How to clean a professional plancha/griddle
You don’t know how to clean a professional plancha/griddle ?
Your griddle pan works so hard for you – so a little labour of love shown back is definitely worth it! These instruments need daily maintenance in the form of a thorough cleaning routine, otherwise performance could be affected. You want a nice clean base to work with for hygiene purposes, since a dirty base can affect both the flavour and appearance of the finished product. Carbonised grease on the surface of the cooking area can actually cause heat transfer loss, and result in those nasty looking brown spots. Commercial kitchens need to keep their planchas / griddles in top-notch condition to prevent these cooking issues, which could be expensive in the long run! The main materials for griddle or plancha construction are steel, chrome and composite. These materials each require their own specialised cleaning routine. Let’s take a look at these different cleaning methods now.
Steel Plates
Steel plates are the most challenging to clean, and require a cleaning brick as well as special detergent. Make sure that throughout operation, you are using a griddle scraper to regularly clean off the cooking surface. When you finish using your machine, allow your griddle to cool down to 300°F. Use a griddle scraper and tepid water to remove any debris. Next apply a bit of oil, and use a griddle brick when required. Just remember to always rub with the metal surface grain, and not against the grain. A detergent can be used on the steel surface, but just be sure to flush with tepid water to remove the detergent completely. A putty knife is also handy for removing the debris that accumulates in tricky places.
Chrome plates
Special tools are required when it comes to chrome plates, such as an ablated scraper, palmetto brush and food-safe polish. While the griddle is still switched on, clean the plate often throughout service with a bladed griddle scraper. At the end of usage, let the griddle cool to 300°F. Then brush with a palmetto brush and room temperature water to sweep all the debris into the front grease trough. Then apply a non-abrasive polish which is food-safe as well to cover the plate, and wipe away with a clean dry cloth. To complete the process, use a damp cloth to ensure all traces of polish have been removed.
Composite material plate
Some plates are constructed from composite materials especially engineered to provide even temperatures across the entirety of the griddle plate. These are the easiest to clean and maintain, and there will be no need for intensive tools or cleaners. Clean the cooking surface periodically with a griddle scraper while the griddle is still operating. At the end of usage, let the appliance cool down to 300°F. Apply a mild detergent diluted with tepid water, and clean with a non-abrasive and heat-resistant griddle pad. The last step is to ensure all detergent has been eliminated by rinsing with tepid water and using a squeegee to clean.
A few final maintenance tips to ensure your griddle/plancha remains in tip-top shape!
– While in operation always wipe down the front of the griddle, side splashes and the backsplash. Empty and wipe out the grease drawer when necessary, ideally after each operation.
– We suggest seasoning your griddle after each cleaning session. Simply heat up the griddle to a low temperature (300 to 350°F), and apply a minimal amount of cooking oil. Spread the oil over the cooking surface with a soft cloth creating a thin film, and then wipe off the excess oil with a clean cloth.
– Always use water that is room temperature on your device! Never use ice or cold water to cool down your griddle, as this may cause thermal shock which can affect the condition of your instrument.
The most crucial aspect of working in the food industry is investing in high quality cooking equipment. Capic are manufacturers of professional catering equipment since 1955. Be sure to browse through the various Capic ranges. Our catalogue includes kettle/bratt pans, fryers, griddles, combi ovens, cooker/coolers and more. Feel free to contact us for advice on the best equipment that suits your unique business specifications. In addition, we offer tailor-made cooking suites, made to order for your specific kitchen space and requirements.
How to clean a professional plancha/griddle : our tutorial
Which Tools?
Hello, today I am going to show you how to clean a professional plancha made with chrome stainless steel. As always, in order to get the best results it is necessary to have good quality tools. The first tool I have here is a stainless steel ball. You have to be careful when using this one not to scold your hands with the boiling water! Next we have a metal stamp with a sponge inside which also conducts heat easily so definitely don’t use it while the plancha is hot. There are also some scrapers for barbecues but not suitable for the plancha, I personally use the Gex Buffer. There are also 2 blade scrapers one with a very fine razor blade and the other one with a thicker, non-cutting blade. We will also test the difference between cleaning with water and with ice.
Scraping Technique
To start I use the razor blade scraper. It works most effectively when hot. The best technique is to hold the razor at 30 degree angle and gently scrape, don’t attack too violently or you may scratch the plate. Apply even pressure all over the plate, you should see a difference in colour of the plate immediately.
Ice or Water
I will now show you the difference between using an ice cube and using just water. If you use an ice cube it will cool the plate and you can get a glimpse of what it looks like underneath the charring without really rubbing, however it’s a slower process. In order to get the best results you will likely still need to use a sponge after the ice cube as well. Using boiling water gets the same results as ice cubes but works a little faster.
To finish off the cleaning process I use a sponge set in metal. In order to do this the plate must first cool down. It is very important at this point to make sweeping arc shapes over the plate as if you just go backwards and forwards you will create a striped pattern on your plate.
Limescale
You may notice that there is some residual limescale left over from the boiling water on the plate, this may look like thin white stripes at the edges of where you cleaned. You can very simply use an anti-limescale product or white vinegar on this to get rid of it. Your plate should now be perfectly clean enough to use.
Finishing Products
There are two kinds of products that are specifically for the plancha. Gel products that are to be used at a high temperature of 150 degrees. Leave them to work for a few seconds before wiping them off. These products are very highly corrosive alkalis so it is important to take sensible precautions and protect your eyes, hands and lungs when using them.
The second product is a degreaser, the brand does not matter. When using degreaser it is important to make sure that there are no other projects currently on your worktop. This is because it creates a fog of up to 1 square metre, even if you can’t see it. These can safely be used at temperatures below 80 degrees without damaging the surface.
Your plate should now be perfectly clean and shiny, ready to use again! It is so important to follow these steps and degrease your plate properly.
This last cleaning method is not suitable for cast iron plate because of its porous nature. If you use detergent then the product can fall into crevices and expand inside the plate. This will cause your cast iron plate to rust and maybe even fall apart.