Whatever the occasion may be, grilled meat and fish are popular dishes that appeal to the tastes of people young and old. While the traditional charcoal or gas grill does the work for us most of the time, using an electric grill can also be a great option if you want to grill indoors, especially in rainy weather.
This alternative can still give the same authentic taste and succulent texture that makes grilled food so delicious. The only difference it has compared to other types of grills is that you wouldn’t have to worry about dealing with lighter fluid or carrying around heavy bundles of charcoal. In addition, these grills are much easier to clean – all you have to do is wipe them down with some warm soapy water. Here’s all that you need to know about electric grills so you can start indoor grilling soon!
What are Electric Grills?
Electric grills function by powering an internal heating element, similar to how a traditional stovetop works. The heat radiates outwards and cooks the food that is placed on top of the grill’s surface. The surface can often be made from either porcelain coated cast-iron or non-stick coated steel. Many models come with temperature settings that allow you to control the amount of heat given off from the heating element, so you can adjust it accordingly for whatever type of food you are cooking. Compared to other grills, you don’t need to stand in front and manually monitor the temperature by fanning out the flames, putting more charcoal or adjusting the gauge. This means less hassle!
Unlike charcoal or gas grilling, electric grilling doesn’t involve an open flame, which makes them much safer for cooking indoors than their counterparts. Not only does this save you from having smoky air inside your kitchen, but it also gives you peace of mind knowing that you don’t have to deal with potential flare-ups and fires within limited spaces like apartments or other places where outdoor grills may not be safe or suitable.
What types of Electric Grills Are There? How Do I Choose?
Now, choosing the electric grill for your needs may vary depending on what you are exactly looking for. However, the factors that you may need to consider if you are planning on buying one are the size, shape, power, and output. In general, there are around 4 types of grills you can choose from, so make sure you pick the one that is best suited for you and the setting where you will be grilling:
1. Electric Tabletop Grills – These grills are very convenient, portable, and easy to set up anywhere. They come in a variety of sizes and styles, so you can pick the right one for your cooking needs. To use, plug in the power cord, place your food on the grill grates and Preheat the grill before turning stabilizing knobs/buttons to adjust temperature setting or mode options.
2. Electric Flat-top Grills – These grills are large and usually built-in, allowing for great flexibility when cooking your meals. Just like an indoor stove top, flat tops allow for multiple dishes to be cooked in a matter of minutes with just one device. Preheat the grill with your desired temperature before adding ingredients; adjust temperatures during cooking as needed by using dials.
3. Electric Contact Grills – This type of electric grill typically comes with floating top and bottom lids that come together, providing high heat and pressure while quickly searing both sides at once. Preheat the grill before adding food and use dials to adjust temperatures while cooking if needed.
4. Electric Stovetop Griddles – This type of electric grill rests over two burners on your stove top and provides great heat control when pan-frying or griddle-cooking numerous types of food at once due to their larger surface area for extra space between ingredients which allows faster heating up time as well as even browning throughout your meal preparation process! Preheat the griddle before adding food then adjust temperatures with dials on the side if needed mid-cooking
How Do I Use and Take Care of My Electric Grill?
But of course, to ensure that you can make the most out of your electric grill, you have to learn to take care of it just like any other possession you have. Here are some tips to extend the lifespan of your electric grill.
1. Prepare the grill and space – Assemble the electric grill and move it to an appropriate place away from flammables in a well-ventilated area indoors with enough room for heat to dissipate safely. Place the plug of the electric grill in an outlet nearby but not close enough that it’s at risk of getting wet.
2. Preheat your electric grill – Follow your manufacturer’s instructions on preheating your electric grill before you start cooking anything. Most likely all you have to do is turn it on high heat, let it sit for a specified amount of time, and then begin grilling. The preheating process also serves to clean any residue that might be left over from past uses.
3. Grease the grates – Once your electric grill has preheated use some cooking oil infused with herbs or garlic (optional) to grease up the grates so food isn’t sticking and burning onto them during cooking; this will also help enhance flavor when grilling certain items like vegetables or seafood.
4. Get grilling! – Start adding whatever food item you desire onto the pre-greased grates of your now heated and ready to go electric grilled–cook according to specific times/temperatures suggested by recipes or just experiment as you go if desired! Make sure while grilling you always keep an eye on items as they cook so everything doesn’t burn; if needed, adjust heat levels accordingly mid-grill process until done desired way.
5. Allow time to let cool down – After finished cooking items turn off heat source underneath and let everything sit before attempting to remove cooked food from the grate; this will ensure better safety since hot surfaces are involved plus provides time for flavors to meld together a little more creating an even better tasting dish!
6. Clean up afterwards – When completely cooled down remove all cooked items from inside then using some warm soapy water scrub away any charred bits stuck onto grate plus dissolve remnants of grease applied earlier; also wipe down other exterior parts such as knobs etc with damp rag too–and don’t forget detach cord/plug from electrical outlet first before doing anything else! Finally store in a designated location until ready to use again next time around.
Electrics are great options to get that delicious grill flavor without the fuss and muss of charcoal or the need for gas. With the right approach and technique, you can have the same great results.