Can You Boil Water on a Griddle?

There are desperate times when you’d want to boil water on a griddle. 

For instance, I remember carrying my griddle on a camping trip and wanting to boil water. 

Now, I was unsure whether boiling water on a griddle was even safe at the time. But as they say, necessity is the mother of invention! I decided to go ahead with it, and here’s what I found. 

It’s perfectly okay and safe to boil water on a griddle. You just need to use utensils that can tolerate temperatures above 212 Degrees Fahrenheit or 100 Degrees Celsius.

If you want to know more about how to heat or boil water on a griddle, read on!

Is It Possible to Boil Water on a Griddle?

Before I answer your question, let’s try to understand how water reaches its boiling point (or basically, starts bubbling up). 

Water has a temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit or 20 degrees Celsius when it’s kept at room temperature. 

Now, the boiling point of water is around 212 degrees Fahrenheit or 100 degrees Celsius. This means that water doesn’t boil until it reaches this temperature. 

You need to go for equipment that can heat up to at least 212 degrees Fahrenheit or more if you want to boil water. 

This is where a griddle can help. 

Most griddles, including the famous Blackstone griddle, can heat up to 600 or 600 degrees Fahrenheit. Due to their high heating capacity, it’s safe and possible to boil water on a griddle. 

Another benefit is that while the traditional stovetop method takes up about eight to ten minutes for the water to boil, boiling water on a griddle only takes about three to four minutes! Again, this is because griddles can reach higher temperatures faster and heat water evenly. 

Imagine my surprise when I was able to boil water on such unusual cookware at a quick speed!

How to Boil the Water on a Griddle?

If you’re feeling confused or scared about boiling water on a Blackstone griddle, let me tell you that the process is as simple as boiling water (joking)!

Let’s understand the process in detail. 

Step 1: Switch Off the Griddle 

There’s no preheating needed before boiling water. 

If you keep the griddle on for too long, you might also risk damaging the pot or any other utensil that you’re planning to use.

So, turn it off while you fill the pot with water!

Step 2: Choose the Right Kind of Pots and Pans 

Even though it’s okay to boil water on a griddle, not all types of cookware materials are safe for use. So, it’s necessary to choose the right kind of pots and pans. 

For instance, if you’re planning to use a plastic container to boil water on the griddle, stop right there! 

Most plastic utensils, especially cheap ones, cannot withstand high temperatures. Therefore, they’ll simply end up melting and releasing toxins into the water while it’s boiling. Also, you don’t want a fire hazard on your hand!

The safest bet, if you want to boil water on a griddle, is either a cast iron pot or a stainless steel one that can handle the heat. 

Cast iron can withstand temperatures over 650 degrees Fahrenheit, whereas stainless steel can withstand over 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about damaging your pots or pans while boiling water on a griddle. 

Whether you use cast iron to boil water or stainless steel, the griddle surface will distribute heat evenly and boil it fast. 

Step 3: Turn the Griddle On

After you’re done pouring the water into the pot or pan, simply switch the griddle on. 

In this step, ensure that you place the pan or pot gently on the griddle. If you’re too careless, you might end up scratching the griddle’s surface!

Step 4: Let the Water Boil

Once you’ve placed the pot of water on the griddle, don’t leave it unattended. 

As I mentioned earlier, griddles boil water more quickly compared to stovetops. So, you should keep an eye on the water, or else the water can easily spill everywhere. 

You’ll notice that after just four to five minutes, the water has started bubbling or boiling. You can take it off the griddle once it reaches this point. 

Safety Precautions to Take While Boiling Water on Your Griddle

The safety precautions to take while waiting for the water to boil on a griddle are similar to the ones we take while using a stovetop. 

Let’s go over them once more, so you don’t end up with burns while using a flat top griddle!

• Avoid placing the pots or pans on an uneven surface of the griddle. If it’s unstable, the vessel may tip over the cooking surface, and injure you. So, make sure it is in the center of the griddle. 

• Don’t add too less or too much water. Too less water can dry up in the cookware and damage it, whereas too much water can easily boil over and spill!

