Indoor Grilling

[missyjean]

I'm seeing a lot of recipes in high-end books where you must grill to use the recipe. How do you grill in the house?

We have an outdoor b-b-q but it's January!

These recipes really look good and I would like to make them.

Is broiling equivalent?

 

[phatch]

Broiling is often the solution for many but it's not the same. Not as hot, not smoky and so on.

Steve Raichlen wrote a pretty good book on indoor grilling, Indoor! Grilling by Steven Raichlen.

Your choices are an electric grill (George Foreman type and other brands) cast iron grill pan/griddle, and at the hearth.

All of these produce some degree of smoke. You need a way to deal with it. If you have an exterior venting hood over your stove (and you should but most don't) a grill pan/griddle is a good solution.

The fireplace solves the smoke problem itself but it's not a very forgiving cooking stance in most situations.

The electrics I have no experience with.

But don't let January stop you from using your outdoor grill. It will burn plenty hot and you can make great food. I grill and bbq all year round outside.

 

[missyjean]

My husband does all the grilling in the summer. He thinks meat should be cooked-which means very well done. He would not follow a recipe.

Are the stove top grill pans a viable choice?

 

[phatch]

I use one a lot. You need to deal with the smoke though. You can fill up the house and set off the alarms very quickly.

 

[kyheirloomer]

I've not used one myself, but my son has an electric grill and no vent. He says it does not produce smoke.

Hard to believe, I know. But, then again, I saw a demo of one of them one time, and it, too, seemed to be relatively smoke free.

Anybody got hands-on experience with them?

 

[oregonyeti]

I have a gas grill that I use year-round. When the weather's not great I use it in my garage, with the garage door open.

 

[wildboar]

I have a cast iron grill from Lodge that spans two burners on my range. Best $35 we've spent in the kitchen. We use it extensively for grilling slices of squash, onions, lettuce leaves (sounds weird, but the smokeyness is great), etc., plus things like burgers. Get it good and hot, and it leaves nice grill marks and the drippings make smoke that flavors whatever you are grilling.

One caveat -- we have a prosumer vent hood, which is key to controlling/ exhausting the smoke.

 

[chrislehrer]

I don't know if you have a big Asian market nearby at all, or if someone can point to a place to buy one of these on the web, but a great solution is a Japanese thing called a yaki ami. Basically it's two parts: a fine-mesh steel screen and a coarse-mesh steel screen, separated by one of several different systems that keep them about 2 inches apart. You put the fine screen directly on a regular-sized gas range, just like you would a pot. You put the coarse screen so it's above this. Turn on the range full blast, wait about 30 seconds for a bunch of the fine screen to go cherry red, then turn it down a bit as needed. Turn on the fan!!! Now after about 30 seconds, the upper screen will be scary hot, and you can grill on this.

It's great for grilling a relatively small amount of material, like for 2-3 people or something. It's especially good for grilling fish and vegetables, as well as relatively lean meats. Fattier cuts and meats will drip fat straight onto that fine mesh, where it will flare and produce smoke, which obviously isn't desirable.

One really cool thing about this is that the temperature is totally controlled by you, with very fine precision, and if you put your range on full-blast it gets so scary hot that if your tongs or whatever aren't long enough you will lose the hair on your fingers just getting close to it. So if you want scary-hot grilling -- great for fish, BTW -- and you've got a decent range hood, a yaki ami is a good solution.

 

[oregonyeti]

Last night I cooked some burgers on the gas grill. They were spitting so much grease it looked like big campfire. I took them off and finished them in the oven at 350 for about 5 mins. Hate it when that happens.

 

[missyjean]

Hmm, that is very interesting. I have to mention this to m y hussband to see if it will work for us. Our fan is a microwave with an exhaust. He would know if we can do it.

Thank you for your suggestion

 

[missyjean]

That is what I probably need.

 

[peterflemg80]

Electric grills are best option for outdoor grilling.

 

[missyjean]

Which one does he have?

 

[kyheirloomer]

I'll have to check, MissyJean, and get back to you.

Electric grills are best option for outdoor grilling.

Surely you mistyped, Peter? Electric grills would be the last thing I'd choose for outdoor grilling.

First would be charcoal and/or hardwood. Then, if I had to, I'd use a gas grill (although I don't understand the point of them). After that, I'd just cook indoors and be done.

 

[allie]

I have a Wolfgang Puck grill/griddle and I enjoy using it. I've been using it for over two years now and have had no problems with it up to this time. It's better to use low fat meats or there will be some smoke. I don't have a working exhaust fan in my kitchen so use mine near the window. I like the fact that it's not just an indoor grill. I just used the griddle part this morning for pancakes and sausage.

 

[whitney0125]

hello,

I am using also a gas bbq grills for a long time. And it is really good. I am enjoying it very much. Its so easy to use and grill foods using it. You can also try to use it and if you are confused try to google some of the reviews.


thanks,
whitney

 

[lovetobake45]

I have a Sunbeam indoor grill and I tried to cook on it a few times I did not like it.I found it took a long time to cook anything and the outside was done and the inside raw I was expecting a lot better result.So it is ready for the next garage sale!

 

[kyheirloomer]

Finally got my son to check. The grill he uses is a de Longe.