Do I Need An Infrared Burner On My Grill

Ceramic Infrared Burner System

TEC Infrared Grills Stainless Steel Product Review

Ceramic infrared burner systems feature a stainless steel burner topped with a ceramic surface, with the cooking grid sitting a few inches above the burner surface. This ceramic surface produces many tiny flames that get extremely hot, quickly and and evenly. On the cooking surface, you can expect a temperature range of roughly 600-1000 degrees. The direct flame access of the food drippings to these burners may cause some quick flare ups, which some folks prefer for the flame-kiss charring. This burner system is found on brands like Solaire, and is great for searing meats hot and fast, but will not reach lower temperatures. However, Lynx grills offer a patented Trident ceramic infrared burner which is capable of reaching a low temperature of 300 degrees, while also offering an intense high heat of up to 1,000 degrees.

Are Infrared Grills Better Than Gas

This depends on your preferred cooking method.

Simply put, if you like cooking fast and in just one place , then choose an infrared grill. In this case, they have the advantage over gas grills because they heat up faster and reach a higher temperature.

But if youre a camper, traveler, or something similar and/or youd like to spend more time cooking low & slow, then go for a gas grill.

Gas grills are much more portable than their infrared counterparts.

I must admit, temperatures and portability arent the only differences between these two grill types.

There are more of them, but this debate deserves a title of its own.

Overall, infrared grills outperform gas grills on many levels.

Can You Convert a Regular Gas Grill to Infrared?

Yes, you can, fortunately. If you already own a gas grill, you can replace the burner with an infrared one:

or replace your current side burner with an infrared one:

Granted, you wont get the 100% infrared grilling experience but this is the closest you can get without buying an actual infrared grill.

What About Grills That Arent Gas

If your grill isnt a gas grill, then things get tricky.

For an infrared grill, you definitely dont need lava rocks because the heating system works differently.

In infrared grills, the entire interior is designed as a lava rock that is, with the same heat-retaining and radiating properties so adding more rocks wouldnt benefit you.

In a charcoal or wood pellet grill, the rocks arent going to benefit you either, and it would be better to simply shuffle the fuel and add more as needed.

You do not want to use them in wood pellet grills as this messes up the chemistry and heat control of how a wood pellet grill is supposed to work.

They are only used for;propane gas or natural gas grills.

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Reduced Cooking And Preheat Time

If you want to cook your meals in the shortest time possible, then you should consider getting this grill.

Such grills can generate temperatures in excess of 700°F / 371°C.

The heat generated is higher than that of charcoal and gas grills and this will ensure that you dont spend a lot of time cooking.

No spending an hour tending to the charcoal just to make a few burgers.

How Do You Use An Infrared Burner On A Gas Grill

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GRILLING TIPS

  • Allow the grill to heat up for 5 minutes on high before cooking.
  • Infrared gas grills get very hot.
  • Always use long-handled grill tools for grilling.
  • The use of a fork is not recommended for grilling on your new ProFire grill.
  • If a flare-up occurs, do not try to control it with water.
  • 7 . 2019 .

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    Cook The Best Steaks Ever With Your Own Infrared Grill

    Gas or charcoal is probably the main question people ask themselves before buying a grill, but theres also another one they should be asking: Do I need an infrared grill? The answer will depend on what they like to grill the most and if its steak, then an infrared grill should be on the list of options.

    View in gallery

    This type of grill has other benefits too, but it will definitely help produce meats that rival the best high-end steakhouse offerings. Before shopping around for an infrared grill, its a good idea to explore the different types of infrared cooking systems, the various features different grills offer and the range of price points.

    How Does Infrared Cooking Work On A Gas Grill

    On a gas grill, the infrared plate sits just above the gas flame. These plates can be made of ceramic, glass, or metal.

    This video does a good job of explaining a bit more about infrared grilling.

    The heat from the flame is absorbed by the infrared plate and then transferred to the food as infrared heat.

    When cooking with infrared heat, other methods of heat transfer also happen within the cooking chamber.

    • For instance, the metal cooking grills absorb some of the heat from the infrared plate. The heat is then transferred to the food via conduction at the points where the food comes into contact with the cooking grate.
    • Some convection also occurs as the hot air moves around inside the cooking chamber and is reflected off the dome.
    • Conduction also occurs when the surface of the food absorbs the heat and the heat is then transferred toward the center.

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    Things To Watch Out For With Infrared Gas Grills

    Lets start with Char-Broil. Theyve got 4 product lines covering at least 2 completely different designs for infrared. The key features and differences between them are important. Prices for these barbecue gas grills have a gigantic range. Most folks arent even aware of how high-end the market for gas grills goes. The table below shows a range of gas grills with infrared technology ranging from $230 to $4000. Needless to say, theres a lot to consider so lets get into it.

