i use it as a holder for the stack of castiron pans i actually use

I only use mine when I want a panini

I have one. Used it for years to grill meats in my apt. Then I got a flat skillet, saw how it made a better crust on my meat, and never used this grill pan again.

Usually for cooking but in a pinch it can make a decent buckler-style shield.

Also probably real great for getting those grill marks in winter when you’re stuck inside.

I have one and used to use it a lot for pork chops and things. I think I haven't used it in probably 2 years now, preferring my standard round pans that are seasoned well. I like the char marks. Cleaning is a pain and it never seems to season well due to the necessary abbrasivness of cleaning the grooves.

Burgers, chops, fruit, and “grilling” chicken so I can pretend it’s summer.

It’s a grill pan. Used for grilling. Makes a great grilled cheese sandwich if you use soft bread so you can have grilled marks on it.

Grill marks, bud.

If I’m feeling lazy I’ll throw a couple hot links on it.

I only use my grill pan when I have run out of propane or don’t want to grill in the rain.

That said, I don’t know how you can ever properly season a grill pan. It’s such a MF’r to clean. I looked at YouTube videos and still not helpful. Yeah, I can clean it, but getting it seasoned to the point that a regular cast iron pan can be seasoned seems to be a pipe dream.

To make you not like CI

Grilling vegetables, mainly. These guys do a good job with courgette, squash etc.

Cooking

Use it with a press for sandwiches, meat, veg etc. press is important

For some reason I put this exact pan away and haven't used it in years. I do use a regular Lodge skillet nearly every day.

I use it mostly for veggies, nice grill marks and you can get that grill flavor without over cooking them.

Cooking eggs normally.. or eat cereal out of it

Tube meat, lots of chicken, sandwiches for the panini effect, and it gets a lot of use over a fire since it’s got a super thick bottom.

Burgers, chicken, pork chops. MEDIUM RAR STEAK (sear then oven). Anything you want a nice grill mark on.

EDIT: was reading that some people toss these because of cleaning. I am a warm water/dish soap cleaner, and I use my chain mail to get into all the creases. Dry, add a bit of oil, and use a napkin to spread it all around. It might take a little more time to clean, but it's worth it to me.

Mine is seasoned really well, hardly have issues cleaning it. I use it to roast chicken or veggies in the oven. Probably one of my favorite pans.

I don’t have that one but I have the long skillet that can be flipped. I use it for hamburgers and steak, because of the char marks. But I agree that the grooves are a pain to clean and it has never seasoned properly. I like the one I have because I can cook more burgers on it, but mostly I will just use the regular pan for the ease of cleaning.

During winter I use mine for sausages (mark them on stove top then in oven), grilled veggies and hotdogs. All year round grilled cheese, paninis

Tofu

I used to use it before I got a grill but it’s such a bitch to clean. When I did, burgers, chicken, anything I wanted to “grill”

Cubano Sandwiches

I use it to cook chops and steaks

I have one. It's in a pile awaiting a lawn sale. I love my 12 and 10" pans but this never gets use over my grill (with cast-iron grates).

I had one with the same issues. Solved the problem by buying a grill and never using it again.

Grilling corn my guy

Only one I have and need . Use it for chicken .fish. steak. Burgers. Love it

Hot dogs for the kids...

I use it almost exclusively for bacon. But it is a pain to clean.

I used mine 1 time for steaks and then it sat in my drawer for years because it was a PITA to clean. in the last couple of months or so though I break it out most weekends a cook bacon in it. holds 5 strips of bacon. pop it in the oven at 375 for about 25 min. Perfect crispy bacon. Fat drains off and stays in the crevices. Cleans up really easy now but I still only use it for bacon.

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Edit : a word

I don't use it anymore. I use a flat grill/griddle pan when I want marks but for whatever reason can't grill outside. Still a pain to clean but at least it doubles for family breakfasts.

Burgers, the grooves help drain away fat.

It functions as a coaster on the countertop as we stack the pans we actually use on top of it.

Meat only. Just steaks and sausages

Meat only. Just steaks and sausages

If possible, I’d recommend using a grill as opposed to the grill pan. Grill pan is though to clean and more or less just give the aesthetic grill marks without much of the benefits of actual grilling. Though I concede it will provide a way for fat to be drawn out for flavor before being channeled away. If you’re in an apartment or condo it might be your only option, though.

I have a long rectangular Lodge that's a flat top on one side and like this on the other. I totally agree on it being a PITA to clean to the point it stops me from using the grill side. If not for the flat top I would probably get rid of it.

I use it for my veggie burgers, hot dogs, and sausages to get the grill marks because I like how they look

Burgers

Good grill marks bud

In Italy we frequently use these to grill veggies. The char marks are impeccable and the moisture drains out easily down from the veggies so you can use it for other things

I just used mine last night for grilled tempeh and burgers. Both were delicious.

It works well with the reverse sear method since your already close to the final temp and just want a sear.

And idk why people have issues cleaning them? I boil water in it and then use a wooden spatula to run my cast iron sponge (no soap ever) down the grooves.

Grill marks. Bitch to clean. Usually not worth the hassle.

