How Grill Mats are Similar
First off, it's important to understand exactly what a bbq grill mat is and what it is not. All brands and styles of grill mats are the same in several important ways.
- All bbq grill mats are made from the same identical materials.
- They are all constructed with fiberglass cloth coated with varying amounts of polytetrafluoroethylene or PTFE, as it's called.
- All grill mats very thin and flexible and can be rolled and cut into different shapes.
- They are all restricted FDA regulations to be used only at temperatures below 500 degrees Fahrenheit. This is because the PTFE will begin to degrade at higher temperatures. It's the same as with a nonstick pan, which also has been coated with PTFE to make it nonstick.
How Grill Mats Differ
So let's take a look at how bbq grill mats can differ from one another.
- They can come in different sizes. They are usually around 13 inches wide and the lengths will vary from 14 up to 17 inches.
- They can have varying amounts of PTFE coatings which will make the either slicker, when more PTFE is used or more textured, when less PTFE is used.
- The thickness of bbq grill mats varies from one to another. Some brands are as thin as .1mm, while others are as thick as .25mm or even .3mm. So one brand of grill mats might be two or three times a thick as another. Keep in mind, though that the difference between .2mm and .3mm is not much. They are both very thin. Where this does make a difference is in the way they perform on the grill.
When I tested grill mats, I found I preferred large mats, that would give me more workspace; I liked the ultra-slick mats with the coefficient of friction, though those take a little getting used to at first; and I liked the thickness to be in the .2mm range.
You might think that the thicker a mat was the better it would be, but people like grill marks on their food when it's prepared on a BBQ, and the .2mm mats left good quality grill marks. The .3mm mats not so much. On the flip side of the issue, the .2mm mats held up as well as the .3mm mats so there was no difference in durability during normal use.
The thin mats were horrendous to use. They were papery in texture, the PTFE was so thin that the surface of the mats was very textured as well. Consequently, food would actually stick to them and make them difficult to clean, which is definitely no what you're in looking for in a nonstick grilling surface.
Advantages of Using Nonstick Grill Mats
So what are the advantages of using a bbq grill mat? There are some good ones, for sure.
- Grill mats eliminate grill cleanup. They protect the grates and can actually keep them looking brand new for years, literally
- By using a grilling mat, you retain the moisture in your food, and cook it more evenly. The results are better-tasting food and your guests will comment on that. It's noticeable.
- The mats themselves are very easy to clean. unless you are cooking sticky sauces on them it requires no more than wiping them off with a soft cloth and rinsing them. If you do cook stick sauces on them you can just put them in the dishwasher and they come out looking new.
Great Barbecue Tools
I recognize that these might not be for everyone. Hardcore traditionalists will scoff at something like this. But imagine cooking breakfast on the barbecue, with hashbrowns, fried a pile of eggs and bacon. Or imagine a pile of fresh veggies or small shrimp that would just fall through the grates without a mat. Even those foods like certain types of fish, that fall apart on the barbecue can now be kept intact by cooking them on the barbecue grill mat. They are a phenomenal invention that and a fantastic tool that I wouldn't be without. For more information along with recipes and tips, follow my bbq grill mat Twitter Page, or this bbq grill mat website.