Emerilware Cast Iron Square Press
Emerilware Cast Iron Square Press
This panini press uses a ribbed cast iron plate to produce crisp paninis as well as authentic grill marks on steaks, seafood and even hamburgers. Emerilware Cast Iron is tough and durable so it’s ready to go right out of the box. It’s also made to last a lifetime, so be prepared to enjoy years of hearty meals. Versatility is this cookware’s middle name.
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars Grill me a sammich!
I have owned the Emerilware Cast Iron Grille Pan for a couple of years now, and I really like it. Recently I got interested in paninis, which is just a fancy way of saying Italian grilled sandwiches.
The trick is to put the press on a burner face down while you are preheating the pan. (If you have the corresponding Emerilware Cast Iron 10 inch Square Grill Pan it will fit neatly in the base of the pan while heating.) That way it gets very hot while you are making the sandwich. After the sandwich is ready, and both the pan and the press are very hot, remove the press (using an oven mitt!), put the sandwich in the pan, and put the press on top of it. The heavy cast iron of the press retains heat and has enough weight to press down and cook the sandwich with those distinctive grill marks everyone likes. The ridges also have a side benefit of making it less likely to stick to the top of the sandwich.
The first time you use it, spray it lightly with cooking spray oil inside and out, wipe off the handle, then put it directly on a high heat burner until it smokes. Turn the burner off and let it cool off on the burner slowly by itself. This will help season it a bit (even though it is preseasoned) and make sure that you won’t get any sticking the first time you use it.
This is a really fun accessory to have with a good grill pan, and it works better than the standalone, electric grills while taking up considerably less space. It is a good value, too!
Recommended.
Sean P. Logue, 2008
5 Stars Well designed, will last a lifetime
I was impressed by the design and workmanship of this press. As another reviewer has mentioned, heat it along with you pan and you’ll be fine. I use it for hashbrowns, steaks, hamburgers, panini, and hot dogs. It’s never failed me. It’s pre-seasoned and resists sticking to most foods. Water and quick brush cleans it, and then I dry it on the stove for less than 1 minute. If you’re looking for a grill press (as opposed to a flat press) in the kitchen, this should be your first choice. It’s worth it.
5 Stars Panini Style Press
I paired this with a Cuisineart 9 & 1/4″ cast iron grill pan. An excellent match. This iron press will turn Ribbed grill pans into a Panini press or two side contact grill. Preheat the press in the pan on the stove to desired heat. The product is well made and preseasoned. But like all preseasoned cast iron, a little more seasoning at home is recomended. They include instructions how.
3 Stars Be wary of steaming your meat with this
I just got this square press with the complementary pan and I’ve only used it twice. The first time that I used it was on skirt steak. I ended up steaming the meat by accident because I left the square press on the meat for a minute while it was cooking and the press didn’t let any steam escape, though it did leave nice grill marks. The second time that I used this press with the pan was with hamburgers. I used the press to just lightly press the burgers for a few seconds at a time, and it worked better that way. The burgers didn’t get steamed. I haven’t used it for sandwiches but I’m going to try to see if the sandwiches get steamed instead of grilled.
Filed under: Le Creuset Cookware Reviews