Cast iron pans on OTG

[Barrett Davidson]

I'm looking to pick up and start grilling with some cast iron pans, inspired by a lot of the food photos in the photos forum. My question is about heating the pan.

Do you typically throw the pan on when you put the cooking grate down, let it heat up a bit, then add food? And does it come up to heat in the time it takes to be ready to drop the meat on the grill?

Just trying to think in my head the process as it seems to all be about timing, but maybe I'm overthinking it.

 

[Jim H.]

It depends on what I am cooking. If I want high heat in the pan for frying, searing, etc. then I will put it on to preheat with the grate. Most things that I want to cook more slowly I will put food into the CI pan and put on the grill ahead of whatever meat I am cooking.

 

[Barrett Davidson]

That certainly makes sense, and pretty much confirms my thinking.

Just wanted to try and get ahead of the curve so I can start cooking with cast iron as soon as I can get some.

 

[Mike Coffman]

I do the same as Jim H, since most of the food I cook in CI is slow cooked.

 

[Becky M-M]

I have been using a large CI griddle for veggies and bread. Of course being CI it heats up extremely well...... I use about 1/4 to 1/3 of a chimney and preheat it for a few minutes. It's ready to go and lasts a long time.