Fillet Choice

• Choose fish fillets that are slightly thicker, between one and two inches, for optimum results on the griddle. This helps prevent them from drying out. For beef steaks, choose meat with lots of marbling evenly throughout -- this keeps the meat moist and flavorful during the cooking process. Only choose meat that is fresh and not past its best-before date; if there is any graying of the meat or questionable areas, discard it immediately.

Preparation

• Ensure the griddle is completely clean, as any leftover food can cause the fillets to stick when cooking. Prep the griddle and set it to medium-high heat on the stove. It is ready when a drop of water thrown onto its surface bubbles and hisses. Do not oil the surface of the pan itself, for this will cause foods to stick. Instead, brush the outside of the fillet with a small amount of melted butter or oil to create a nonstick surface and add flavor to the meat.

Griddling

• Place fillets on the hot grill. Cook according to their required cooking time -- generally three to five minutes per side for lamb, pork and beef steaks; five to six minutes for chicken; and two to three minutes for fish. Halfway through cooking one of the sides, gently insert a spatula between the griddle and the fillet, or use tongs, and turn it 90 degrees. This will create the grill marks often desired when griddling. Repeat this with the other side of the fillet. Check for done-ness by inserting a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the fillet -- it should read 165 degrees Fahrenheit for chicken, 145 degrees F for beef, 140 degrees F for fish and 160 degrees F for pork.

Considerations

• Tent the fillets with tinfoil after removing them from the griddle and let them sit between five and 10 minutes. This allows the juices to evenly redistribute, creating a more flavorful and more moist cut of meat. When griddling a tuna fillet in particular, watch that it does not cook too long as this can dry it out -- the steak should still be slightly pink in the center when it is removed from the griddle. Fillets can also be braised or cooked in another manner, then finished on a hot griddle to add the carbonized char lines desired on grilled meats.