Why You Should Grill in a Cast-Iron Skillet

Cooking a steak or burgers in a skillet on the grill is the best of both worlds. To begin with, you’re outside (no setting off the smoke alarm or spattering oil all over the kitchen), and you get delicious, smoky flavor—the quintessential taste of summer. And by using the pan, you’ll get a better crust on the meat, since it offers an even cooking surface instead of spaced-out grill grates. The cast-iron skillet also catches all of the meat drippings, which normally drip off into the fire, causing annoying flare-ups. Patties and steaks will be juicier on the inside and crisp on the outside, our favorite way to enjoy them. Don’t forget breakfast: How else can you fry eggs and hash browns over an open flame?

Wondering how to get started? Good news: You can cook any regular stove-top cast-iron recipe on the grill. That’s right: Fluffy blueberry cornbread with super crusty edges, crispy chicken skin tacos, charred tomatoes and peppers, giant skillet cookies oozing with melted chocolate, and even homemade English muffins work just as well in the skillet on the grill as they do indoors. If a recipe calls for oven time, just close the lid and start the timer. We recommend trying pizza, too—whether it’s topped with an egg for breakfast or covered in sauce, cheese, and broccolini for dinner. You’ll get a perfectly golden crust, melty cheese, and smoky flavor, but everything is built right inside the pan. Trust us when we say your guests will be impressed.