Pros Of Infrared Grills
Infrared all-sear burner grills are a favorite of grillers everywhere. Below are a few reasons why you might elect for this particular grill yourself.
Heats Up Instantly
Infrared grills require approximately 2-5 minutes to warm up compared to their own conventional open fire counterparts . Are you tired of waiting for your grill to heat up? An infrared grill can get you cooking very quickly. But, we always tell our customers that theres a learning curve and that you might burn a couple of steaks at the start.
Even-Heat Distribution
Reaching an even heat throughout the grill could be bothersome with open fire grilling. Infrared burners arent influenced by wind, providing the capacity to produce the most even heat throughout the cooking surface. Infrared burners use uniform luminous energy, which heats the food straight. Hence, the food cooks evenly.
Maintains Moisture
Since infrared grills do not rely on hot air to warm the food, it will not permeate your meals moisture border. This usually means your food will keep around 35 percent of its moisture, maintaining your vegetable tender along with your meat succulent.
Steakhouse Quality
Attain the tender and succulent steaks you like at traditional steakhouses in your backyard having an infrared grilling. Lots of the best steakhouses utilize infrared burner approaches to prepare their meats. Brands such as TEC and Alfresco permit for exact, easy-to-use temperature controller using their infrared burners.
Programs Less Gas
What Is Infrared Cooking
The easiest way to truly understand the power of infrared technology with cooking appliances is to first delineate the various types of heat transfer in cooking. The three main types are conduction, convection and radiation.
Conduction cooks the desired object through direct contact with a heating element. For example, sautéing some garlic in a skillet over the stove. The garlic is the object, the skillet the heating element, which is heated directly by the electric or gas stove. The oil used in this instance is not considered the main heating mechanism cooking the food but a supporting material to help the food cook more evenly and perhaps add flavor.
Convection cooking is the act of using a secondary medium, such as gas or liquid, to cook food. For example, deep frying submerges the object in large quantities of hot oil to cook it, and boiling does the same in water. Steaming, smoking, baking and roasting utilize hot air. Within this category of cookery, its important to note that liquid convection is more powerful than gas convection, and the denser the fluid is, the faster it heats food this is because the heat capacity of each medium is different. That’s why we can reach into a 350 F oven to pull out a finished cake, but definitely cannot sink our hands into boiling water to grab a potato. Most concisely explained: The temperature of something is not the same as the heat it can emit.
Is Infrared Cooking Safer Than Microwave
Infrared heat is the type of electromagnetic radiation used in microwave ovens. Because infrared heat penetrates and agitates food molecules instead of heating the surrounding area, food cooks very quickly. However, infrared heat can alter food components that can have adverse effects on human health and safety.
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How Infrared Grills Work
Few meals are more difficult to replicate at home than a perfectly juicy tenderloin from a high-end steakhouse. Although encrusting a slab of meat with seasonings and heating it on both sides for a few minutes seems like a simple proposition, consumer grills have traditionally lacked one important feature: an infrared cooking surface capable of emitting heat so intense that it completes the cooking process in only minutes.
But wouldn’t such high-end technology cost a fortune? Infrared grills typically cost upwards of a few thousand dollars per unit — until the year 2000. That’s when a time limit on key patents worked in the favor of backyard grillers.
The evolution of infrared grills began in 1961 when Bill Best, founder of Thermal Engineering Corp., patented the first infrared burner. It was used for industrial applications, including tire manufacturing and giant oven systems used to dry automobile paint quickly. In the early 1980s, Best, a backyard griller and perpetual inventor, added a ceramic infrared burner to a barbecue grate he had fashioned for his personal use and discovered an accelerated cooking process that left fast-cooked foods succulent .
If you’re thinking about purchasing an infrared grill or are curious about how they work, it will help to understand how infrared heat is created — and why it all has to do with wavelengths. We’ll explain more on the next page.
How Much An Infrared Grill Costs: The Top Brands Breakdown
Again, infrared grills are pricey! You can easily spend thousands of dollars on a grill based on the brand, type, and size of the model you select.
