Indoor Teppanyaki Grill | Built-in Hibachi Buying Guide
When choosing a good countertop, drop-in or built-in griddle, it is important to consider several factors.
Installing a griddle is not as simple as it sounds and requires an expensive investment. So, be sure to choose the best option for your kitchen.
Utility Type (Fuel)
Utility refers to the type of "fuel", mostly gas or electricity.
Gas griddle
The griddle plate has a characteristic burner. These elements heat the cooking surface when you fire them. Electric griddles heat more slowly but recover faster than gas.
Gas may be cheaper than electricity, depending on where you live.
Electric griddles
This type includes heating elements under or embedded in the griddle plate. These components heat up when turned on.
Although electric griddles take longer to heat up and recover than gas grills, electric grills are a good option for those places where gas cannot be used.
Depending on the jurisdiction, electric griddles may require a different exhaust system than gas grills.
Griddle type
Next, decide where you want to put your griddle and how portable you want it to be.
Countertop
These devices can be placed directly on the chef's table or equipment table and can be moved in various places, as long as there is electricity and ventilation.
They can be easily moved in the future and are very convenient to use. They have a control panel or button that can be turned right or left to turn the heating on (or off).
Drop-in griddle
This griddle is placed in a special cutout on the counter or cooking table. After installation, the cooktop is flat.
These griddles are a great choice for creating a flat, uniform look in the kitchen or display or front room area.
Teppanyaki
This Japanese griddle can be used for Japanese hibachi cooking. Because the heating elements are located in the middle of the unit, they differ from traditional plug-in heaters.
This allows food to cook in the center and then move to the edges for a lower temperature.
Size of griddle
Griddles range in size from 12 inches to 72 inches. Your home kitchen probably doesn't need the largest, which is better for a commercial kitchen.
When choosing a unit, you should consider the following:
Size of the hood
The size of the griddle should be proportional to your space. To make sure it fits, add 6 inches to each side of the unit calculation.
If your griddle is attached or attached to other equipment, you should leave 6 inches between the ends. For example, a 36-inch freestanding griddle requires a 48-inch hood.
If your restaurant serves both breakfast and lunch, you may want to buy a larger one. This allows you to separate the cooking zone into one zone for delicate foods and another for heavier meats and frozen meals.
For seafood and many Japanese dishes, you really need to think about the space for foods that require different cooking temperatures.
Griddle temperature controls
Manual
Inexpensive griddles only offer manual controls, which means you have an on-off button and three heat settings.
The problem is that you don't have the specific temperature settings you need for precise cooking. You just get the usual low, medium, high.
However, that still makes them great skillets for making lunch items like burgers, bacon, cheesesteaks, and other meats.
Thermostatic
Thermostatic are great because they set the temperature precisely. This is ideal for cooking delicate or breakfast items like eggs and hot cakes.
A thermostat is a great option if you plan to use your griddle as a oven plate or to keep other foods warm.
The thickness of the griddle plate
There are three general types of plates:
Standard Size: A 1/2-inch thick griddle plate is ideal for cooking breakfasts that require a thinner plate.
Medium load: 3/4″ thick griddle plate
Heavyweight: A 1-inch-thick plate that's better for cooking frozen meals like patties and frozen meats.
Sheets should be made of steel as it is the best heavy duty material for this purpose.
Hibachi
Hibachi (火鉢) It is translated as "fire bowl" and is a traditional Japanese stove for heating charcoal.
It consists of a round or sometimes square shape, lined with insulation and a container, and durable enough to withstand the high temperatures of burning charcoal.
What we're really doing here is the teppanyaki grill plate, the kind of flat top griddle they do in hibachi restaurants.
If you want to know how hot a hibachi grill can get, you should check out my link to the article I only wrote about on this topic.
You can install in one of two ways:
Option 1: Buy a teppanyaki grill from a supplier and install it in your kitchen
Option 2: Start from scratch yourself.
Outdoor and indoor built-in teppanyaki grills
The good news is that both indoor and outdoor built-in teppanyaki grills work the same. There's no real difference, but if you choose to do it outdoors, you can avoid the smell of cooking.
The indoor teppanyaki grill is a flat and smooth griddle. Outdoor teppanyaki grills are known as teppanyaki tables.
The outside of the center portion of the teppanyaki grill pan is a wide ring (about 3.5 inches). This will keep the cooked food warm. Then, it's cold outside because you're not going to cook on it.
So, with an outdoor teppan, there is room on the table to prepare food.
Outdoor teppanyaki is the perfect way to upgrade your outdoor kitchen design. It's also a fun way to practice social cooking with friends and family.
Unlike traditional outdoor grills, if you don't want to cook every item on the menu, everyone can participate in the cooking, or even cook the food themselves.
Basically, both indoor and outdoor teppanyaki grills are similar to cooking on a gas grill or electric stove, but you can make a lot more.
I'm sure many of you won't be making breakfast on a traditional outdoor grill or smoking machine. But, with a teppan, you can totally do it inside or out!
