This cast-iron plancha from Valhal Outdoor is a flat, thick griddle you place on your kamado, BBQ or over a wood fire. Where a grate leaves stripes and lets small pieces fall through, a plancha gives contact across the entire surface. That produces an even, brown crust and keeps the juices on the plate instead of in the coals.
The cast iron takes a while to heat through completely, but afterwards barely drops in temperature when you put cold food on it. That's exactly why vegetables, prawns and burgers turn out better on it than in a thin pan.
- Flat griddle, no bars
- Solid cast iron
- Weight approximately 3kg
- For kamado, BBQ and open fire
- SKU VH35F
What you use a cast-iron plancha for
Anything too small, too thin or too soft for the grate: sliced peppers, asparagus, mushrooms, prawns, scallops, thin fish fillets, fried onions and smash burgers. Eggs, pancakes or a fried sandwich also work on it, provided the plate is well seasoned. The benefit shows most clearly with smash burgers: you smash the mince onto a scorching hot flat surface and get crust across the entire underside instead of only where the bars used to be.
How to work with it
Place the plate on the grate while your BBQ is coming up to temperature, so the cast iron heats through gently alongside it. Wait to put food on it until a drop of water evaporates instantly. Work with a small amount of heat-resistant oil, and scrape the browned bits together with a spatula in between: they form the flavour base for the next round.
Bill's tipDon't cover the whole plate. Keep one corner clear to push cooked pieces aside, so you can cook in rounds without needing everything ready at the same time.
Care
Scrape the plate clean while it's still warm, rinse without harsh washing-up liquid, dry it well, and rub in a thin layer of oil or seasoning wax for cast iron. That builds up a natural non-stick layer and keeps rust away.
For other sizes and models, check out the cast-iron skillets or the complete range of cast iron.
