Plancha vs. fire plate

Grilling on a hot plate is currently very popular. The grill industry and many smaller manufacturers already offer a large number of different hot plates. The term "plancha" is often mistakenly used for the fire plates. We show the main differences on this page.

Plancha Features
The plancha is about distributing high heat as quickly and evenly as possible across the entire grill surface, and how well this succeeds depends on the thickness of the plate and the density of the material. The high temperatures should be maintained even when food is placed on it, which always results in a reduction in the grill temperature. If there is not enough heat stored at this moment, the food will draw in juices and everything will simmer. It will not cook again until all the liquids have evaporated or drained away.

The traditional plancha is made of 4-8 mm steel, for example it is available rolled with carbon, enamelled or made of stainless steel. To be able to talk about plancha grilling, you need constant, full-surface heat of around 300 °C. Due to the high temperature, liquids do not evaporate, but collect as drops on the hot plate - similar to a spilled drop of water that runs off a hot ceramic hob.
During this process, all non-liquid components, the aromas, adhere to the food. They impart their flavor without "bathing" the food. Since plancha grilling involves a lot of work with liquids such as meat or vegetable broths, marinades and sauces, or even cream and alcohol to flavor the food, if there is too much liquid there is a risk that the food will boil rather than fry. It is therefore important that liquids and fats that have not evaporated or been absorbed can drain off the plate. Planchas are equipped with a collecting container or a collecting channel for this purpose. Another important aspect are the edges that enclose the plancha on three sides. They help to turn the food quickly with just a spatula without it falling off.

Plancha profile:
- Evenly hot plate
- Angle of inclination of the grill surface
- Edge or tub
- Container for collecting liquids

Heat distribution:
Uniform, high temperature

Fire Plate Features
A fire plate is made of thick, high-quality black steel or stainless steel. The grill surface surrounds the fire, which is usually in the middle. This gives it several temperature zones: the hotspot is on the inner edge, and the further the grill surface is from the fire, the colder it becomes. Plates are also available as accessories for most gas and charcoal grills. They are often made of cast iron because of the good heat distribution and storage. A fire plate is very good for working with small pieces of grilled food and liquids. The high temperature in the inner area is ideal for roasting grilled food, while the outside area can be used for cooking at a lower temperature. There are now also fire plates that have adopted some plancha features, such as the liquid drain or an edge. For a real plancha, however, even temperature distribution is still missing.

Fire plate profile:
- multiple temperature zones

Heat distribution:
Different temperature zones


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