GRILLING BEST PRACTICES
YOUR GRILL IS FLEXIBLE SO YOU CAN TRY NEW THINGS
The sought after flavour and texture that your grill delivers can be applied to a range of food types. Gone are the days that grills are one dimensional and used exclusively for meat. Try cooking your full meals, including vegetables, on your grill and you will be astonished by the amazing flavour and results. Beyond the outstanding taste, this allows you to be present at the grill rather than jumping between cooking stations.
PREHEAT WHILE YOU PREP
While you are mentally planning your meal and getting your ingredients prepped, make sure your grill is getting ready as well. When cooking grates aren’t hot enough food tends to stick. Pre-heating helps prevent this and also helps achieve better results. To pre-heat, light all burners and adjust them to the highest temperature setting, allowing to heat for 5 to 10 minutes with the lid closed.
CLEAN YOUR DIRTY GRATES
If you truly want the food results that we know you do, then do yourself a flavour and clean your grates. Residue left from previous cooks binds to your food and can alter the flavour for the worse. Instead, once the grates are preheated, use one of our Smart Certified brushes to give a good scrub of your cooking grates.
MATCH YOUR HEAT SETTINGS TO THE SITUATION
After preheating, you will want to adjust your temperature depending on what food type and results you are going for. High heat settings are intended for fast pre-heating but also for searing steaks and other cuts of meat. Medium heat is where you will spend most of your time as this covers most grilling, roasting and baking. Low heat is intended for warming, slow cooking, smoking or cooking delicate foods. Set your heat accordingly.
EXERCISE PORTION CONTROL
When you try to fit too much on the grill, it can be difficult to maneuver with your tools and makes flipping a nightmare. It also makes it difficult for heat to distribute evenly, resulting in varying consistency in your food. As a good rule of thumb, leave at least one-quarter of the grill unused. That will leave you the freedom you need to perform.
BE PATIENT BUT ALWAYS READY TO ACT
Timing is everything with grilling. Once you are done preheating and your food is on the grill, the best thing you can do is resist that urge to open the lid too early. This causes moisture and large amounts of heat to escape which lengthens your cooking time. However, you must also remain aware and engaged because when the moment comes, you need to be ready to swiftly act. If you wait too long, you might miss the opportunity for your desired results. Make sure know your standard grill times for the food type and quantity you are cooking.
LIKE MOM ALWAYS SAID, DON'T PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD
We sometimes feel like we need to be constantly interacting with our food while it is cooking. However, in almost all cases, you should be turning your food only once, halfway through cooking time. As well, it can be tempting to pierce your food with sharp things to check for doneness or pressing them to force sear marks while they are cooking. Avoid doing this as it will cause your food to dry out.
ADD FINISHING FLAVOURS AT THE END
Your grill will deliver an amazing flavour to your food. If you are trying to infuse certain outside flavours, marinating and basting are popular options. If you are marinating, make sure to do this a couple days in advance and try to avoid adding any sugars. If you are looking for a quick infusion of flavour, basting is the way to go. However, if you are applying a barbecue sauce or any other sugar-based sauces, then make sure this is done only during the final few minutes of cooking to prevent burning.
REGULAR MAINTENANCE GREATLY IMPACTS THE LONGEVITY OF YOUR GRILL
Your grill is composed of many vastly different components. Although durable, these components are constantly under stress from exposure to the elements, high heats from cooking, and food residues. The majority of product issues that grillers face result from a lack of care. Set a regular time in your calendar to give your grill the love it deserves and it will continue to allow you to perform at your best for years to come.