Cuisinart Griddler GR4

Grilling is a great way to have healthy tasty meals that are quick to prepare. One of the most popular grills people are choosing today is made by Cuisinart.

In this Hub I will show you where to obtain the best price on the Cuisinart Griddler GR4.

We will also take a look at the features of the Griddler GR4 and some of the ways you can make great use of this grill in your kitchen.

This grill gives you several appliances in one compact unit. Let's take a look at some of it's features.

• Contact Grill -- use it with the grill plates or griddle plates
• Open Grill or Griddle -- opens out flat with the push of a button
• Panini Press and Sandwich Grill -- floating hinge adjusts to the thickness of panini sandwiches, wraps, etc.
• Grill fresh vegetables on the flat grill
• Grill fish on the flat or closed grill
  
• Plates are gently sloped to let excess fat drain away into the included cups
• Food will not roll or slide because the slope is very gentle
• Plates are non-stick, removable,and dishwasher safe
• Plates release with the push of a button, and snap back on easily
  
• Brushed stainless steel housing is very sturdy, easy to clean, attractive
• Covered by Cuisinart's 3-year warranty (covers plates, too)

Here are a few common uses for this contact grill/panini press/open grill & griddle.

• Grill boneless meat -- steak, burgers, chicken breasts & thighs, pork loin chops, ham, hot dogs, sausages, fish (if delicate you can do it with the grill open, or wrapped in aluminum foil)
• Grill your favorite sandwiches -- panini-type sandwiches, grilled cheese, all kinds of specialty breads with your favorite fillings, wraps. If you like open-face sandwiches do them on the open grill or griddle plates.
• Grill fresh vegies -- sweet peppers, sweet onions, mushrooms, zucchini (brush with a little oil or butter, season with salt & pepper or sprinkle parmesan cheese over the slices), sliced potatoes, carrots, etc. Use you imagination and experiment!
• Open the grill flat and cook bacon, eggs, sausages, pancakes

Meats will cook significantly faster on the Griddler GR4 than if you were pan-cooking. Be aware of this when you're preparing meals, and make sure you take things off the grill in time --  or shut the grill off just before the meat is done and let it sit to stay warm while you finish up bits & pieces.

If you're doing a salad and rice or pasta or potatoes, have the other food ready and then put your meat on the grill while you set the table or set the coffee-maker etc.  That way you can serve your meal when the meat comes piping-hot and juicy off the grill.

When grilling sandwiches or wraps is a good idea to have all your ingredients ready beforehand. You can have them in the fridge and ready to assemble for a quick meal.  Then you just need to put your sandwiches together and grill them.  They will take 3-5 minutes depending how thick your bread is and how dark you like them grilled.

Wraps will take less time; don't over-grill the or the edges will get brittle. For a nice presentation, have some triangles of wax paper ready as they come off the grill and wrap each one, restaurant-style. This keeps them warm and lets you hold onto them neatly while eating them.

You can make a delicious dressing for your sandwiches & wraps, and serve extra on the side, using low or no-fat yogurt mixed with a good mayonnaise (I use Hellman's).  Use three parts yogurt to one-part mayo (or suit your own tastes). Then add a bit of hot taco sauce to give it some zip!

You can vary this, or make a thicker dressing by using light cream cheese mixed with yogurt. I also like to use some light or 95% fat-free cream cheese spread in a thin layer on my wraps before I fill them (or on the bread if you're making panini).  It adds flavor and keeps the wraps from getting dry when grilled.

Other great additions are hot banana peppers, chopped dill pickles, sweet onions chopped and sprinkled in the open end of the wrap (gives you a sweet fresh crunch!). You can use some fresh parmesan grated over your warm wrap or sandwich, too.  Using a hard cheese grated is a good way to get that extra cheesy flavor without adding a lot of fat to your meal.