The Best Way to Flip Food in a Grill Pan

It can be tricky to flip food in grill pans. Here’s what we learned during testing.

• First, use a slim metal offset turner or metal fish spatula with a sharp front edge to surgically slip under the food and avoid wrecking those gorgeous grill marks you just made.

• Second, don’t travel crosswise; for smoother access, slide the spatula in the direction of the ridges like a plane on a runway.

• Third, choose a roomy pan with low, flaring sides, and leave plenty of space around your food so that you can keep the spatula almost flat. Tall pan sides and crowded pans forced us to use a high angle for the spatula, partially lifting food as it began to slide under, resulting in ragged, broken food with a disappointing appearance.