Flat Griddle
A flat griddle can be an essential equipment in any restaurant, diner, or a pub. Some serious considerations should be taken into account when selecting the correct product to ensure consistency in quality of food based on the type of food being prepared and the technical flexibility needed by the cooking staff.
Griddle Burner BTUs
One of the first of these considerations is the burner BTUs. The energy and heat provided by the heating element or the burner of the griddle is measured by BTUs. The higher the value, the hotter temperatures that a griddle could potentially reach.
Hotter BTU could also translate to shorter cooking times and a better recovery rate which is essential for busy kitchens.
Griddle Plate Thickness
BTU isn’t the only indicator of potential surface temperature. Even though it would take more energy heating up a thicker plate, once at optimal temperature, it would do a better job at maintaining the set point during the cooking process.
When the griddle is used frequently, specially to cook items from frozen, such as frozen patties, the griddle would have to work harder to maintain its temperature. Once in contact with a cold object, the plate would inevitably lose some of its surface temperature. This will have a greater impact on a thinner plate.
A thin plate is however sufficient for cooking pancakes and eggs which are not temperature sensitive.
Thermostatic vs Manual Griddle
A manual griddle mostly resembles how a typical stove top works when setting the temperature. In the sense that the user manually adjusts the heat by controlling a relative dial. Usually between high, medium, and low can be selected. The dial indicates how much heat is transferred by the heating element or the gas burner, not the temperature of the surface. Consequently, upon dropping a cold item on a manual griddle, the surface temperature might decrease and the user may have to adjust the dial to reach the optimal temperature.
If the user is using a griddle to cook a variety of foods requiring a range of temperature then a manual griddle is recommended as each heater can be adjusted separately.
Asber Thermostatic Griddle
Asber Manual Griddle
On the other hand, a thermostatic griddle controls the surface temperature. The user can set the ideal temperature, and through a control system, the griddle adjusts its heating element or gas burner to maintain a set point during a continuous use of the griddle. As a result, even though a cold item might cause the surface to cool down momentarily, the griddle would react to return to optimal operating point immediately.
Griddle Plate Finish
Commercial griddle plates are stainless steel. Some manufacturers and models provide an option to add a chrome finish.
Chrome finished plates have many advantages. For instance, chrome is a non-porous material and it is non-reactive. As a result, the food products do not stick to the plate preventing the transfer of flavour and colour between food types.
Additionally, the chrome plating emits less energy to the surrounding environment which helps griddle keep its temperature and therefore spend less energy staying at optimal temperature. This could help users save on their utility bill.