This is Why I take Emeril's Advice before George Foreman's
Written: Dec 15 '00 (Updated Dec 18 '00)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Even cooking with nice grill marks
Cons: Price and long handle is a concern
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| bdolcourt's Full Review: All-Clad Limited Grill Pan |
Mentioning cooking will elicit a myriad of responses from people; some look at it with distain, while others revel in it. Most will agree however, that fine, well, cooked food is something to be appreciated. The problem that most people have with cooking is that they don’t have the right tools. Nothing is more frustrating than cooking on a pan with hotspots or one that tries to cook you along with the food. Cooking meats on a stove can also be a trick. It is hard to give the food a well-cooked taste, without burning the bottom. The solution to all these problems is a grill pan.
A grill pan is a pan that works similarly to a barbeque grill. It has bumps, which raises the food off of direct heat, while still allowing some contact with a hot surface. A grill pan can give food the look of having spent time on an actual grill, while still allowing the functionality of cooking indoors.
The All-Clad 12” Grill Pan
All-Clad is known for producing high quality cookware. They, along with Le Creuset and Calphalon, consistently via for the distinction of number 1 rated cookware. Often the distinction just comes down to individual preference. FoodTV Celebrity Chef Emeril Lagasse uses All-Clad and has recently started selling his own line of All-Clad pans.
What is it?
The grill pan is a round, 12” pan, with horizontal, speed bump like mounds about every 1/4 inch. The humps are elevated about 1/8 inch above the surface and are 1/4 inch wide. The pan is stainless steel, with an aluminum core, and has the black, durable, LTD coating. The handle is about 8-9 inches long. The pan is large enough to fit 2-3 large steaks or 4-5 hamburgers.
How does is cook
The pan heats evenly and rapidly. It provides even heat across the food and puts a good sear on the food where it touches the bars. The level of cooking is obviously related to how long the food is in contact with the pan, but you can be assured that everything is cooking at the same rate and same heat. While not actually non-stick, I have yet to have anything actually stick to the pan. Due to the high heat used and low amount of contact that the food has with the pan, unless your food is high in sugar, it is unlikely to stick. The handle doesn't get hot and is well attached to the pan. Expect to burn a hole in the pan before the handle falls off.
Clean up
Due to the steel and aluminum construction of the pan, I am fearful of putting it in the dishwasher (must be the chemistry background). Fortunately, the pan is easy to clean. Since things don’t really stick to it, clean up is a breeze. A few wipes with a wet, soapy sponge gets out any residual food and a quick rinse makes it ready to perform again. The pan is quick to cook down, due to its aluminum core, so you don’t have to wait too long after cooking to clean. (As a note, never put cold water on a hot pan as you can warp it.)
Advantages
I’ve seen/used various grill systems and this one has a few advantages.
When compared to the Le Creuset grill pan, this one is much lighter and also has larger grill bars. While the weight is not a big concern for me, the grill bars are. The Le Creuset’s bars are very thin and harder to clean when something sticks: food tends to burn to the sides of the bars, making removal difficult. The All-Clad pan by contrast, has larger, rounded bars, which makes the same problem unlikely.
I also have the Foreman Grilling machine. This pan can do everything that the Grilling Machine can do, plus a few more. Due to the raised bars, fat drips off the food, just like the Grilling Machine. Sure, it doesn’t fall into a nice little tray, but it still comes off. The grill marks look almost the same. There are notable advantages to the All-Clad pan: 1) You can control the heat on the pan (which you can’t do on many of the Foreman Grills) for better cooking control, 2) it is easier to cook food of different sizes and thicknesses and 3) you can use the Grill pan as a roaster.
Roaster?
One technique that is growing in popularity is to put a nice hard sear on the outside of a piece of meat and then finish cooking it in a hot oven. With the grill pan, you can go directly from the stove to the oven. The pan can take the heat. I’d love to see the Foreman grill do that! The pan also makes a nice serving piece; just garnish with some vegetables and it can look very nice.
Using the pan as a roaster has demonstrated the only real negative that I have found: The handle may be a bit too long. In the oven, unlike when on the stove, the handle can get very hot. If you have low wrist strength and grab the handle near the pan, the handle length can exceed the length of your oven mitt and burn your arm (this is actually why I own the pan, it was given to me by someone who did this a few times). This hasn’t been a problem for me, but it is a concern.
The other disadvantage is price. The All Clad grill pan retails for $130. I would consider it a good buy at this price, however you can find it cheaper. Look for seconds at TJ Maxx or wait for an All-Clad sale. It really is worth looking for. I’ve seen this pan go for as little a $70.
Over all
This is my pan of first choice. I can start vegetables in the pan and finish the meat with the greens at the same time. Beef, fish, and chicken, have all come out nicely. Often I’ll wilt some spinach next to the meat for a nice garnish. It doesn’t stop there. Pound out a little bread dough and you can make Indian style or other flat breads. Have you every tried making Baked Alaska? Well, you probably couldn’t actually make that on this grill pan, but I thought about for a while. This has become my favorite pan. It can be a bit pricey, but for the flexibility it really is a best buy. It might not leave a charcoal flavor on your food, but it keeps the lighter fluid bill down.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
bdolcourt
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Member: Bram Dolcourt
Location: Valhalla, NY
Reviews written: 33
Trusted by: 35 members
About Me:
After graduating in Chemistry from Brandeis and a short EMS career, I'm a Medical Student.
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