Made In’s Carbon Steel Griddle Works Better than I Could’ve Imagined
With two toddlers, weeknight dinners at my house aren’t unlike Carmy’s kitchen from FX’s The Bear: It’s chaotic, loud, and emotional. And there’s always (always!) something wrong. The milk is in the wrong cup. The broccoli is too crispy! The food is taking too long! (Insert: melting face emoji.)
What’s So Great About the Made In Carbon Steel Griddle?
Made In’s Carbon Steel Griddle is a great pre-seasoned, nonstick griddle for pancakes, burgers, sausages, and more. It’s lightweight, easy to store, and easy to clean.
When I cook for my lovely family, my goal is always this: Get food on the table, STAT. Cooking in batches or using multiple pots? No, thank you.
So when our amazing shopping director asked if anyone wanted to testMade In’s Carbon Steel Griddle — a cooking dual-zone surface so large it spans two burners on the stovetop — I jumped at the opportunity. I estimated it could be large enough to cook multiple quesadillas at once and twice as many pancakes as my large cast iron pan would allow. And if my theory was correct, this could be a major game-changer in efficiency.
My Honest Review of Made In’s Carbon Steel Griddle
After a few months of use, I can affirm that this griddle is extremely good (although I had no doubt after reading a previous review). I’ve used it to cook eggs and bacon (and therefore breakfast sandwiches), smash burgers (Made In’s grill press is especially great for this), Oklahoma onion burgers, sausage and peppers, chicken, steak quesadillas, grilled cheese sandwiches, and, most importantly, pancakes. Instead of cooking three pancakes at once, I can comfortably fit and flip five to six on this griddle. I feel like I’m at a restaurant flattop, and I love it.
I have a gas stovetop and find that I’m able to control the heat pretty well. It can get super hot and is great for a nice hard sear, but it’s also easy to maintain a nice even heat for something like, you guessed it, pancakes. (If you’ve ever had a 3-year-old, you understand.)
In its care manual, Made In reassures you that the carbon steel is “indestructible” and warns that it may often look “ugly” and change colors, which was music to my ears. The griddle comes pre-seasoned and, just like they say, is low-maintenance. All you need to do after use is wipe it down.
Because I use it so often, I keep it right next to my stovetop. But it’s also pretty light if you wanted to store it somewhere else. And, especially relevant during the summer season, it works just as well on a grill. You can get Made In’s leather handle covers when shopping the griddle, but they’re a bit hard to put on — especially when the handles are hot — and I found it easier to just grab my usual oven mitts.
If You Get a Made In Griddle, a Few Tips
- Read the care instructions. It’s short and filled with helpful tips for using carbon steel.
- Start with something fatty. Made In suggests (in the care manual!) to start with something fattier, like burgers, instead of something delicate like fish. The more you use the griddle, the more it’s able to handle different kinds of food.
- If you need to wash with soap and water, season it. Again, this is info you’ll find in the instructions Made In provides. Seasoning the griddle simply involves some time in a hot oven.