STEELMADE USA Flat Top Grill Instructions
- June 13, 2024
- STEELMADE USA
Table of Contents
STEELMADE USA Flat Top Grill
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NEW FLAT TOP
The Steelmade Flat Top Grill is the perfect accessory to transform your stove
into a flexible and fun flat top griddle. This unique product eliminates
multiple pans and skillets and makes amazing food for breakfast, lunch, and
dinner on one cooktop that only gets better with age.
If you’re new to cooking on a Flat Top, you’re in for a treat! There is a
learning curve to any new piece of cookware and the Flat Top is no different.
Please be sure to read the instructions before use and be patient as you learn
the ins and outs of your new cooktop – the results will be worth it.
QUICK START – MUST READ
You can use different settings to achieve different heating zones, but never leave any burners off entirely.
- Pre-heat slowly and never exceed the recommended maximum temperature of 600 degrees to prevent warping or damaging your Flat Top
- DO NOT use pots and pans on the Flat Top to heat water. This warning does not apply to PRO Series Flat Tops.
- For easiest cleanup, begin cleaning right after cooking while the Flat Top is still hot using water only to steam clean any stubborn food bits. Do not use soap as this will strip away the protective oil and seasoning layer.
Fitment Check
Before use, place the Flat Top on your stove to check for proper fitment.
There should be adequate clearance on all sides for proper airflow with a
minimum of 1/2” space between the back of the Flat Top and the back of the
range to prevent overheating and/or damage to your appliance. The Flat Top
should not extend beyond the cooking area of your range. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO USE
THE FLAT TOP IF ANY PORTION OF THE GRIDDLE EXTENDS PAST THE COOKING AREA OF
YOUR STOVE. Place the Drip Tray below the drain holes to check fitment. Refer
to the images below for proper placement. The drain holes must align over the
top of the Drip Tray completely. Some stove models may require the optional
Heat Shield to protect plastic control panels from high temperatures when
cooking. Please refer to the illustration below to see if your stove requires
one. If you have any questions about fitment, please check our support
articles at support.steelmadeusa.com or
send photos of your stove to our support team at
info@steelmadeusa.com before using your Flat
Top for the first time.
UNLESS YOU ORDERED A CUSTOM FLAT TOP DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR YOUR COOKTOP DO
NOT ATTEMPT TO USE A STANDARD FLAT TOP ON ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE 30” RANGE
STOVES THEY WERE DESIGNED FOR OR YOU MAY DAMAGE YOUR APPLIANCE.
INITIAL SETUP
Wash the top and bottom surface with hot water and a small amount of dish soap
using a nylon dish scrubber or equivalent. Blot dry immediately with a lint-
free rag or cloth. Turn your cooktop burners to medium low heat and allow the
Flat Top to come to temperature to dry completely. Using a metal spatula,
spread a thin layer of oil on the entire cooking surface. Keep it heated for
10-15 minutes before allowing to cool completely. Apply a thin layer of oil to
the entire surface of the Flat Top. This will provide a base layer to protect
the steel from corrosion while you continue the seasoning process. Install
drip tray beneath drainage holes at front of Flat Top.
Gas
Electric Coil
Glass Ceramic
THE SEASONING PROCESS
The seasoning process is the black magic of Flat Top ownership. If you’ve ever
owned cast iron cookware, you’re probably already familiar with the term.
For the uninitiated, “seasoning” refers to a natural chemical reaction where
oil and fat are heated to the point where they literally bake into the steel
through a process called polymerization. This transforms the raw silver steel
into a gorgeous black finish with amazing non-stick properties without the use
of dangerous coatings like Teflon.
Follow the setup instructions to clean your Flat Top after receiving it. Apply the first coat of oil and heat it to 300 degrees for 15 minutes. Let it cool completely and apply another thin coat of oil to the entire surface.
Greasy food makes the best first meal on your Flat Top.
Bacon is our go-to food for this. Cook some bacon across the entire Flat Top,
making sure to coat the entire surface in grease. Be sure not to overload it
on your first use!
After a few meals on your Flat Top you’ll see the entire surface transform into a cast-iron-like appearance. The low-maintenance finish has amazing non- stick properties that cleans easily.
COOKING ON YOUR FLAT TOP
Just like any new tool it may take some trial and error to find the best settings on your particular stove to get the temperature and cooking times you like to work with. It’s important to note that because the mass of the Flat Top is so much greater than common pans or skillets that it will cook food faster than you may be used to. We do believe that an infrared thermometer is an invaluable tool for finding the perfect temperature on your Flat Top.
