Patent ID: 7647866

Claim:
A griddle for cooking foods on an outdoor grill or barbeque comprising: an uncovered open air cooking surface having an opposing bottom surface positioned above a heating source independent of the griddle; a first upper sidewall, a second tipper sidewall and a upper rear wall positioned between the first and second upper sidewalls, the first, the second and the rear upper sidewalls are integral with and extend upwardly from the cooking surface; a first lower sidewall, a second lower sidewall and a lower rear wall positioned between the first and second lower sidewalls, the first lower sidewall, the second lower sidewall and lower rear wall are independent and separate from the respective first, second and rear upper sidewalls adjacent the cooking surface, the first lower sidewall, the second lower sidewall and the lower rear wall are connected to and extend below the bottom surface for elevating the cooking surface above the independent heating source and forming a periphery having peripheral edges, the peripheral edges defining a cavity beneath the bottom surface and open to the independent heating source, said first lower sidewall, second lower sidewall and lower rear wall each having an elongate open heat dissipating exhaust slot therethrough positioned directly adjacent to and opening to the bottom surface for actively drawing heat upward from the independent heating source into the cavity toward the bottom surface of the cooking surface to increase concentration and even distribution of heat on the cooking surface; a pair of braces arranged in an X-shaped formation extend between opposing peripheral edges of the cavity, each brace of the pair of braces defining at least four slots separated along a length of the brace and open to the cooking surface opposing bottom surface, each brace is connected to the bottom surface between adjacent slots in the brace for increasing the rigidity of the cooking surface and to further promote the active drawing, concentration and even distribution of heat toward the bottom surface while promoting dissipation of excess heat to escape through the exhaust slots; and a drip tray located opposite of the rear wall and integrally formed with the cooking surface, said drip tray having a front wall, a bottom wall and a rear wall and wherein portions of the first lower sidewall and the second lower sidewall form sidewalls for the drip tray.