High-heat infrared gas grills are…pardon the pun…hot! Fans say they take grilling to the next level. But, just exactly how are they different from traditional gas grills? And are they really worth the hype?
Both infrared and traditional gas grills use propane or natural gas as fuel, but they cook differently. In a traditional gas grill, flames from the burner heat the grilling surface and circulate hot air around the food to cook it using a combination of conduction (direct contact with the grill grid) and convection (hot air circulation). While traditional grills work well, they often don’t reach high enough temperatures for a proper sear, and the circulating air can dry out your food.
An infrared grill cooks by radiant heat – the type of heat produced by the sun, and the same glowing, red, energy waves produced in a charcoal or wood fire. In an infrared grill, an emitter made of ceramic, stainless steel or glass, is either incorporated as part of the gas burner or positioned directly above it.
Flames from the burner heat the emitter, which radiates infrared energy waves. These waves directly penetrate the food to cook it. The emitter also dramatically reduces or eliminates the hot air convection effect, preventing food from drying.
Early infrared grills were known for their high-heat cooking abilities, excellent for searing, but they didn’t offer much flexibility for lower-temperature cooking. However, newer infrared models come with much broader temperature ranges, providing a wide variety of cooking options.
Infrared heat cooks food quickly, locking in moisture and juices. Studies show that infrared-cooked foods are 30% heavier than those cooked on traditional grills due to moisture retention.
The high heat of an infrared grill (up to 1,000 degrees or more) creates a restaurant-quality sear, something difficult to replicate on most traditional grills.
Infrared grills are highly efficient, using 30% to 50% less fuel than traditional gas grills. They heat up in just 3-5 minutes and cook food twice as fast, saving both time and money.
Unlike traditional gas grills, which lose heat in cold or windy weather, infrared grills maintain consistent temperatures regardless of conditions, even when the lid is opened.
Due to the high heat, grease drippings are vaporised before they can reach the grease tray, resulting in less maintenance and easier cleanup.
After the original infrared grill patent expired, more manufacturers began offering them, resulting in lower prices. Today, second- and third-generation infrared grills are more affordable, with some models using standard gas burners combined with metal or glass emitter plates.
Infrared grills come in various configurations. Some are entirely infrared, while others combine infrared searing burners with traditional burners for versatile cooking.
Many grills feature a searing station or infrared side burner designed specifically for high-heat searing. If your grill has a vertical rotisserie burner at the back, it’s likely infrared as well.
It takes a little trial and error to master infrared grilling. Because food cooks faster, timing on recipes may have to be adjusted. And, when you’re cooking at these high temperatures, you definitely don’t want to walk away from the grill, or you may come back to hockey pucks.
But with a little practice, an infrared grill is just as easy to use as a traditional grill and yields very tasty, restaurant-worthy results.
David B. August 4th, 2015
Posted In: BBQ Maintenance
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