Gridiron (cooking) facts for kids

A gridiron is a special metal cooking tool. It looks like a flat metal grate with many parallel bars. People use gridirons to cook food over heat, like when you have a barbecue. Some gridirons even have two parts that can fold together. This helps hold the food tightly while it cooks over an open flame.

The History of Gridirons

Ancient Cooking Tools

Did you know gridirons have been around for a very long time? Scientists have found early examples of these cooking tools in Pompeii. This was an ancient Roman city buried by a volcano. The Romans called their gridirons "craticula." This word came from "crates," which meant a wicker basket. This is because the gridirons had a criss-cross pattern, much like a basket.

Gridirons in America

In the 1800s, many iron gridirons were made and patented in the United States. These early gridirons often had iron legs. People would place them in a fireplace right over the fire to cook their meals.

Over time, gridirons changed to fit different foods and cooking styles. For example, in 1836, Amasa and George Sizer from Meriden, Connecticut, created a new type. Their invention combined a gridiron with another cooking tool called a spider.

Modern Gridirons

Later, in 1889, William C. Perkins from New Haven, Connecticut, invented a steel wire gridiron. He received a U.S. Patent for his design. It was a hinged gridiron that could hold meat firmly while it was broiling. This was very helpful for cooking.

Another important design came in 1939 from Luigi Pieragostini. He also worked for the New Haven Wire Goods Co. His hinged broiler was made for large cast iron stoves used in restaurants.

Today, hinged gridirons are still very popular. They are used in restaurants all over the world to cook fast food. You can also find special Hot dog gridirons. These are great for camping trips and outdoor cooking adventures!

See also

In Spanish: Parrilla para niños