Griswold Bail-handle Griddle Question

[jordan]

ive got a  12 Griswold bail handle griddle large logo, pn 617. im wondering if this is a stand-alone piece? or is it made to be placed on a flame diffuser thing? i dont know what its called..... thanks for any help...Jordan

[Ray Benash]

Made to be hung directly over hot coals, on a rack in the oven, directly over a stove top or sit in over coals on top of a food grate in a grill or smoker.

[Chris Stairs]

Made to be hung directly over hot coals, on a rack in the oven, directly over a stove top or sit in over coals on top of a food grate in a grill or smoker.

Ray,
  I can't hang my bailed griddle over the coals, it just wants to flop over.  :(
I have seen older hearth type bailed griddles that had a solid bail, and a hanging loop.

Jordan,
  Griswold did make some bailed griddles with a built in heat diffuser. They were marked "gas griddle" and I think they were meant for old gas stoves. Different places used different gases in their supply, depending on the local source of fuel. Some of them burned mighty hot, and would crack a large griddle if it was placed directly on the flame. Griswold also sold stand alone heat diffusers that could be used with any cookware.
  The base for a #12 would be #474, and the griddle to fit it was #471. Most bailed griddles were not made this way however. I don't think it's as much of an issue with modern stoves, as long as you heat them slowly. That being said, I don't use my #14 bailed griddle on my electric stove top. Strictly oven and grill use.

Chris

[C. Perry Rapier]

Made to be hung directly over hot coals, on a rack in the oven, directly over a stove top or sit in over coals on top of a food grate in a grill or smoker.

Ray, I agree with Chris. I got some of them bigwobblyassthings and you're lucky to hold air on them. When you are using them, you better have them on something nice and flat and solid. I'd say that handle is JUST to get the hot item off the stove, and/or make the thing easy to handle, it sure ain't for carrying food on.  :(

[jordan]

Thank you very much, answered my exact question!!!

[Ray Benash]

Made to be hung directly over hot coals, on a rack in the oven, directly over a stove top or sit in over coals on top of a food grate in a grill or smoker.

Ray, I agree with Chris. I got some of them bigwobblyassthings and you're lucky to hold air on them. When you are using them, you better have them on something nice and flat and solid. I'd say that handle is JUST to get the hot item off the stove, and/or make the thing easy to handle, it sure ain't for carrying food on.  :(

I'll certainly deferr to the experts. I have a 10, 12, and 14 griswold. I use them entirely on the grill/smoker grates and in the oven. They lift fine with the bail and stay flat - without food on them. Have to admit/after second though that depending on where the food is the bails/tangs don't have any way to hold them level if the food is off balance. Good point. I've never hung any of them over a fire, just assumed that was the intended purpose.

[C. Perry Rapier]

Ray, what you say above here, about the stuff on the griddle being balanced, and if it ain't near perfectly balanced, and you're carrying it, its comin off. WELL, that reminds me of splitting hogs.

You got the hog hanging there, and there is one hook in each hind leg, and those hooks are at the ends of a short steel piece, and that short steel piece has a hook on it, just one hook, right in the middle, at the top of the beam, SO, now you need to split the hog right down the back bone, and you better be pretty close to splitting him equally, because both halves must hang on that beam now, if one is too heavy, its goin to the floor, and the light one goes in the air.

The same way your food would do if you carried it on that griddle, unless you have it balanced out very good, and the practical thing is, you don't think about how you're gonna balance food to carry it, unless you are one of them waiter carrying that great big tray, with about 1200.00 worth of food on it.  ;D