Try these tips the next time you wield a spatula!
- Use the upper cooking grid (warming rack) for keeping cooked food warm, toasting breads or cooking delicate foods in aluminum foil pouches.
- Use the side burner of your grill like a normal kitchen range for boiling, sautéing or frying.
- To keep food from sticking to the grids, spray or coat the food with cooking oil before lighting.
Flare Ups are a flash of fire caused by juices falling on the grill burner. They are common when cooking meats with a high fat content. To reduce flare-ups, keep your grill clean, use lean cuts of meat (or trim fat) and avoid cooking on very high temperatures. Keeping the lid closed while grilling can help prevent flare-ups. To tame a flare-up, move food to another area of the cooking surface. You may need to turn all the burners OFF until the flames subside. ⚠ Do not spray water on flare-ups!
- Place delicate foods like fish and vegetables in aluminum foil pouches and indirect cook or place on upper cooking levels (warming rack).
⚠ WARNING: Never cover entire cooking area with aluminum foil. - To avoid losing natural juices, use long-handled tongs or spatulas instead of forks and turn foods over just once during cooking.
- When direct cooking, adjust your burners to different levels so foods can be prepared to different internal temperatures at the same time.
- When indirect cooking roasts and larger cuts of meat, place meat onto a roasting rack inside a heavy gauge metal pan. Place pan over the un-lit burners.
- Try water pans to reduce flare-ups and cook juicer meats. Before starting grill, remove cooking grids and place a heavy duty shallow pan directly on heat plates. Fill half way with water, fruit juices or other flavored liquids. Replace cooking grids and position food over the loaded pan.
- Clean cooking grids and racks after every use with a quality grill brush designed for your grid material.
- After every use, allow grill to cool. Then protect clean cooking grids with a light coat of cooking oil, empty grease pan, wipe outside surfaces with a suitable kitchen cleaner and protect surfaces with a quality cover that properly fits your grill.
- A gas grill is ideal for reheating leftover pizza. Set burners on low and place pizza slices directly on preheated cooking grid. Close lid and cook until cheese starts to bubble.