Tips for Grilling a la Plancha

Grilling a la plancha (“on the griddle” in Spanish) is an easy upgrade to your charcoal kettle grill or gas grill. A simple setup—a carbon steel plancha set over a grill grate—opens grill reviews a world of possibilities. Marbled cuts of meat won’t flare up or dry out, veggies won’t fall through the grill grate, and hard-to-sear items, like citrus and avocados, can be charred and caramelized.

Essential Tools for Plancha Cooking

lodge carbon steel griddle
We love the Lodge Carbon Steel Griddle for its handles, slick cooking surface, and generous 18- by 10-inch area that fits on standard charcoal grills.

Wok spatula

Intended for cooking over high heat in bowl-shaped woks, a long-handled spatula is perfect for spreading red-hot coals.

Grilling gloves

Made from flame-retardant material, grilling gloves make it comfortable to work over a hot bed of coals.

How to Cook a la Plancha
Light the Coals

Fill each of 2 charcoal chimneys with approximately 3 pounds of hardwood charcoal. Light charcoal and let burn until flames subside and coals glow bright red, about 25 minutes.

Pour Into Grill

Carefully pour charcoal into kettle grill, and let burn until coals are covered in a thin layer of ash, about 5 minutes. If using a gas grill, heat all zones to high (450°F to 550°F).

Arrange Coals


Use a wok spatula to arrange coals in an even rectangular layer. Set grill grate in place, and set plancha on grate over bed of coals or gas flames. Let plancha heat 10 minutes.