I’m a Former Chef, and I’ve Used This Le Creuset Grill Pan for More Than a Decade — Here’s Why You Need It Too

We test a lot of cookware, and Le Creuset places at or near the top of many of our lists, be it an enameled cast iron skillet, Dutch oven, stovetop kettle, or grill pan. Le Creuset cookware looks great and performs well, with a selection of colors to make them as much a piece of decor as cookware. I’m not a cookware snob, but I do seek out quality when I buy new pieces. My collection ranges from value to high-end brands, and I have a few Le Creuset pieces.

I’ve used the Le Creuset Signature Square Skillet Grill Pan for more than 10 years — maybe 15 years. For context, I’m an avid outdoor cooker and have used some great grills, but due to the weather, time of day, or general lackadaisicalness, I cook indoors most of the time. While a grill pan doesn’t add a “grilled flavor” to food, it does create grill marks and adds a contrasting texture to many foods. I’ve also used it for the usual suspects: grilled cheese, meat, veggies, poultry, fish, and the occasional burger (it makes a great patty melt). There are reasons I keep reaching for it.

Material: Enameled cast iron | Cook top: Gas, electric, induction | Oven safe: to 500°F | Dishwasher safe: Yes

How I Use the Le Creuset Signature Square Skillet Grill Pan

When I worked late nights in restaurants, this Le Creuset grill pan was always there to make a grilled cheese sandwich or a quick steak for dinner when I got home. While I have nothing against well-buttered shelf-stable bread sandwiching American cheese toasted in a skillet, making a grilled cheese in a grill pan is a slower process, giving a deeper toast thanks to more Maillard browning.

Today, I tend to use the pan when I want the texture of grilled food without the elaborate ritual of taking the cover off the grill, letting it heat for 20 minutes for gas or longer for charcoal, and passing indoors and out while food cooks. Remember that the pan doesn’t replicate grilling when it comes to flavor, but it adds charred grill marks that emulate grilled texture. I’ve cooked firm-flesh fish and plenty of vegetables on it, too.

Lining the pan are 13 ribs, or raised metal ridges, measuring about ⅛-inch wide and ⅛-inch tall, spaced about ¾ of an inch apart. The ribs serve two purposes. The first is to raise the food from the pan’s bottom and conduct heat to the food. In that way, the food isn’t searing or sauteeing; it’s getting charred from these thin ribs. The second purpose is to drain fat and liquid from the food as it cooks, preventing it from bubbling in rendered fat or boiling in juices. This elevated heat is dry, creating good, individual sear marks as one would find from grilling.

My latest project was trying to find a means to add texture to sous vide-cooked pork chops. I’m not the biggest fan of sous vide — unless one can create a textural contrast to the inherent tenderness of cooking meat that way. Searing left them a bit dry and chewy, so I thought applying a grill pan’s direct heat might give the Maillard browning in controlled areas, versus the entire surface of the meat, for some texture with less drying. The result: I was happy with the char that developed, and the meat warmed through and was neither dried out nor chewy. I think that’s a win. 

To do that, I heated the pan on my electric range for about five minutes over medium heat. You don’t want to get too crazy with the heat with this pan, as it’s cast iron and will hold onto that heat very well, which makes adjusting the burner temperature downward an exercise in futility. I took some quick measurements with an infrared thermometer and found that the center was hovering around 400°F, with the outer edges varying by 15 to 20°F. I lightly oiled the pan’s ribs and added the cold, pre-cooked pork chops. I gave three minutes per side to develop a char and conduct heat to the meat’s interior. Here’s another reason for using medium heat: I could gently warm the chop’s interior without fear of scorching the exterior or overcooking the chop in general. 

What I Love About the Le Creuset Signature Square Skillet Grill Pan

I look at two main factors in cast iron cookware: heat distribution and retention. The center of a pan directly over the burner will always be the hottest part of the pan, but what good does a pan with a very hot center and cool edges do besides limit your cooking area and possibly scorch your food? A good cast iron pan will radiate that heat throughout the pan, making the surface temperature evener.

What’s heat retention? When you adjust the burner under a pan while food is cooking, you’re not increasing the heat to the food; you’re increasing the heat to the pan, which then distributes the heat to the food. I liken heat retention to creating a well of heat to draw from. The pan is hot. You put cooler-temperature food in the pan — the pan’s stored heat transfers to the food. Ideally, the pan will be refilling the well of heat from the bottom at or near the same rate that it’s dissipating heat from the top, which limits temperature fluctuation and uneven cooking. Le Creuset has those features on lock. Every pan I’ve tested from Le Creuset has had exemplary distribution and retention; the Square Skillet Grill Pan is no exception.

The enameled cast iron handle will get hot, so be sure to use a kitchen towel or pot holder when grasping it. I also like the pour spouts on the pan’s left and right sides. I mentioned that the ribs elevate your food above any rendered fat or juices. These spouts make pouring off the collected liquid relatively easy, as the pan weighs about 7 pounds and could be unwieldy when pouring if they weren’t included. Finally, the 2-inch raised sides minimize splatter, which makes a mess, for sure, but can also present safety issues when cooking on gas burners.

The Caveats

Le Creuset’s products are never inexpensive. But you can be fairly certain that, when treated with care, the Le Creuset Signature Square Skillet Grill Pan is a generational heirloom purchase, thanks to its quality construction and tough enamel finish. The pan weighs about 7 pounds, which could present challenges for those with lifting or strength issues. Also, there are those ribs again. While ⅛ inch may not seem like much, the ribs make cleaning the pan’s flat areas a bit more challenging and require extra scrubbing.

Tips and Tricks for the Le Creuset Signature Square Skillet Grill Pan

• Be sure to regulate your burner temperature. It’s easier to heat this pan than cool it down.
• Soaking for an hour or so makes cleaning between the ribs easier.
• The enamel will develop a patina. I just consider that added character.
• The pan is heavy. I keep mine on a hanging pot rack and sometimes cringe when it sways, envisioning the grill pan taking out my window pane.

How It Compares

When we tested grill pans, the Le Creuset came out ahead as our Best Overall for its superior heat retention and distribution. Le Creuset’s closest competitor is Staub, and the two list their grill pans at similar prices, but we found the Le Creuset to be easier to clean and maneuver. We preferred its longer handle, pour spouts for draining, and wider color selection.

The Verdict

While a grill pan isn’t a replacement for a grill, I like the textural results I get from the Le Creuset Signature Square Skillet Grill Pan, be that a panino, vegetables, or meat. The quality of its materials and finish lead me to believe I’ll pass this down to younger family members when I can no longer use it.

Warranty Info

Le Creuset offers a limited lifetime warranty on its enameled cast iron cookware.

Our Expertise

Greg Baker is an award-winning former chef, restaurateur, and food writer with four decades of experience in the food industry. His written work appears in Food & Wine, Serious Eats and other publications.