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Myths, tips, and grill pans—all explained.

Outdoor grills are great and all, but sometimes the weather doesn’t cooperate, or you don’t want to deal with heating up the charcoal and starting a fire. Enter indoor grilling. You can do it in the comfort of your home, where you have easy access to things like a sink and the refrigerator, and you don’t have to wait around for a warm, sunny day to do it.

If you’re new to indoor grilling, you’ve come to the right place. We’re breaking down myths, sharing tips, and explaining what the heck a grill pan is (and if you need one).

Myth #1: You can get the same results using an indoor grill. Even though some indoor grills can help you get pretty grill marks, as far as flavor goes, you won’t be able to achieve the same charred, flame-licked goodness of food cooked outdoors. The exception to this is if you’re using a vented, gas-powered indoor grill—something that's not usually feasible for the home cook.

Myth #2: You need to purchase a separate appliance. While it might seem counterintuitive, you don’t technically need an indoor grill to, well, grill indoors. That is, if you broaden your definition of what "grilled" means. For instance, you can turn to your broiler and stovetop cast-iron skillet to achieve the same crispy edges one might seek from a grill (though neither delivers the same charred aroma or flavor).

Myth #3: Indoor grilling is healthier than outdoor grilling

This just isn’t true. Read on to find out

Indoor grilling may be safer than outdoor grilling, as cooking indoors doesn’t involve burning coals, a lot of smoke, or flare-ups caused by dripping fat. But this doesn’t necessarily mean indoor grilling is healthy. While many contact grills are designed with a slant that allows liquids to drip off, fat also drips off of meat on an outdoor grill. For the latter, you don’t get to see how much fat melts off—but it melts off just the same.

Additionally, while you aren’t cooking over wood or charcoal, indoor grills can still create cancer-causing chemicals. Carcinogens form whenever you burn fat on high heat; it doesn’t matter if you’re cooking outdoors or indoors.

Grill pans are skillets or flat pans that have raised edges across the entire cooking surface. These raised edges create "grill" marks imitate the marks you get when cooking outdoors. They also cause the fat to drip off whatever you’re cooking, making for a healthier meal than simple pan searing.

While grill pans have their merits, grilling pros like Matthew Eads (a cookbook author, gourmet griller, and founder of the blog Grillseeker) rarely use them. Eads prefers to use a cast-iron pan for cooking burgers and steaks indoors, as he prefers an overall sear for his meats. “Most of the flavor comes from the sear, so I’ll sacrifice grill marks for a better tasting meal any day,” he writes in an indoor grilling blog post.

Delish senior food producer June Xie adds that grill pans give grill marks, but none of the smoky flavor. “Grill pans also lead to way more uneven cooking, as opposed to just cooking your steak on a flat-surfaced cast iron skillet,” she says. Lena Abraham, senior food editor, notes that grill pans can also be hard to clean.

If you’re set on using a grill pan, however, Eads recommends buying a nonstick one for easy cleanup. For optimum heat retention, crisp grill marks, and durable construction, go for cast iron. Once your grill pan is heated up, we recommend trying it out on grilled pork tenderloin, corn on the cob, or lobster tail (if you’re feeling fancy).

While you’ll find many different kinds of indoor grills on the market, with varying levels of bells and whistles, there are two main types: open grills and contact grills. Open grills are similar to outdoor grills in that they have a single, flat cooking surface and the fact that you need to flip your food halfway through for even cooking. The main difference is that indoor grills don’t have a flame, which is why they’re suitable for indoor use.

Contact grills, by contrast, have two cooking surfaces; one on the top and one on the bottom. This design allows you to cook food on both sides at once. A George Foreman grill is a prime example of this, though its sloped design is not mandatory. If you’re in the market for one of these machines, we rounded up 11 of the best indoor grills.

1. Count on cast iron If you don’t want to add yet another appliance to your kitchen, your trusty cast-iron pan is all you need to sear meat and veggies to perfection. Eads notes that these heavy-duty pans get nice and hot, which can create a delicious crust on meat. If you’re cooking up a steak, he recommends using the reverse sear method, which takes advantage of the cast-iron pan’s heat retentive properties.

2. Clear the air Even if your indoor grill claims to be smokeless, grilling will inherently create some level of smoke. For safety reasons, and to prevent from filling your house with smoky smells, throw open your kitchen windows and turn on fans before you start cooking.

3. Let the grill do the work It may be tempting to check on whatever you’re cooking to see if it’s browning or to make sure it isn’t sticking, but it’s best to leave it alone for at least the first few minutes. Wait 3-4 minutes, then rotate your food 90 degrees to create a beautiful crosshatch pattern like the pros. Wait another 3 to 4 minutes, then flip.

4. Preheat your grill Whether you’re using an electric grill or cast-iron pan, ensure that it’s preheated before cooking your meat on it. This will ensure that your food cooks faster and retains its moisture levels. A pan or grill that is improperly heated can also cause meat to cook unevenly, which no one wants. When the food hits the pan, you should hear a satisfying sizzle.

5. Skip the marinade When grilling indoors, stick to a dry rub to flavor your meat—our All-Purpose Spice Rub should do the trick. A wet marinade will likely smoke up your house due to its sugar content. Additionally, a liquid marinade will generate more steam and smoke. This can lead to a lingering smell that you may not like.

Armed with this knowledge, you'll be an indoor grill master in no time.