Round Skinny Grill

by Le Creuset

Product Features

• Durable cast iron with enamel exterior ideal for browning and slow cooking
• 10" Diameter cooking surface
• Satin black enamel cooking surface will not wear off at searing temperatures
• Perfect for standard electric, flat top electric, gas or induction stoves. Oven safe to 450 Degrees F.
• Well-designed handles are comfortable and balanced for ease of lifting

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 5.6 pounds
• ASIN: B00006I4ZD
• Item model number: 20125-00
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #154,095 in Kitchen & Dining (See Top 100 in Kitchen & Dining)

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

This edition of Le Creuset's grill pan is skinny, about 1-1/2 inches tall, which makes it great for quesadillas and veggies in addition to steaks and fish. With a grill pattern of raised ribs in the bottom, this 10-1/4-inch round pan grill sears tasty grill marks into burgers and other foods that benefit from stovetop grilling and the caramelized flavor grill marks impart. The ribs also elevate food so that fat collects between them, allowing for low-calorie cooking. Because cast iron is unexcelled at retaining heat and distributing it evenly--no hot spots--food will cook uniformly in the pan. The design of the handles--one on each side with space for hands to wrap around--makes the pan easy to lift. Enameled on the outside with a bright, smooth surface and inside with a black satin-texture finish that doesn't need seasoning, this durable grill goes on any stovetop, in the oven, or under a broiler. It's also stylish enough to bring to the table. Though it's dishwasher-safe, hand washing preserves the patina that builds up with use and preserves the skillet's stick resistance. Like all Le Creuset cast-iron cookware, the pan is made in France using a one-of-a-kind mold that ensures each piece's uniqueness and carries a lifetime warranty against defects.

Product Description

Cast iron has long been the preferred material for grills. Now, Le Creusets porcelain enameled cast iron gives you the benefits of cast iron the first time out of the box. ...

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

113 of 114 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Difficult to Clean -- Waiting for It to Improve with Age, March 20, 2003

By 

"mary_mac" (Ann Arbor, MI United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Round Skinny Grill (Kitchen)

I held off writing a review of this grill because I am such a Le Creuset enthusiast that it kills me to give it so few stars. I wanted to see if it improved over time. It has, but it's been a slow process. Had I realized this grill is like other cast iron surface "needs repeated seasoning" cookware (and if I had paid attention to another review warning it's difficult to clean) I would have had different expectations. Grill-wise, meat such as thick, beautifully-marbled rib eyes deliver high quality restaurant aromas and taste to die for. It does an outstanding job, right down to the grill marks and ability to accurately turn out various degrees of doneness. When it comes to cleaning, care and maintenance, however, among all other types and surfaces of cookware I own -- Le Creuset, Cuisinart, All-Clad, claypots, and cast iron -- this grill is, by far, the most difficult.

A Few Tips:
1. It is extremely important to follow manufacturer's directions: You must season before using. I season before each use. Quality cast iron requires (often) a few years of build-up seasoning to get it perfect (like that heavy skillet your grandmother used and everything tasted wonderful). Seasoning means to completely brush or rub the cooking surface with oil -- do NOT use nonstick cooking spray -- then place in a high-heat oven (instructions say 5-7 minutes). The glistening fresh oil turns a "matte" color when it's ready for use. Do not rub oil on the enamel portion.

2. Most Le Creuset cleans up completely with hot water first, add soap for final washing, and you're done. If only it were that easy with this grill. To get it clean, you can do one of two things when you're finished cooking: (a) plunge immediately into hot-hot water to soak; or (b) as the instructions say, let it cool slightly and then plunge into hot water. (Note: Don't ever let cast iron sit in water for a long time or it will rust, and it should be thoroughly dried with a clean towel after washing.)

Regardless of immediate or delayed plunging time, the pan does not want to easily come clean where the ridges meet the base. Scrubbing leaves that brownish color because the harder you scrub the more seasoning you wear away. Seasoning the next time does cover up the brownish color (which becomes very evident and looks unsightly when the grill is completely dry). I have used this piece eight times (fish and meat), and it is almost to a "no brownish remains" stage.

3. The underside of the small handles on this grill get splattered on while in use, and it's nearly impossible to get them squeaky shiny clean, even if you have small fingers for reaching into small areas. In the past, I have not had to invest in Le Creuset's specific cleaning agent to have everything continue to look new, but that may be the last resort. On this grill, I currently use a combination of hot water, dish soap, a "soft scrubbing" agent, the rough side of a sink sponge, and a scraping effect with my fingernail (hands immersed in hot soapy water).