• Beware of the heat! Even if you’re in a rush, use proper gloves to remove the pot from the griddle. Since the griddle is already very hot, you should be more cautious here. 

• Keep your kids or pets away from a hot griddle.

• Don’t wear very loose clothes while dealing with griddles.

• Keep anything inflammable at least three feet away from the griddle!

What Else Can You Do With Griddle?

Apart from boiling or heating water on a griddle, there are many other things that are possible with a griddle. Let’s talk about some of them!

1. Boiling Milk

Just like boiling water, it’s safe to use a griddle for boiling milk. 

The boiling point of milk is also similar to water’s. It’s only around 100.5 degrees Celsius or 212.9 degrees Fahrenheit, so it won’t take longer to boil. 

You can follow the same process of boiling water on a griddle to boil milk too! 

However, make sure you keep an eye on the milk as it boils, otherwise, it may foam up and spill over the top of the griddle. 

2. Cook Eggs

If you’re craving some eggs while you’re out camping, you can cook them on your griddle too!

The steps are similar to that of cooking an egg on a stovetop. 

You just need to preheat the griddle to medium heat, add oil, and crack eggs on it. Then, wait for 5 minutes, flip them over, and remove them after 1 minute. 

3. Toasting Bread

You don’t need a toaster to toast bread if you have a griddle. 

All you have to do is brush some oil or butter on the griddle and place the bread on it. Then, wait for one side to get crispy, turn it over, and allow the other side to toast. You can enjoy it with butter or jam!

4. Making Cheeseburgers

If you want to have restaurant-style cheeseburgers, using a griddle is the best option. 

Griddles are known to offer even heating and fast cooking, which is often needed for melty cheeseburgers. Also, the large cooking area comes in handy when you’ve more people with you. 

Can You Boil Water on a Grill?

Along with griddles, grills are another simple way you can use to boil water, including charcoal and gas grills! Keep in mind that it’d take you anywhere from 7 to 10 minutes to boil water on a grill. 

If you’re curious to know how I’ve listed the steps below in detail. It might come in handy if there’s a power outage, or if your griddle just won’t work.

1. Boiling Water on a Charcoal Grill 

Before you boil water on a charcoal grill, just ensure that the grill’s cooking surface has a uniform area. If it’s too wonky, you might end up spilling the boiling water. 

Then, you can light up the coals, and wait until they’re hot enough. You can use a thermometer to check its temperature, or just ensure that the coals turn ember. 

Next, pour some water into a pot and place it on the charcoal grill directly, and cover it with a lid. Once you hear the water boiling, you can take it off. 

Follow the same safety precautions as listed above for griddles, and use good-quality pots like cast iron or stainless steel as they can withstand high heat. 

2. Boiling Water on a Gas Grill

The process for a gas grill remains the same as a charcoal grill. In fact, I’d say that it’s also a bit simpler, as you don’t have to check the coals’ temperature here. 

First, turn off the gas grill, and put water into a high-quality pot or vessel like cart iron. Then, place the pot on the gas grill, and cover it up with a lid. Switch the grill on, and keep it at the highest heat setting. 

Allow the water to heat up and turn off the gas grill once the water starts boiling. 

Final Thoughts

Griddles are like potatoes in the grilling industry. You can use them anywhere, and for almost everything! They’re good for boiling water, and for cooking eggs at the same time. 

So, don’t hesitate before using a griddle for boiling water. It’s quick and safe, as long you follow the safety precautions.

Related Questions

Is it safe to boil water in a frying pan?

Most frying pans, especially cast iron ones, can tolerate temperatures up to 650 degrees Fahrenheit. So, it is safe to boil water in them. However, it is not the safest way to boil water as it can easily tip over and burn you. 

Can you use a griddle as a stove top?

You can use a griddle if you want as a stovetop, as it’s useful for almost everything, including boiling water. 

Can You Boil Water on an Electric Griddle?

You can boil water on an electric griddle, as long as the pans and pots can tolerate high temperatures. Make sure your griddle pans are not placed on the side of the griddle so they wouldn’t tip over.