Smash Burgers on the Traeger

[SkipMorrow]

I'm having a lot of fun with my 780. But I am missing some smash burgers! I've been looking around and I know how much love the grill grates get around here. I know they can be flipped over for some flat searing, but can you really *cook* on that side? With them being made out of aluminum, it seems to me that they would lose their heat (to the burger) pretty quickly and they would stop cooking. I've been looking at the BBQ Hack Griddle Hack, and that looks like a really good solution. I've only seen a couple of posts here about these griddles, so I was hoping that any owners of them could chime in. Or if you are using the grill grates for cooking. Or any other solution.

 

[CMTiger]

Haven’t used, but I’ve got my eye on this for smash birgers

Amazon.com

 

[Murphy's Law]

Lodge has a really nice cast iron griddle that I use. It’s dual sided and works nicely.

 

[traeger860]

Baking Steel works great for pizzas, smash burgers, and whatever else you want to cook on a flat top. They take a while to cook down, but they are easy to clean and are pretty much indestructible.

www.bakingsteel.com

 

[GrillMeister]

The GrillGrates work great for smash burgers or anything else for which you need a griddle.

 

[dkmoody]

I'm having a lot of fun with my 780. But I am missing some smash burgers! I've been looking around and I know how much love the grill grates get around here. I know they can be flipped over for some flat searing, but can you really *cook* on that side? With them being made out of aluminum, it seems to me that they would lose their heat (to the burger) pretty quickly and they would stop cooking. I've been looking at the BBQ Hack Griddle Hack, and that looks like a really good solution. I've only seen a couple of posts here about these griddles, so I was hoping that any owners of them could chime in. Or if you are using the grill grates for cooking. Or any other solution.

I have ordered to Grillgrates griddles and will report out for bacon, burgers and more. Need the sear capabilities, etc

 

[Slimpicker]

With them being made out of aluminum, it seems to me that they would lose their heat (to the burger) pretty quickly and they would stop cooking.

I don't know how you came to this conclusion, aluminum is 3 times the conductor cast iron is...

The GrillGrates work great for smash burgers or anything else for which you need a griddle.

AMEN

 

[Don C]

Haven’t used, but I’ve got my eye on this for smash birgers

Amazon.com

Would a cast iron pan work just as good?

I also have a cast iron griddle that could be put over 2 burners of an old gas stove we no longer have.

Could a cast iron pan or griddle be used to do the reverse sear on a steak on the Traeger?
OR, would just using the porcelain grates work better for a reverse sear?

Short list please of what a cast iron pan or griddle could be used for on a Traeger.

 

[Slimpicker]

Short list please of what a cast iron pan or griddle could be used for on a Traeger.

Anything you want

 

[SkipMorrow]

I don't know how you came to this conclusion, aluminum is 3 times the conductor cast iron is...


AMEN

Aluminum is indeed a MUCH better conductor than cast iron (that's why we use it for heat sinks). But since cast iron skillets (and griddles) are typically much heavier (for the same volume/area), they have a much higher heat capacity than an aluminum device of the same size.

Cast iron skillets and pans work because they can hold (retain) a lot of heat which is then transferred into what you are cooking. This transfer can take place over a longer period of time. An aluminum pan would transfer all of its heat very quickly and then cool to the point we aren't even cooking any more.

 

[SkipMorrow]

Would a cast iron pan work just as good?

I also have a cast iron griddle that could be put over 2 burners of an old gas stove we no longer have.

Could a cast iron pan or griddle be used to do the reverse sear on a steak on the Traeger?
OR, would just using the porcelain grates work better for a reverse sear?

Short list please of what a cast iron pan or griddle could be used for on a Traeger.

A cast iron pan on the traeger grill grates is a step in the right direction. If you get the pan very hot before putting food in it/on it, it will indeed sear your food. But an oven isn't very good at replenishing the lost heat. It would be better if the skillet/pan was in close contact with a heat source to keep it nice and hot.

What could be cooked on a skillet? Stir fry, fajitas, smash burgers, eggs, bacon, steaks, etc. I can so easily imagine a fajita party on my deck! Or smash burgers. Now, for sure there should not be any expectation that this food will come out "smoked". It will really not be any different than if it was cooked on a skillet in your house. So really this comes down to convenience. I don't want any more of my deck real estate taken by a blackstone griddle. So would something like this work instead??? Hence the reason I posted the OP.

 

[Murphy's Law]

Typically if I am cooking something on cast iron I will use the Weber gas grill at high heat. I've done bacon, scallops, eggs, seared steaks, etc. I have a variety of pan sizes plus the griddle and they all get used at one time or another.

I like to do this outside because, well...I prefer cooking outside, we don't have a mess to clean in the kitchen, don't have to run my oven inside, for just a few reasons.

For what ever reason I prefer cast iron over grill grates (I have both and have used both). Personal preference I guess.

 

[midwest]

Not really on topic but I have a blackstone sitting right next to my 780 and they make a great team.

 

[CMTiger]

My problem with the Blackstone for this purpose is probably mostly in my head. Not really for smash burgers I don’t suppose.....but reverse searing. I like the grill marks on say a steak.

 

[RustyJake]

My problem with the Blackstone for this purpose is probably mostly in my head. Not really for smash burgers I don’t suppose.....but reverse searing. I like the grill marks on say a steak.

I too like the grill marks, but char=flavor. So it's a trade-off between aesthetics and full flavor.
If I am doing something for show I like the grill marks, but I have found myself using the flat side of my grillgrates more and more lately.
You can't really do smash burgers on a grate....so for this it has to be a flat surface