The Flat Top is designed to handle a maximum temperature of 600 degrees while
most cooking occurs well below 500 degrees. It’s important not to heat the
Flat Top beyond the recommended temperature to prevent any potential warping
or damage to the Flat Top itself. Most stoves will require only 1/3 power to
heat the Flat Top to 400 degrees or more. Be sure to use all available burners
on your stove to prevent warpage of your Flat Top. You can use different
settings to achieve different heating zones, but never leave any burners off
entirely. DO NOT use pots and pans on the Flat Top to heat water.
This warning does not apply to PRO Series Flat Tops.
PRE HEAT
Pre-heat gently – start low and don’t overheat. You might get the urge to turn
your burners up to full blast the first time you use the Flat Top, but don’t!
Because the Flat Top is so large it can take time for it to heat evenly. Once
it’s up to temp it will stay there for a long time. We recommend starting with
your stove set to low heat and gradually increasing the heat until you get to
your target temp. It’s actually easier to make it hotter once it’s already
warmed up so by pre-heatingslowly you can control the heat more easily. To be
efficient with your time you can start the pre-heating process while you’re
getting your ingredients together. It typically takes 10-15 minutes to
completely pre-heat the Flat Top. Be sure to use all available burners on your
stove to prevent warpage of your Flat Top. You can use different settings to
achieve different heating zones, but never leave any burners off entirely. DO
NOT use pots and pans on the Flat Top to heat water.
This warning does not apply to PRO Series Flat Tops.
ADD OIL
Oil is a critical component to Flat Top cooking. It helps transfer heat to the food for cooking, prevents food from sticking to the cooktop, enhances flavor, and helps create texture in the food. Use the right oil for your style of cooking. Different oils can take different amounts of heat before they start to smoke (and stop being good for cooking). In general, canola and vegetable oil are most versatile. Olive oil is great for lower-heat things like sautéing (not for stir-frying or higher-heat cooking), and delicate or flavored oils should be avoided for cooking. Avoid the smoke – As the name alludes, the smoking point is the temperature at which a fat or oil begins to smoke. Sure, smoke is pesky, but that’s not the only reason why you should be concerned. Heated past its smoke point, that fat starts to break down, releasing free radicals and a substance called acrolein, the chemical that gives burnt foods their acrid flavor and aroma. Think watering eyes, a stinky kitchen, and bitter, scorched food.
MINUTE CLEANUP
It doesn’t matter how messy your meal was, you’ll be amazed how quick and easy
it is to clean your Flat Top.
No elbow grease and no special cleaners are needed and it really does take
just a couple of minutes.
-
As soon as you’re done cooking while the Flat Top is still hot add some water across the surface.
-
The hot water will steam clean away any stubborn bits of food that may be stuck on the surface.
-
Use a food scraper to clean the entire surface, directing the contents into the drain holes. Leave
the heat on the stove to completely dry the Flat Top. -
Apply a thin coat of Flat Top Oil (or oil of your choice) to the entire surface of the Flat Top to protect it from corrosion and leave it ready for the next meal.
TIPS
Get right to it: Clean the Flat Top immediately after use, while it is still
hot or warm. Don’t soak the Flat Top or leave it in the sink because it may
rust.
Avoid using soap or steel wool, as these may strip the seasoning.
To remove stuck-on food, scrub the pan with a paste of Steelmade Flat Top
Scrub, then rinse or wipe with a paper towel.
TEMPERATURE ZONES
Creating different heating zones on your Flat Top is an essential technique
when cooking meats of various thicknesses, searing a larger cut of meat that
needs to be finished with low heat, or cooking foods requiring different
temperatures simultaneously like eggs and bacon. Be sure to use all available
burners on your stove to prevent warpage of your Flat Top. You can use
different settings to achieve different heating zones, but never leave any
burners off entirely.
You can create different temperature zones by setting the heat output of each
burner separately. The first step to mastering cooking on the Flat Top is to
learn the specific settings for your stove to achieve the desired cooking
temperatures.
One of the most surprising things that people sometimes learn is that the
settings on the knobs for the different size burners on their stove are not
standardized, and are relative to each burner they control. For example,
setting the power on a larger burner to level 5 (or medium) will not produce
the same cooking temperature as setting the same power level on a smaller
burner. Generally, these settings only indicate the relative power output for
each specific burner. Experimenting with different settings while checking the
temperature above each burner with a thermometer will help you find the best
settings for your stove.
Depending upon the layout of the burners on your stove, a natural warming zone
may be created in the middle of your Flat Top if there is no center burner. If
your stove includes a center burner you can create a warming zone by turning
the heat output to a lower setting while doing your higher temp cooking on the
sides.
Customer Service
GET SUPPORT 24/7 AT
SUPPORT.STEELMADEUSA.COM
EMAIL: INFO@STEELMADEUSA.COM
PHONE: 620-374-9997
WEBSITE: WWW.STEELMADEUSA.COM