Fortunately, there are several brands you can trust when looking to invest in a high-quality grill:
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How Does Ir Grill Work
If youre looking for infrared grills, its important to know how they work. Most of these products use the same mechanism. Heres what you need to know about how they work:
- Infrared grills use coils, which are similar to those in an electric fireplace or space heater. These coils generate heat, and this is emitted in the form of infrared energy or light.
- The grill is designed to make a tight seal, and this reduces the amount of hot air that escapes the grill. Therefore, you can rest assured that the product will be as efficient as possible.
- The coils will glow, but they are typically covered by a glass covering. This reduces the risk of burns.
Myths And Misconceptions Of Infrared Gas Grills
Infrared Grills are becoming more and more common in peoples backyards nowadays. At the same time, a large number of people are still being dissuaded by myths and erroneous beliefs surrounding this cooking technology.
One of the common myths going around is that grills equipped with Infrared technology often operate on the same principle as a microwave or a toaster. Others think that the lack of an open flame robs the meat of the smoky taste that is often synonymous with outdoor barbeque.
These beliefs have no basis. The difference behind an infrared grill and a charcoal or a conventional gas grill lie in the infrared burner itself.
Manufacturers design infrared burners to direct heat only on the grill grates surface as opposed to the surrounding air. This is the same principle used by hot air dryers, which dry out food in a similar manner. When heat is concentrated on the cooking surface only, more juice and flavor are locked into the food until you take a bite of it.
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Is Infrared Grilling Healthier
Infrared grills can be significantly more efficient, and they can also be healthier, since they dont char food and therefore dont create as many of the carcinogens produced by traditional charcoal and gas grills. Its a very healthy way of eating, since the only thing that gets cooked out of the food is the fat.
What Are The Pros And Cons Of Infrared Gas Grills
The truth is it really depends on the infrared design for a particular make, product line, or even model. Like most folks youd probably be interested in an infrared grill if you knew it provided some advantage or benefit. If they were better at searing, low and slow cooking, smoking, with no flare-ups and easy clean-ups wed all take a look see.
So we took a look and the answer does indeed depend on what you get. A bit of history about infrared technology in general, and for gas grills specifically will help you understand why its a bit of pain trying to find an answer to this question.
20th century technology
Bill Best, developed the technology in the 1960s, primarily to give automakers a faster way to dry the paint on cars. That led to him founding Thermal Electric Corp. . and a patented technology for high-end grills for professional cooks and wealthy consumers soon followed.
When his patent expired in 2000, grill companies saw a future in Americas backyards. So now there are many implementations of infrared and they range from marketing BS and hype, to some really beautiful elite infrared gas grill designs and manufacturers.
Char-Broil TRU infrared is a product line you may have seen in Home Depot, Lowes or Wal-Mart. They actually have more than one design and its important to know the difference when comparing them to other brands. The pros and cons of the various Char-Broil TRU infrared models is covered below.
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Lynx Trident Infrared Burner
Another famous brand in regards to infrared grilling is Lynx. The Lynx Trident is a unique design that offers versatile cooking with infrared heat.
Youll find a three-pronged burner that will increase your cooking area.
Even though youll have far more space for cooking, you can also opt to use lower temperatures.
If you like working with delicate meat and still want the benefit of an infrared grill, these are an option. Most have a minimum temperature of 300°F and a maximum of 1,000°F.
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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Benefits Of Infrared Grills
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.
What Is A Gas Grill
Gas grills are a very popular outdoor amenity because they give homeowners easy access to cooking outside.
They are also known to add a particular flavor to food compared to convection ovens or stovetop frying.
With these grills, you will require either natural gas or propane to fuel the fire, and you will cook your food over an open flame.
There are also valves on the outside of the grill that allows you to adjust the flow of gas as well as the heat.
Its common to close the hood of your grill to let the hot air in the unit cook your food thoroughly.
Gas grills are incredibly popular not only thanks to their availability but also their affordability.
You can find them in several different sizes and at various price points that fit your budget well.
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Q: Is It Easy To Clean The Infrared Grill
A: The process of cleaning an infrared grill is the same as the others, but you have to be careful about the steel or metal object that sends out the heat. When cleaning, leave the grill on empty for 20 mins, so it burns all the debris left from cooking. After this, you can take the rest of the particles out with a brush or a wire.