    Can You Convert A Regular Gas Grill To Infrared

    Benefits of Infrared Grills & Burners | What is an Infrared Grill? | BBQGuys.com

    Unlike normal grill grates, infrared grates have large ridges that keep the food from resting directly on the grate and close to the flame. If you have a grill, you do not need to purchase a new grill to cook with infrared technology; you can convert your current grill instead.

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    Types Of Infrared Burner Systems

    There are several infrared brands out there, but they don’t all utilize the same infrared cooking system. This is important to understand to ensure you are getting the perfect infrared grill to fit your cooking needs. Furthermore, it’s important to consider the quality of the infrared grill you are buying. Some infrared grills are built with more economical, lower quality components, which might cause you to have to constantly replace parts, or the whole grill, much quicker than you might think. We’ve had several customers share their stories with us about this very fact. Contrast that with the commercial quality construction of the higher end brands, where you may pay more up front but enjoy better performance and longevity in the long run.

    Weber Sear Station Vs Infrared Burner

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    Grilling is not as tough as it seems. However, once you are in the market for the right grilling units and tools, the myriad of options available are sure to leave you confused. Trust me, you are not alone and there are many in the same predicament.

    If you are a fan of Weber grills then you may want to look into a Weber Sear Station. But then you may also be considering the possibility of an infrared burner as well. So, whats the solution? How can you ensure that you put your hard-earned money in the right place?

    Worry not, because in this post we will help you understand the difference between a Weber Sear Station and an infrared burner. Read on to find out more.

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    Pros: Infrared Grills Cook Food Quickly

    Because of their mega-high temperatures, infrared grills cook very, very fast. And for some types of grilling, that happens to be exactly what you want. The most notable example of this is steak.

    The key to cooking a steak is cooking as quickly as possible over as high a heat as possible. The hotter and quicker, the better. The reason being that steaks get tougher the longer they spend over the heat. Your goal with cooking one, then, is to sear the outside and produce a flavorful brown crust while ensuring that the interior remains tender and juicy.

    And an infrared grill with its cooking temperature approaching 1,000 F happens to be perfect for that. It might only take a minute on each side and even less for thin cuts like skirt steak.

    Another advantage to infrared grills is that they aren’t prone to flare-ups since anything that drips from the food is instantly vaporized when it hits the glass or ceramic.

    Benefits Of Infrared Grills

    NAPOLEON Prestige Black 4

    If youre thinking about upgrading your current grill, then youre probably torn between going the gas or the charcoal way. However, theres a third option you might not be aware of: The infrared grill.

    Infrared grills are not as new as you may think. The first grills were produced in the year 2000 after a four-decade-long patent to the infrared burner expired. This effectively paved the way for manufacturers to use the technology to build infrared grills.

    But whats all the hullabaloo about? Heres everything you need to know about the benefits of infrared grills.

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    Which Is Better Char

    Weber has several grills that could be compared directly to the Char-Broil Grill2Go, but the Weber Q2200 stands above the rest. Not only does it offer more total cooking space280 inches, as opposed to 200its single burner cranks out 12,000 BTUs for fast, even cooking. Decent amount of cooking space for a travel grill.

    Do I Need Lava Rocks For My Gas Grill In 2021

    Lava rocks were highly popular in the past with the owners of gas grills. But do you need them today?

    Its 2021, of course.

    In this grilling guide, Ill explain:

    And a lot of other interesting stuff you might not know.

    An old LifeHacker article from 2012 popularized the idea of;using lava rocks to give your grill an extra boost, especially if your grill is an older model or has issues with the regulator.

    This raises the question:

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    Are Infrared Grills Worth The Cost

    SmokedBBQSource is supported by its readers. We may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you if you buy through a link on this page. Learn more.;

    If youre in the market for a new grill, youve probably been bombarded with the term Infrared. If you listen to the sales reps, they say its a must have feature when shopping for a grill.

    Infrared burners promise incredibly fast searing, perfectly even heat distribution and the ability to hit temperatures that you could only dream of reaching with a commercial grill.

    But before you shell out extra cash, its worth understanding what infrared actually means, and the pros and cons of infrared grilling.

    So lets have a closer look at how infrared works.

    Related ;The best Infrared grills

    Who Should Get A Sear Station

    How to Sear on an Infrared Grill | How to Grill with Grillabilities from BBQGuys

    If you would prefer a traditional gas grill but with advanced features that let you transform a section of the grill into a speed cooking zone, then a sear station is a good option. They are typically mounted on the side shelf and let you achieve higher temperatures much more quickly to sear meat and vegetables while your food cooks.

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    Infrared Vs Traditional Burners: Key Takeaways

    Lynx Grill and Outdoor Kitchen at Yale Appliance in Boston

    In the end, whether to buy a grill with an infrared burner really comes down to budget and how you cook.

