When you’re running a restaurant or commercial kitchen, cleaning the griddle is a necessary evil. It isn’t a task that anyone looks forward to, yet it is an essential part of your kitchen hygiene routine. But does it have to be so hard? Or are there ways you can simplify the griddle cleaning process?
Here we take a look at why a clean griddle is important and provide some tips on how you can clean your griddle quickly and effectively, as well as suggesting some top products to help you.
What is a kitchen griddle?
A commercial kitchen griddle is basically a large rectangular plate heated by burners or elements underneath, which is used for shallow-frying food. It is ideal for cooking foods that need a flat surface to cook evenly. These can include:
- Steaks
- Eggs
- Burgers
- Fish
- Pancakes
- And many more
Basically, if you would cook it using a skillet at home, in a commercial setting you will use a griddle.
Commercial griddles are most commonly made from stainless steel. However, there are also chrome versions available, and some chefs prefer these, as they retain heat more effectively.
As griddles are often used for cooking foods that contain significant amounts of fat, cleaning them can be a nasty job. However, with some effort and the right products, you can make it quicker and easier without compromising on hygiene standards.
Tips for cleaning a restaurant griddle
How you clean your griddle will depend on what type of griddle you have – stainless steel or chrome. These materials are quite different from each other, so they require different cleaning methods. But whichever type of griddle you use, you can make the cleaning process much easier if you scrape it with a grill scraper after each use. This will help to prevent food and grease from getting dried on, at which point it is harder to remove.
Here we offer some more tips for cleaning each type of commercial griddle.
1. Stainless steel griddle
If you have already used a grill scraper but there are still signs of caked-on grease or food, you can try using a griddle brick. This is basically a scourer that you use while the grill is still warm. You should always be gentle when using a griddle brick and go with the grain of your griddle so you don’t scratch the surface.
You should unplug your stainless steel griddle once a week. Let it cool completely, and wipe thoroughly with a specialist non-abrasive griddle cleaner and a clean cloth. Then rinse well with plain water. After this, you may need to re-season your griddle to stop any rust from developing.
2. Chrome griddle
A chrome griddle can be cleaned with a griddle scraper, but you should not use any other products other than mild soap and water. You can wipe the griddle down and polish it with a clean rag – this should be enough to keep dirt and grease at bay.
A useful tip is to never use metal utensils with a chrome griddle. These can damage or partially remove the non-stick surface, leading to poorer cooking results and making your griddle much harder to clean.
Why regular griddle cleaning is important
In a restaurant or any commercial kitchen, hygiene is absolutely key. You are responsible for the health of hundreds of people – your customers. The reputation of your business hinges on providing outstanding service at all times, and this means keeping everything in your kitchen as clean as possible.
At Reward Hospitality, we want to make it as easy as possible for you to sanitise your commercial kitchen, keeping you and your customers happy. This is why we offer a wide range of cleaning chemicals suitable for restaurants and all commercial cooking settings. Our products are safe to use and highly effective, making the job of cleaning your kitchen much quicker and easier.
Find out more about cleaning a kitchen griddle with Reward Hospitality
If you run a restaurant or commercial kitchen and you would like to find out more about keeping your kitchen clean, please contact us. We will be happy to provide you with more information about our services and all the products we sell.