4. The second time I used this grill pan, I tried a full length soft-bodied fish on the top of the stove (medium/med low heat only). Don't ever do this. Even though the grill was the right color following the seasoning process and was searing hot when I placed the fish on it, everything stuck, the fish completely fell apart when trying to turn it, and the clean up mess was a nightmare. Now, if I use this grill for fish, I cook only under the broiler, and only firm-bodied fish (i.e., yellow fin tuna). It sears well, cooks evenly, and comes out fine.

ON THE PLUS SIDE: It's an ideal size for two or three people, continued seasoning and following directions will most likely improve overall performance, it's a great piece for any cook's collection, and quality-wise it is, after all, Le Creuset. With proper care and handling, you'll have it for the full 101 years it's guaranteed.

I do not recommend this as a gift for new cooks (they're likely to blame themselves for disasters, which isn't fair) or for people who don't have the patience, desire or time to spend on clean up and continued seasoning. If it's on sale (or free as a bonus item with something you're going to purchase anyway), then try it; if not, knowing what I know now, I'd never pay full price. Sorry, Le Creuset:You get one star for your unbeatable quality construction, one for continued good looks, a third for potential improvement with proper use over time, and that's it. I'll continue to season, use with firm foods, broiler only, and hope there's a love connection in the near future.

40 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Love this grill, May 23, 2003

By 

Janey Lee "hanee" (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Round Skinny Grill (Kitchen)

Everything tastes better when it's grilled!

This is a great way to cook steaks, chops, salmon or chicken. The food is almost barbecued and the grill marks are perfect!

I have also made great grilled mushrooms and veggies on this grill.

Some tips.

HEAT
Don't use too much heat when cooking. It is ready when you throw a drop of water on it and the water drop jumps. It takes some practice to figure out the right temp, but use a medium heat, never high. Remember that with this type of cookware, you cant lower or raise the heat during cooking.

COOKING
I dont recomend putting oil on the pan before cooking.
Don't turn your food too many times. Put the food on and observe. The pan grabs the food when you first put it on, it then releases it. Thats when you turn! If you turn it too early, your food sticks. The pan will release the food, I promise! Also, make sure your food is dry when you put it on. That means pat the meat with paper towels, including marinated foods.
When you cook things that are thick, you run the risk of only cooking the outside of the food. Try putting a heavy glass lid over the food when cooking things that are thick.

CLEANING
If you can get away with it, just wipe the pan after cooking and dont wash it. If there is lots of meat juice and stuff then this is how you clean it. After you remove the food, turn the heat off and add a cup of water to the pan while it's still hot. By the time you are done eating your meal you will be able to easily clean the pan with soap and water. If there are bits stuck to it, dont worry. Just let it dry and then you can scrape them off more easily when the pan is dry.

SEASONING
I season mine every few times I use it by brushing olive oil on it and baking it in the oven. I have had it for 6 months and it is already pretty well seasoned.

One final note-- I have to say though, the enamel part is very hard to clean. I even bought the cleaner, but you have to scrub and scrub to get the black grease spots off.

49 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thumbs up for the skiny LeCreuset grill, November 2, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Round Skinny Grill (Kitchen)

I have used LeCreuset cookware since the late '70's after using my Mother's LeCreuset stockpots and skillets (when I was in high school in the '60's). I bought a LeCreuset 9 inch cast iron grill (the one with a spring-type handle) about 15 years ago and have used it ever since. I bought 5 of the new skinny grills in the past 3 years as gifts and I only have good things to say.
First, it is easy to clean. Pour some hot water on a warm (not hot) grill, let it sit for 3-5 minutes and wipe it off with an abrasive kitchen sponge (not steel wool) under running warm water. It comes clean and ultimately, the smooth surface of the grill acquires a non-stick finish to it. I have a GE electric oven and the grill can get very, very hot on top of the burners so you do not need a gas oven to heat the grill. The 10 inch diameter makes it excellent for cooking 2 steaks or 3 cheese- burgers. If you are cooking for more, you need to use your broiler in your oven. The skinny grill is not designed to cook dinner for 4 (unless you cook in 2 shifts) so that should not be a criticism of this great grill. The grill is excellent for fine steaks, hand-packed hamburgers, or grilling any meat for sandwiches (like sliced rib-eye for Philly cheesesteaks) and the taste of steak cooked on this grill is incredibly good. My skinny grill is always in my oven, ready to use whenever the need arises. I would recommend this as the best indoor grill on the market, no reservations. And as far as requiring ventilation, any hot grill or skillet will smoke when grilling steaks, burgers, etc. If you presently fry anything on top of your stove, you can use your LeCreuset grill pan (and the food will taste better than what you are now using).
PS: I'm a guy, and I have had LeCreuset cookware for 25 years,...wouldn't be without it.