Yes, you CAN use a cast iron griddle on a glass top stove! I have used ours for eggs, bacon, sausage, sandwiches, steak, and more! Keep reading for a review and pro tips!
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I’m glad I don’t have to choose between my Instant Pots and my cast iron pans. Just like I am glad that I don’t have to choose between pasta and tex-Mex. Those are what you call impossible decisions.
I have been using cast iron pans for years, but had held off on a large griddle because I already had a griddle that worked well enough.
The thing is, though, that griddle is made of cast aluminum, and whether or not you think you should use cast aluminum, it doesn’t change the fact that I was missing the benefits of cast iron whenever I used it.
Once I began using the cast aluminum griddle every morning for breakfast, I knew it was finally time to make the switch. As someone who struggles with low iron, I didn’t want to be missing out on added iron in our eggs every morning.
(Do you have an iron deficiency? According to the CDC, it’s the most common nutritional deficiency).
Since our new Lodge cast iron griddle arrived in the mail, I have been using it daily. Often multiple times a day!
Cast Iron Griddle (On a Glasstop Stove)
When I brought up using a cast iron griddle on my glasstop stove on Facebook, there were mixed responses. I knew I wanted to give it a try for myself. And, of course, share the results with you.
There are thousands of reviews on Amazon, so I started my research there. MANY people love using the griddle on stoves similar to mine. Even though my husband was skeptical how well it would work (because of the lip on the bottom of the pan and the smaller amount of surface area that would be in contact with the stove), I was convinced that it was a chance worth taking.
We looked at Target, but the Lodge griddle they keep in stock is smaller than the one I was eyeing on Amazon. A couple of clicks later and the 20″ x 10″ Lodge griddle was on its way.
On glass top, though?
I have a flat glass top stove, with smaller burners in the back and larger burners in the front. And the griddle works well on my stove!
On Lodge’s website, they write that their cast iron griddle is safe for glass top stoves. Just don’t slide it, or set it down too hard.
What can it be used for?
I will get into more particulars below, but just in the last week I used our griddle for DOZENS of eggs (scrambled and fried), bacon, sausage, grilled cheese, thin cut pork chops, pancakes, and London Broil!
The griddle has a flat top on one side, and a grill pan on the other side. It is super versatile.
What didn’t I love?
There are a few cons to the griddle, though nothing significant enough to make me not want to use it.
- It’s heavy. (DUH) Of course, this griddle is heavier than my cast aluminum griddle. This makes it a little more difficult to clean, however I found that if I do most of the cleaning while it’s still on the stovetop, I can pretty easily rinse it in the sink afterwards.
- I can’t fit as much bacon. With the bacon I purchase at Costco, I cannot lay as many pieces as I could with my previous griddle because it’s just a little less wide. I can get about six or seven slices on, with a couple cut in half on one end.
- When cooking bacon, I can’t easily lift the pan to drain the grease. This was an issue the first time I cooked bacon on the griddle, but I solved this problem by buying a stainless steel turkey baster that I now use to siphon off the grease.
Cooking on Cast Iron Pro Tips ::
GENERAL
- The griddle needs to heat for 10-12 minutes before using. You will be able to feel the warmth by hovering your hand over the top of the griddle when it’s ready.
- For most recipes, you will only need to heat the griddle over medium heat. Heating cast iron too high can cause your food to stick.
- I like using ghee to grease the pan before cooking many foods. Ghee is clarified butter and has a higher smoke point than butter. I find mine at Aldi’s.
- If you have a stovetop with different size burners, you may need to play around with how high to heat each one. For example, the smaller eye may need to be slightly higher and the larger eye slightly lower.
BACON
- Cook over medium heat, no higher. Remove the grease if it starts to pool up.
- If the bacon is not cooking perfectly evenly, I will simply rotate it around the griddle a bit a few times as it cooks.
EGGS
- Again, cook eggs at medium heat and no higher. If you cook bacon or another meat first, and then eggs, make sure your eggs are ready to go so that your pan does not overheat while you prepare them. (See picture below for an example of when I didn’t follow this advice).
