Griddling

[Poppy]

I've got a Le Crueset griddle pan but I keep ruining things on it! Thai crab cakes got stuck tonight and they turned into tasty little crab shards. Any tips?

Thanks in advance
Poppy

[terambulan]

only solid cubed foods cook well. Cut raw meat into 1inch cubes etc. Nothing that breaks up or crumbles, those are for side dips

[Jugglering]

Cast iron pans shouldn't really be washed - so if yours is new, you will have to *season* it before use so that it stops food sticking.... Just apply a little oil before use. After cooking, rub with a little salt and wipe down with a little oil before storing it away (I place a piece of kitchen paper over the top of my oiled cast iron frying pans and woks to stop dust etc sticking to them). (More info here:- http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread .html?p=540497)

I thought the griddle pans were really for cooking *greasy* food, so that the oil/fat ran off into the recesses and not back into the food. For frying rissoles, veggie burgers etc, I'd use a flat based frying pan, not a ridged one. If your griddle pan is not ridged, take no notice of this paragraph !

[Poppy]

ah-ha! I knew nothing of this seasoning malarkey. Thanks for that. The Thai crab cakes were actually in a griddling recipe book from M&S so you'd think they'd be fine. I've also eaten them at a Thai place with the griddle marks on them. I think I'll attempt them again when I'm a griddling expert which may be in some decades time. In the meantime I'll go back to my frying pan for crab cakes.
Thanks!

[KenR]

I used to have problems like this with my Le Crueset griddle.
Anyway, first step I had to a "cure" was when I listened to a lot of the folks on tv and oiled the meat (or whatever) NOT the pan straight before cooking. I tried it, it worked, I didn't argue.
Then for more crumbly items (like home made burgers, fish cakes and the like) after mixing and shaping I chilled them well in the fridge for AT LEAST 20 mins before cooking. This firms them up a bit and helps them retain their shape until the outside firms up with the cooking. Don't let them warm up after coming out the fridge, as they will soften again, and give them a quick wipe with a little oil as well before cooking.
Good luck :-)
ps. I take it you have the pan pre warmed to scorching for a while before using so it retains its heat when the food goes in. Basic I know, but thought I better check in case.