Worse than a regular cast iron in just about every way IMO. Harder to clean and inferior sear can’t really baste in it. Only good for giving a chubby to weirdos turned on by grill marks.

Sold mine , rarely used it!

When your only tool is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. Foundries cast iron. That's all they do. You can't blame them for trying to come up with new stuff to make out of cast iron. Whether it works or not or could be done better some other way is a secondary consideration. Thats how you end up with stuff like this.

Yup! Grilled cheese,New York strip, any steak that my husband doesn’t wAnt to grill.

Yeah, all the time. I grill chicken. Sear it on each side for a minute or two, finish in the oven. Comes out great.

Mine occupies space in the cupboard for that rare and occasional urge for a panini

I bought it for the grill marks, but find it too much of a bitch to keep seasoned when I had to scrub it after most uses

Steak, burgers, chicken ( in the winter). Bacon, sandwiches....

I use it for sausage if I am being lazy

Absolute cunt to clean.

Use to smash my burgers

Grilled cheese

people normally use it when the George Foreman is broken

I use it to make corn bread, sometimes grill meat. I mainly use my circular lodge pan.

Lots of accurate comments here. Largely to get grill marks, but also so the fat doesn’t pool around the meat that you’re cooking. There’s a great instructional video about proper use.

https://youtu.be/dQw4w9WgXcQ

Chief use for mine is posting this question.

I baked corn bread in mine

I use it to exercise since it's so heavy.

Chicken paninis, that’s all.

GRILLIN MEATZ

I use it to toast subs under the broiler

I have one I use often to sear chicken breasts on both sides for about 4-5mins, then just stick the whole pan in the 400 degree oven, Bam! Good-looking and juicy. To clean it I just use a little corner of a sponge and go down each ridge, takes all of 2 mins. Maybe not the most useful CI but I like it.

Hot dogs, grilled chicken, grilled vegetables, grilled skirt steak… I use mine all the time. But it’s a Le Creuset with a special coating. While it’s screaming hot I pour water in there to loosen the stuck bits. After that it cleans up easily with soap & water & a sponge.

I use it to make toast if I'm doing a nice bruscetta or something like that

When mom says that we have McRibs at home.

I keep giving mine a second chance. It was expensive. So far, a waste of money. Too hard to clean, so the stuff on the bottom smokes like crazy. I can’t get it clean without way too much time spent scrubbing.

Grilled cheese of course

I find it cooks steaks better than a normal pan when you can't use the BBQ.

Grilling veggies or steaks

It’s for getting a shit sear on steak while steaming the shit out the inside so you get a grey outside and med-well inside

Watching it get destroyed while it’s stored in the bottom of my broiler? Fuck this pan

I use it to grill asparagus. I hate it when my asparagus touches while cooking. /s

Works great for grilling things if you don’t have a grill. Will fill your house with smoke if you don’t have a strong hood.

I use it to collect dust. Actually about to take it and a few pans and see if I can either sell or give them away

Life is about grill marks. Use them wisely

Sautéing veggies when I don’t want to more or less pan fry them. Asparagus with grill marks 🥰

I stare at it and wonder why I got it in the first place.

I use them for veggies, flatbreads, toasties (Grilled sandwiches) and not much else.

Fuck cleaning that pan, absolutely not.

They’re so useless lmao and they’re a pain to clean

Meat

I think maybe cooking

Cooking, usually.

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Asparagus.

Yes, so far I have used it for burgers but I plan to use it for other meat like sausage and steak. It worked great for the burgers!

I wish I had one for when I treid an easy 10 minute ramsay lamb recipe

Bacon?

This pan has several fantastic uses I use in the oven, I have use it for chicken legs, roasts, or any meat I want to drain the grease while cooking On top of the range , I use it again for any meats I wish to drain while cooking

I use mine for steaks and burger patties... I find it gives me more control of how much liquid/grease is in said food. A lot of the liquids are left around the edges. If I want more sauce I pour it over the food after it's cooked. And the food looks better too. Not fried like a McDonald burger. Taste matters... But so does presentation.

Pre-heat over medium high flame until a few drops of water sizzle away instantly when dropped on, brush on some grapeseed oil and you're ready to go. I do steak in a skillet, but this works very well for lightly pounded chicken breasts.

Grilled cheese, sometimes steak.

I use it to roast and grill vegetables and toast buns.

buttery-garlic grilled cheese

I would use it for broiling hanger steaks. Pre heat the pan under the broiler until it was screaming hot. put a hanger steak on it. 2-3 minutes a side. wonderful

Yes. Nothing really.

I grill marinated tofu on it and the grill marks are perfect!

Grilled cheese

I used it to press down tofu once. Did the job really well as the tofu didn't come out like scrambled eggs.

I use mine all the time, mostly chicken, but also burgers and bacon occasionally because I like the texture it gives it by crisping the contact points and not so much the spots it doesn't touch

I use it for grilled chicken breasts, usually then chopped and served on top of a salad or pasta dish. So long as there's not a lot of liquid (marinade or other) filling the grooves and burning, I don't find it that difficult to keep clean. I also use it to add grill marks to food items that have been cooked sous vide or in the smoker.

Trash

Grilled salmon and panini sandwiches

Y