    If you are a weekend griller who primarily cooks burgers and chicken or don’t want to spend thousands of dollars, then a traditional gas burner grill will suffice.

    You can spend $799-$999 on a Weber and be happy.

    If you love to grill, grill a lot, then the infrared burner may be worth the investment. However, burners with infrared will cost over $4,000.

    Using Infrared Burners In Your Kitchen

    I know this is a grill article. However, you can have infrared broilers and grills in your kitchen.

    Many professional ranges from Wolf, BlueStar, and Thermador offer infrared broilers. BlueStar is the hottest at 1800 degrees.

    BlueStar Infrared Broiler For Gas Ranges and Wall Ovens

    You can buy infrared grills for your cooktop in brands like Wolf, Miele, and Jenn-Air.

    Miele is the hottest at 19,000 BTU.

    Additional Resources

    Get our free BBQ Grill Buying Guide for reviews, features, and specs of the best brands. Over 800,000 people have already found answers in a Yale guide.

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    Achieves Steakhouse Quality Barbecuing

    Ever wondered what makes steakhouse steak taste so good? Well, for one thing, the grilling equipment they use is second to none. Most of the top-rated steakhouses use infrared grills for cooking their meats since these burners achieve a level of precision that cannot be replicated using any other type of grill. So you, too, can achieve a professional-level sear right in the comfort of your home.

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    Infrared Grills Pros And Cons All You Need To Know

    Infrared grilling is a relatively new cooking technique where instead of a burner or charcoal cooks the food, a heating element radiates heat at very high temperatures.

    True, infrared grills can use either gas or charcoal as fuel, but because of their different style of cooking , they fall into their own category.

    Just like every type of grill, even this one has its own benefits and disadvantages.

    One major benefit of having an infrared grill is its high efficiency.

    Ironically, this benefit impacts its major disadvantage the price.

    Of course, just because they are expensive that doesnt mean they are not worth it.

    You need to consider all of the infrared grills pros and cons before making your final decision.

    The truth is whole and not just a piece here and there.

    Whether youre searching for your first grill or looking to pimp your backyard with another one, infrared grills are worth considering.

    How Do I Clean My Infrared Rotisserie Burner

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    People Also Asked, How do you clean an infrared burner?

    Steps to Cleaning your Infrared Burner

  • First you remove the cooking grates from the Grill.
  • Remove the wire mesh screen that protects the ceramic plaques on the burner
  • Gently vacuum the debris from the small pores of the ceramic plates.
  • Also know, how do you clean Napoleon infrared? Due to the intense heat of the infrared burners, most dripping and food particles that fall onto the burner surface are immediately incinerated. However, some debris and residue may remain. To remove this residue after cooking, turn the grill on high with lid closed for 5-10 minutes.

    Contents

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    Hybrid Infrared Gas Grills: Get The Best Of Both Worlds

    In the past few years many advances have been made in the infrared gas grill industry. One of the most interesting has been the creation of hybrid infrared gas grills. hese gas grills offer a combination of traditional convection burners and an infrared burner zone, which allows you to grill all of your favorite foods that require lower temperatures over the convection burners while searing steaks over intense infrared heat from your sear zone. This also allows for the quick transition of your food after searing to a lower temperature to continue grilling. Shop the three most common types of hybrid gas grill configurations below.

    Working Of An Infrared Grill

    Infrared grills work on the principle of radiation of heat. Its construction includes a burner made up of a housing case of stainless steel and a ceramic top. Such construction allows uniform distribution of heat over the grill.

    Unlike a conventional grill, where the heat is transferred from the source to the food through an air medium, the infrared grills make use of a heated electric or gas element, which radiates heat and emits infrared waves into the food on the grill. It is not like radiation is the only way in which heat is transferred on an infrared grill. The heated element also increases the temperature and circulation of the air around the grill, which causes convection. But, compared to that, in a gas grill, less amount of heated air is circulated. In a nutshell, infrared grills provide instant ignition, better heat control, and a uniform heat source which cooks up a better-tasting barbecue meal.

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    Some Of The Best Brands For Infrared Gas Grills

    Even though Char-Broil is likely the name youve heard and perhaps youve even heard some negative reviews dont assume that infrared doesnt offer any advantages. What you really want to do is check out the manufacturers that are building high quality infrared designs. Youll be amazed by what a little more research will reveal.

    Meat Will Stay Juicier

    Cooking with the Char-Broil TRU-Infrared 4 Burner Grill

    Because you quickly sear the meat when you use an infrared burner on your gas barbecue, the meat will stay juicier. You can imagine that the longer a piece of meat is exposed to heat, the more natural juices will leave the meat. That’s why you can prepare the tenderest pieces of meat on a gas barbecue with infrared burners.

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