Can anyone recommend an outside griddle?

I've got one of these but want something a bit bigger and with sides (lost a lot of good onions to the hellfires of the grill). I've got a veggie basket that works alright but it's a pain to clean and since it's a basket, doesn't give a flat hot cooking surface for burgers.

I did find this, which I thought looked pretty promising.

This would be mainly used outside on a gas grill.

Anyone have experience with that or any other outdoor flat cooking surface?

Check out the Camp Chef griddles. Different sizes and styles with non-stick surface.

Lodge also has a nice 14" lipped and handled, round, pizza griddle. Good size and flat.

I always just use the lid to my dutch oven as a griddle. But I also have a nice cast iron wok for veggie cooking too.

On my grill, I overlay the standard grate with a custom expanded metal grate cut to size (aka bought a sheet from lowes and cut it to fit). Makes for an excellent grate with veggie and skrimps (two exp metal grates layered in alternating directions keep the skrimp off the coals).

Cheesy_Goodness said:

I did find this, which I thought looked pretty promising.

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I have something very similar for a kettle grill. It works well but I haven't used it nearly as much as I should given the cost. Cleaning the thing is kind of awkward too... But it's good at griddlin'.

flars said:

Check out the Camp Chef griddles. Different sizes and styles with non-stick surface.

Click to expand...

Perfect, that's just the kind of thing I was looking for. That looks like a great piece too. Does the seasoning hold up over time?

GilaMinumBeer said:

Lodge also has a nice 14" lipped and handled, round, pizza griddle. Good size and flat.

I always just use the lid to my dutch oven as a griddle. But I also have a nice cast iron wok for veggie cooking too.

On my grill, I overlay the standard grate with a custom expanded metal grate cut to size (aka bought a sheet from lowes and cut it to fit). Makes for an excellent grate with veggie and skrimps (two exp metal grates layered in alternating directions keep the skrimp off the coals).

Click to expand...

I wasn't kidding about sending veggies to hell on a regular basis. I'm a habitual stand and stir guy...it gets ugly
The steel sounds easy enough to rig up. Do you have some kind of trough for grease, or do you just use it for veggies/shrimp?

thekraken said:

I have something very similar for a kettle grill. It works well but I haven't used it nearly as much as I should given the cost. Cleaning the thing is kind of awkward too... But it's good at griddlin'.

Click to expand...

That looks to be the same company as the one I posted. I don't think I'd use it every weekend, which is why that price ($50) appealed to me. Is cleaning a real pain? The videos I've seen look pretty easy, but probably 90% of them were made by the manufacturer of the product

Cheesy_Goodness said:

The steel sounds easy enough to rig up. Do you have some kind of trough for grease, or do you just use it for veggies/shrimp?

Click to expand...

Not sure what you mean by trough, but I am also not sure you know what I mean by expanded steel.



The mesh I found was still a bit too open for shrimp. So I just double layer in alternated directions.

A finer mesh is ideal.

Neither hold grease very well.

Also, look for stainless (what I have). Galvanized is no bueno (although it'd prolly burn off easily).

GilaMinumBeer said:

Not sure what you mean by trough, but I am also not sure you know what I mean by expanded steel.

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You're assuming I carefully read posts before replying and I'm not sure why

I thought you took some stainless steel sheet metal and threw it on the grill, which would be closer to what I'm looking for.

I've got a basket with a small mesh (never tried shrimp but I suspect it'd do pretty well). It works alright for veggies but I'm looking for a flat surface for burgers/breakfast type stuff.

Cheesy_Goodness said:

I'm looking for a flat surface for burgers/breakfast type stuff.

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Yeah, I know. Is why I originally mentioned the 14" griddle iron and wok.

The 1/4" expanded works great for burgers and veggies. For anything like eggs, ground sausage/beef, or diced veggies I go for my outdoor wok.

Cheesy_Goodness said:

I thought you took some stainless steel sheet metal and threw it on the grill, which would be closer to what I'm looking for.

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I have done this too. (sheet pan) Warps like crazy.

Cheesy_Goodness said:

That looks to be the same company as the one I posted. I don't think I'd use it every weekend, which is why that price ($50) appealed to me. Is cleaning a real pain? The videos I've seen look pretty easy, but probably 90% of them were made by the manufacturer of the product

Click to expand...

Cleaning wasn't a pain it was just awkward trying to fit the big round thing in my sink. If I used it enough to this point I probably would have figured out a better way to do it.

I will say though it is quality materials/construction, thick gauge ss with a friggin torsion box underneath it so it's not gunna warp.

If anyone cares, I went with the Little Griddle in my first post. I was on the fence but it was a Cyber Monday deal (still going on when last checked) and I got it for $40. I'll try to post back with results to see how it goes.

Thanks for the input all.

I had an old cast iron roaster tht had a crack in the side

so... cut the roaster down, leaving a 1/2'' lip, then ground the cuts smooth / level
cut thye handles off the old roaster and drill them. to fit the new
in the picture, those screws are temp...gota go to hardware

then i cleaned the griddle with a wire wheel
baked it
cleaned it
seasoned it bake
seasoned again

and cooked pancakes the next morning

if you have a sheet of Stainless Steel.
find a Air Conditioning Contractor in your area,
ask him to "bend a 1/2'' lip on four sides.
and tuck the corner

after you have it bent..either tig it or solder it.
if you decide to solder
you will need

Lowes has this for $300 works greatView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1448980791.493145.jpg

Dixon9717 said:

Lowes has this for $300 works greatView attachment 319903

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HECK YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! thats purdy!!!!!!!

tell that welder to go home!!!!

odorf said:

I had an old cast iron roaster tht had a crack in the side

so... cut the roaster down, leaving a 1/2'' lip, then ground the cuts smooth / level
cut thye handles off the old roaster and drill them. to fit the new
in the picture, those screws are temp...gota go to hardware

then i cleaned the griddle with a wire wheel
baked it
cleaned it
seasoned it bake
seasoned again

and cooked pancakes the next morning

Click to expand...

Nothing like good old cast iron. Consistent heat, doesn't warp. But you do need to take care of it.