4 Reasons You Need A BBQ Grill Pan

If you love to grill, then you’re definitely going to want to get a BBQ grill pan to up your game. Slide over burgers and corn on the cob, and make room for this versatile grilling tool. 

What is a BBQ grill pan?

A BBQ grill pan—or barbecue grill pan, if you prefer the long spelling—is a perforated pan that allows you to grill small items of food (like shrimp or chopped vegetables) on a gas or charcoal grill. Because there are holes in the material, both the heat and delicious smoke can reach the food, unlike if you used a regular heat-proof skillet on the grill. Not to be confused with a grill pan that has raised ridges and mimics the effect of a grill indoors or a griddle pan, which is a wide, flat pan that allows you to maximize surface area, a BBQ grill pan is meant to be used exclusively on the grill. The best 

Hexclad’s BBQ grill pan is round rather than rectangular, which means it will fit well over both a circular charcoal grill or a large gas grill. Though you can fit a family-sized portion in the pan, it’s compact enough to allow for grilling other items alongside. The handles make for easy transport to and from the grill. Designed for outdoor grilling, the ceramic nonstick coating is safe up to 900 degrees. Best of all? You can throw it in the dishwasher once you’re done cooking.

Here are 4 reasons why you’re going to want to get a BBQ grill pan:

Quite possibly the most annoying thing about grilling is dealing with little bits that slip through the grill grates. One solution is using skewers to thread ingredients, but it’s time-consuming. Instead, using a BBQ grill pan allows you to corral the ingredients in the pan, tossing and flipping the ingredients with no worries of them falling through. Use a BBQ grill pan for chopped vegetables, fruit (seriously, try it with cubes of pineapple), lemon and lime halves, cubes of bread, and shrimp.

Though it’s possible to put fillets of fish directly on the grill, they might fall apart if they stick to a grill grate. Using a BBQ grill pan for fish fillets allows you to transfer them safely too and from the grill without them sticking or falling apart. Other delicate foods like stuffed peppers, halved tomatoes, slices of cooked polenta, and wedges of romaine.

Sometimes you want that delicious, smoky flavor but not the grill marks or charred exterior that comes with grilling. When the food is inside the BBQ grill pan, the flavor-enhancing smoke still makes it through the pan, but the food is protected from the grates. If you’re looking to grill over indirect heat, you can set the pan on the opposite side of the grill from the heat.

There’s nothing worse than severely overcooked food, especially when grilled, which can dry food out. Using a BBQ grill pan allows you to take all the food off at once, rather than slowly using tongs to lift each item off at a time. For instance, if you’re grilling steamed potatoes to infuse them with delicious, smoky flavor, you can test one, find out it’s done, and pull the entire pan off.

Looking to build out your bbq tool kit? Why not add these 7 helpful items?

Grill Brush

Use a grill brush with heavy-duty bristles before and after everytime you grill. 

Long-Handled Tongs

To avoid scorching your hands when barbecuing, you’ll want to invest in a pair of long-handled tongs.

Chimney Starter

If you have a charcoal grill and you want to skip the lighter fluid or match-light charcoal, go for a chimney starter. It’s the easiest and fastest way to light coals.

Grilling Fork

This long-handled version of a carving fork is essential for handling large pieces of meat and other big items on the hot grates. Use it to lift and turn food without getting too close to the grates.

Flexible Slotted Metal Spatula

A long, flexible slotted metal spatula (like the kind you use for fish) will allow you to turn things on the grill that you don’t want to use tongs for.

Basting Brush

A basting brush allows you to slather BBQ sauce or any other juicy addition as you grill.

Heavy-duty apron