From the minute I got my gas range, I knew that I wanted to get a cast iron griddle/grill top. The idea of grilling indoors during the rainy weather was a huge appeal – and getting those great grill marks on meat and veggies was something that I couldn’t get from a frying pan.

Plus, there are the bonuses of using cast iron as a cooking vessel. Cast iron uses less oil, doesn’t have a chemical non-stick coating to worry about, and it fortifies the food you cook with iron. Yes, I’d heard that cast iron management can be tricky, but I figured I was up for it. 

When I got the chance to try out a Typhoon cast iron reversible grill plate – I immediately got to work. 

I started with garlic pepper steak skewers. They cooked like a dream. I loved that I could cook my sides while watching the steak cook right next to me. 

The steak was seared nicely, and because I had my eye on it while making the potatoes and salad, I didn’t forget about it and let it overcook.

I continued to use the grill most nights of that first week. But as I said earlier, I am a cast iron novice. I’d read about cast iron care and I have friends who swear by their inherited cast iron skillets – I was pretty sure I knew the rules. 

But then I cooked my first sloppy meal on the grill. I happily brushed a teriyaki sauce onto my chicken breasts and naively watched it scorch onto the surface. “Pfft, this is seasoned. It will come right off!”

Instead, I had baked on grime that was stuck on my not-quite-seasoned enough grill. I should have been adding oil to the surface prior to each time I heated it up. I wasn’t doing that. 

Without the right tools and knowledge, I broke the rules. After a pathetic attempt at trying to get the gunk off with a cloth and hot water, I threw my hands up and reached for the dish soap. I washed it, dried it off and then put it away.

Are you Cast Iron Lovers screaming in your heads? I know. I know. 

I pulled it out two nights later and there was rust along nearly every ridge of the grill. 

What had I done? Was this wrecked? How had I screwed this up so quickly?

Thankfully, the internet told me that I was a dummy and should have oiled the pan right away, and that I could save it with the same treatment. And for heaven’s sakes, get a decent cast iron scrubby.

I bought a chain mail scrubby and now use that when things get caked onto the grill. It takes all of the caked-on bits right off, and I don’t have to panic and reach for the soap.

Now I am using the griddle for breakfasts, lunches and dinners! I’ve always wanted to make paninis at home…

…. a pot lid and the grill make a perfect panini sandwich in no time flat!

I cook pancakes, sausages and bacon all on the same griddle. I grill up zucchini and peppers to add to our dinner plate. I use this grill so frequently that I often just wipe it down and leave it out on the stove to wait for the next meal.

My one little “cast iron blip” aside, it’s been a wonderful experience having this little fella in the kitchen.

Grilling indoors is a complete game changer!

Huge thanks to Port Style for sending the grill for me to try out. It’s been a welcome addition to our cooking arsenal!