are some tips to help you have the best cooking experience with your pan and the grill:
Ensure Pans Are Heat-Resistant
Grills get very hot. They’re essentially as hot as ovens can be. Just as you wouldn’t put plastic pans in the oven, you shouldn’t use plastic utensils or pans with plastic handles on the gas grill.
Watch Out for Hot Zones
Gas grills are notorious for inconsistent heating and will likely have spots where the temperature is hotter. Just be sure to keep an eye on your pan to make sure the food doesn’t burn or cook unevenly.
Keep the Lid Open
Unless you’re baking, you’ll want to keep an eye on your food. Food can cook pretty fast on a grill, especially if you’ve put a cast iron pan on. Make sure the food doesn’t get overcooked.
Let the Grill Heat Up
Don’t put your pans on the grill until it’s had time to heat up. You’ll want to wait at least five minutes, depending on the type of grill you’re using.
Final Thoughts
Frying pans can be used on gas grills pretty easily and to cook a wide range of food. Just make sure that the pan is made of materials that can handle really high heat — ideally, the pans should be oven or grill-safe.
Sources
- Let’s Eat: What is the difference between grilling and pan frying?
- Epicurious: How to Use a Cast Iron Skillet on the Grill
- For Your Grill: Can You Use Pots on the Grill?
- Backyard Boss: Frying Pan for the Grill
- Southern Living: 4 Reasons to Use Your Cast-Iron Skillet on the Grill
- CNET: 8 unexpected ways to cook with your grill
- Asking Lot: Can I use a frying pan on a BBQ?
