For grill lovers, a brand new flame
Is infrared the next big step for backyard chefs?
from the May 25, 2007 edition
Page 2 of 3
The flow of hot air, or convection, that occurs inside conventional grills can have a drying effect, he explains. As most cooks know, fast searing – achieved with inverted broilers at steakhouses – seals in juices.
"When you are up in the 900-to-1,000-degree range you get a surface charring that is very akin to a steakhouse-steak kind of experience," says Steven Raichlen, author of "The Barbeque Bible" and "How to Grill."
"[There is a] crusting, charring, and caramelization of the meat proteins in an infrared situation," he says. "Nothing [else] gives you that kind of flavor."
Still, Mr. Raichlen says, the list of things a user can't easily do with infrared – cook more delicate meats and vegetables for example – might be longer than the list of its superlatives.
"On a desert island, if I could have one grill and one fuel it would be lump charcoal," he says. "Actually, my favorite fuel is wood, but that's a little bit complicated for people to use."
Dave Cox, executive chef at Boston's Capital Grille, uses propane when he cooks at home, but he backs the careful use of infrared by backyard amateurs. "Infrared's more consistent," he says, "It's [not only] high heat, but even cooking as well." And fast.
"People get scared when they see '1,000 degrees,'" he says. "But then you see [charcoal grills] with flames shooting up, and the meat is in the fire, charring. That's not a good thing."
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