- When making scrambled eggs, your pan needs to be hot before you pour on the eggs. I like to pour a little of the scrambled eggs on and then make a “wall” with the eggs before continuing to pour the rest of the eggs. This helps to keep the eggs out of the drip well.
- For the best fried eggs (the ones with runny yolks are preferred at our house), start with a hot pan and use a little butter or oil to grease the griddle. Crack the eggs on to the griddle and let them cook about three to four minutes, then flip. After flipping, only cook for about one more minute, until the white is completely cooked, but the yolk is still soft and runny. Remove from the griddle immediately.
GRILLED CHEESE
- As with the bacon, I noticed a few cooler spots on the griddle when I made grilled cheese. To remedy this, I just changed the positions of some of the sandwiches after they cooked on the first side.
Cleaning & Caring for Cast Iron Pro Tips ::
Learning to cook with and clean cast iron pans can be a deterrent for many people. It was for me for years. But it really can be very simple and straightforward!
Lodge pans come seasoned already, which means you just need to focus on their general upkeep. They are ready to use as soon as you buy them.
CLEANING
- Heat and water is usually all you need. While the pan is hot (either immediately after cooking or reheat it shortly after), pour in just enough water to mostly cover the bottom of the pan. Use a spatula or stainless mesh scraper to loosen anything stuck to the pan. Rinse and repeat as needed.
- After cleaning, ALWAYS wipe the pan dry. Then wipe a small amount of oil all over the pan– enough to restore the sheen without being sticky. Flaxseed oil is highly recommended for cast iron pans.
- Avoid using soap. Soap will remove the seasoning, and thus make your pans less effective as you use them.
SEASONING
- If you notice your seasoning is beginning to get patchy or foods are sticking more, it may be time to reseason your pans. Coat them with a thin coat oil (flaxseed is best), wipe off excess oil with a paper towel, and set them upside down in an oven heated to 400 for an hour, then re-coat with oil and return to oven. Three coats is best. When properly done, the pans should be slick to the touch.
- If the pans are sticky after going through the steps above, you may have used too much oil or not given them enough time. Return the pans to the oven for a few hours until no longer sticky.
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Lodge 20″ x 10″ Reversible Griddle
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The one cast iron piece of cookware I prefer to use is my CLUB brand square pancake grille with a long handle. No ribs and only cooks on one side. It is very flan but the bottom has a ridge that sits on the stovetop (if glass electric) or grates on gas stove. Thene there is a void between the other ridge and the bottom of the griddle that actually sits on the “burner”. I wonder if the void area on the bottom is a problem on the glass cooktop. This is different than most of the griddles I see, although the one you show does have a lip on the flat side that would sit on the stovetop. But the glat cooking surface would not sit directly on the stovetop.
I prefer the cast iron griddle for a very good reason, IT DOESN’T WARP when heated.
Have you used this kind of griddle on the glass cooktop electric stove? (by the way, your stove looks very much like my double ove glass top range.) I have given my children, two of whom have glasstop electric ranges, each one of these griddles and they love them for the same reasons that I do.
So is my range safe with my square griddle or not.
Hi Lisa, hope you are doing well,
Yes you are right that the cast iron skillets are the heavy in weight & there is a big probability that the electric cooktop might get damage.
But, few brands are also manufacture thin enameled coated cast iron skillets for glass top stoves. You can include them on your article.
Thanks for, such a nice article.
Terrific work! That is the kind of information that are supposed to be shared around the net.
Thanks for the review and suggestions!! I ordered mine today.
Thanks for the post! I’ve used cast iron skillets for years, but was wondering if I could use the cast iron skillet on my glass top. My favorite way to clean tough messes in cast iron is to wait for it to cool, wipe out any gunk with a paper towel, generously sprinkle in (coarse) salt and gently scrub with a dry paper towel. Rinse it clean & heat dry ! 🙂