What Are The Benefits Of An Infrared Grill
If youre looking for an exceptional grill, then an infrared grill is certainly a better choice than most conventional gas or charcoal grills, and there are several reasons for this. Heres what you need to know about these products:
- You can significantly reduce the amount of time that it takes to cook your favorite foods. In fact, infrared grills offer exceptionally fast cooking times.
- If you like your food well done, then an infrared grill could be just what you need. Thats because its possible to cook food well much more quickly than you could with a conventional grill.
- Using an infrared grill reduces the risk of suffering burns while grilling. Thats because these products are designed to prevent fires and flare-ups!
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Are Infrared Burners Worth It
You can tell that there are far more advantages than disadvantages when it comes to infrared burners. However, they might not be the best choice for every household.
If youre delighted with your traditional gas grill, there wont be any need for you to upgrade.
Some infrared burners can be expensive, so youll want to make sure you need one before buying one.
You can often get the perfect caramelization and sear on your meat without needing 1000°F of heat.
Also, youll have to pick and choose what you cook on your new grill if its infrared-only.
For backyard chefs still asking whether or not are infrared burners worth it, consider hybrids. Hybrid grills are dual-purpose, and you can also find smokers with the same features.
With these appliances, youll have the benefits of a regular gas grill and a special section for searing. Typically, youll have a separate section of the cooking surface known as the sear zone that uses infrared heating.
Are Infrared Grills Hard To Clean
Were pleased to report that infrared grills are not hard to clean. The basics for cleaning an infrared grill are pretty much the same as for a regular grill
First off, if theres a drip tray, you should clean this out after every use.
You should always wait until the grill is completely cool before handling it for cleaning purposes. When ready, you can remove the grill grate to clean it
If the grill gate is of a metal construction, all you need to do is use a wire brush to remove any debris that remains from your cooking. If however the grill grate is coated with porcelain, as they often are, then a soft brush is best, and a stiff brush wont be required.
We recommend that you clean your infrared grill out about once every 6 months or so. At the same time, you should check your infrared grill for signs of wear, and especially look out for damage to the heating element.
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Infrared Grills: The Concept Is Safer To Implement
Conventional grills suffer a major setback as a result of operating with an open flame. But on the other hand, infrared grills rarely if ever release this flame. What this means is that chances of accidental fires happening are almost zero.
What about the dreaded flare-ups? Again, this technology proves itself to be superior since it eliminates uneven hot or cold surfaces on the grill while also ensuring that flare-ups are greatly reduced.
These benefits are undeniable. However, at the end of the day, manufacturers continue to struggle to get this technology into the mainstream market because people are somehow not familiar with how infrared cooking works and how it can benefit their cooking in terms of taste and speed.
How Much Does An Infrared Grill Cost
While they can offer a great cooking experience, getting an infrared grill comes at a price. As in, these grills are literally famous for being expensive.
At the very low end of grilling options, you can find an infrared grill between $250 to $500. A typical IR gas grill will cost between $800 to $1500. High-end infrared grills tip the scales at upwards of $2,000.
Even if you get it on sale, you will still have to buy gas for it and also potentially buy supplies to maintain it. Repairs on infrared grills are also notably expensive.
Additionally, though you may be able to find a smaller, more portable infrared grill at a better price point, they tend to have a shorter lifespan and limited features. No matter how you look at it, an infrared gas grill is going to be a high-priced, big ticket item.
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What Is An Infrared Grill
Quick Answer: Infrared grills heat the meat, not the air.
For many people, the idea of infrared is somewhat of a mystery. Infrared Grills maximize flavor, energy, and convenience by utilizing a radiant heat cooking system as opposed to a convection cooking system found on traditional gas grills. All food is surrounded by a moisture boundary, which is a layer of air and water molecules. The hot air generated by other gas grills cant penetrate this boundary without disturbing it, so food is exposed to the drying elements of hot air as it cooks. Infrared energy doesnt disturb the moisture boundary, so food retains up to 35% more of its own natural juices, remaining tender and juicy. In short, infrared grills heat the meat, not the air. One example of infrared or ‘radiant’ heat is the warmth you feel on your skin as you stand outside under the bright sun.
