Three easy, natural ways to effortlessly clean the griddle
Indispensable for cooking meat, fish and vegetables, griddles can be found in most homes. Whether they are made of cast iron or other materials, cooking on them involves placing the food on them without adding a lot of oil, butter or other fats.
Of course, after using a griddle, there is usually some food residue that is often difficult to remove. So, how do we deal with this? Let's check out a few methods below:
A basic method for removing food residue from a griddle
Susan Slater/Wikimedia Commons
The first thing that comes to mind is to use water. This is correct, but you must not rush and pour the water on a still-hot griddle. You need to let it cool first and then immerse it in water. After waiting a bit, the residue will soften and will be easy to remove with a non-abrasive sponge.
At this point, a little regular dish soap will remove any greasy residue which will complete the griddle-cleaning process.
Alternative remedies for cleaning a griddle
There is a griddle-cleaning tip that is popular online: it involves using ice cubes.
The procedure is simple: when the plate is still warm (but not hot), place 3 or 4 ice cubes on it, and with the help of a ladle move them around over the entire surface. With the heat, the cubes will melt and soften the grime. Non-abrasive sponges must always be used to help us scrub off the softened food residue.
For cast iron griddles, there are those who recommend using salt and parchment paper: pour the salt on the griddle when it is warm (not hot), and then rub the surface of the griddle using the paper. This will remove any food residue and can be followed up with a regular wash.
The utensils to use when cleaning the griddle
If you use the griddle frequently, it is worth considering getting some special tools to remove food residue without ruining the surface.
Online or in household stores, you can find polycarbonate scrapers that fit easily into the grooves of the griddle; alternatively, there are special, stiff-bristled brushes made for the same purpose. And the griddle-maker probably sells these items too!
How do you clean your griddle?
