HexClad is a relatively new cookware brand, but one that seems to be shaking up the market. Its hybrid cookware is taking social media by storm, and is now even endorsed by Gordon Ramsay. The pans cleverly combine the robustness of stainless steel with hexagonal non-stick valleys for a premium cooking experience.
I’m very intrigued by the HexClad BBQ Grill Pan. It promises all the robust, non-stick properties of other HexClad pans, but with holes in the base to let all the smoke and BBQ flavours infuse into your food.
Even if you own one of the best BBQs and you’ve nailed your BBQ technique, it can be a pain to cook delicate or small foods. In my experience threading everything onto skewers is tedious. Then moving said skewers using unwieldy BBQ tongs is often comically difficult. I’m so ready for this pan to allow me to easily BBQ otherwise tricky foods. Here’s how I got on.
Hexclad BBQ pan specs
- Materials: Cooking surface is stainless steel combined with non-stick. Aluminium core. Steel base.
- Metal utensil safe? yes
- Dishwasher safe? yes
- Diameter: 30cm
- Warranty: lifetime
- RRP: £159
Unboxing and first impressions
My first impression of the HexClad BBQ Grill Pan was that it’s robust and great quality. And while it’s super sturdy, it doesn’t feel too heavy. I popped it on my kitchen scales and it weighed in at around 1.25kg.
There are numerous big holes in the base that I anticipate will be great at letting the BBQ smoke through to whatever is being cooked inside. The holes are about the size of an average ballpoint pen, so unless you’re attempting to cook sweetcorn kernels, nothing will fall through them.
The two generous side handles should make it easy to lift on and off the BBQ, but they’re metal so they will get hot and you’ll need some thick and trusty oven gloves.
Before the first use, the pan has to be seasoned. The instructions advise heating it to a medium-low heat and spreading a teaspoon of oil around the inside, before continuing to heat for a further 1-2 minutes. I did this on my hob, but because of all the holes in the bottom, I had to use a silicone pastry brush to move and distribute the oil around the inside of the pan.
Because the pan is a hybrid style pan, in that it’s both stainless steel and non-stick, it will continue to season the more it’s used. And the way it’s made means it can stand up to the use of metal utensils, which is particularly helpful for BBQ cooking where plastic utensils are no-no.
What is it like to use?
I used it on this Weber Kettle BBQ, so while I had the joy of smoky charcoal flavours, I didn’t have the temperature control that you would inevitably have if using it on one of the best gas BBQ’s.
The first thing I cooked in the pan was asparagus, it’s such a great vegetable on the BBQ but is notorious for falling down between the bars. Before adding to the pan I lightly coated the asparagus spears in oil and seasonings.
Once my BBQ was fired up and ready to cook on, I placed the pan on top and allowed it to heat up for just a couple of minutes. I used metal tongs, which admittedly felt wrong in a brand new non-stick pan, but as promised by HexClad, they didn’t mark or scratch it all.
The asparagus cooked really well. It was lightly charred and so much easier than doing it directly on the bars. And since asparagus is an expensive vegetable, I was pleased not to lose any into the coals during cooking.
Once the asparagus was done, I removed it and added two sea bass fillets skin side down. Again, I had lightly oiled the skin before placing it in the pan. It took 4 minutes for the skin to crisp up, at which point I flipped the fillets and cooked them on the other side for one minute.
It was as easy as cooking the fish in a frying pan on my hob and took roughly the same amount of time too. I love BBQ fish, but it always feels tricky to get right on a BBQ, it either sticks and breaks apart, or you have to put it in a foil parcel and miss out on the smoky essence of the BBQ. So this a great solution and I’m excited about all the other fish I could potentially BBQ.
The flavour was good, the holes allowed some of the smokiness through to the fish, but it’s more subtle than if the fish was directly on the bars. The only downside is that because of the holes you can’t add a knob of butter at the end to baste it like you might if cooking on the hob. But this is a minor complaint!
The next time I fired up the BBQ I used the pan to cook up some mushrooms and chunks of courgette. Mushrooms always seem to fall off my skewers so they’re the perfect vegetable to try in this pan.
Just like with the asparagus I lightly oiled the vegetables before adding to the hot pan. I stirred them frequently and the high sides of the pan meant everything stayed inside. I cooked them over very hot coals for around 10 minutes.
When they were nearly cooked I used a silicone brush to coat them in garlic butter for the last couple of minutes of cooking. This worked really well, and it’s a bit of a workaround for not being able to add a knob of butter to the pan.
Both the courgette and mushrooms were beautifully cooked and tasted delicious. The outsides were charred and there was a subtle smokiness in the flavour. I would absolutely choose cook them in this pan over threading onto skewers. They cooked far more evenly and it’s an easier process, so it’s a win-win.
Finally I tried cooking raw prawns in the pan. I added the seasoned pawns to the hot pan and kept moving them around so they’d cook evenly without overcooking and becoming tough or chewy.
They were done in just a couple of minutes and I was really pleased with the result. They were so easy to cook and were perfectly succulent, easily the best prawns I’ve ever cooked on a BBQ.
What's it like to clean?
This pan is both dishwasher safe and scrubbable, the website suggests you can even use steel wool if you need to. The first time I used it, I allowed it to cool on the BBQ and didn’t rescue it until the next morning. This was a bit of a mistake because it allowed the oily residues to bake on, so I had to scrub it hard with a scourer.
It took a bit of elbow grease but it was reassuring to know that the pan was resilient enough to take the scrubbing. And the next time I used it, I removed it from the BBQ and allowed it to cool on top of my hob before putting it in the dishwasher.
It cleaned up well in the dishwasher, but not as well as when I washed it by hand. And it’s important to remember that since it’s being used on the BBQ it’s unlikely to stay looking as pristine as pans you use indoors.
Should you buy the HexClad BBQ Grill Pan?
The HexClad BBQ Grill Pan is a great addition to any outdoor kitchen setup. It makes it really easy to cook fish and vegetables to perfection, so broadens the scope of what can be cooked al fresco.
One of the biggest drawbacks is the price. To put it in perspective, it costs almost as much as the Weber BBQ I was using it on. That said, given that it significantly increases the options of what can be cooked on my BBQ, it means I’d be more inclined to cook outdoors than I might otherwise be without it.
It’s also worth pointing out that while you can get more cheap and cheerful BBQ pans, they’re often much flimsier and unlikely to stand the test of time. Whereas the HexClad version is excellent quality, super sturdy, and comes with a lifetime warranty. If you’re a big BBQ fan, it’s worth the investment.
About this review, and the reviewer:
After completing a Home Economics degree, Helen went on to work for the Good Housekeeping Institute and has been reviewing home appliances ever since. She lives in a small village in Buckinghamshire in the UK, where she reviews all sorts of home and garden appliances using her wealth of experience.
Helen used the HexClad BBQ Grill Pan on her charcoal BBQ at home to cook a variety of different foods. As a big fish eater, she was delighted to find something that can finally enable her to cook BBQ fish to perfection with minimal hassle.
