What is searing?

Searing is to cook something hot and fast to brown the surface and to seal in the juices. It is also sometimes called browning, and it is used to prepare meats for cooking as well as to create standalone dishes. There are a number of reasons to include searing in food preparation, and they all boil down, so to speak, to making the food taste better and giving it a more interesting texture.

How do I cook on my infra-red searing burner?

Sear burner grills are equipped with a specialty burner designed to cook at extremely high temperatures (1,200 F and above) for sealing in meat juices. Ignite the grill and switch on the sear burner control knob on the front panel. Most sear burners do not have adjustable heat; the burner is either turned on to reach maximum temperature or it is shut off. Wait approximately two minutes for the sear burner to heat up. Place steaks or chops on the sear burner and close the grill cover. Turn the steaks or chops 90 degrees clockwise after 30 seconds. This will produce attractive cross-marks on the meat. Cook the meat another 30 seconds for a total of one minute, and then use tongs to turn over each piece. Grill an additional minute on the other side, then serve immediately for rare steaks, or transfer to the regular burner or a warming rack and cook an additional five to six minutes on one side only for medium steaks.

How do I light my infra-red searing burner?

How do I clean my infra-red burner?

My grill does not get hot enough what could be the problem?

How do I protect the infrared burners on my grill?

The infrared burners of your grill are designed to provide a long service life. However, there are steps you must take to prevent cracking of their ceramic surfaces, which will cause the burners to malfunction. Damage due to the following is not covered by your grill warranty:

1. Ensure you don't hit or strike the ceramic burner with a hard object.
2. Don't throw copious amounts of cold water onto a hot ceramic burner this will crack the surface.
3. Don't throw water onto the burner to put out a flame.
4. Note if the ceramic or interior of an infrared burner becomes wet while not in use later operation can result in the creation of steam which may produce enough pressure to crack the burner.
5. Don't impair the ventilation of hot air produced from the grill. For burners to function properly thy need hot air to escape, the burners will become deprived of oxygen and may result in a back flash.

Rotisserie Cooking

Rotisserie cooking is one of the most popular ways to cook meat on a barbecue grill. As the rotisserie constantly turns the meat, the food self moisten in its own juices. Large cuts of meat or extremely fatty meats, fish, chicken, beef, lamb, veal and pork roasts, as well as ribs, are all excellent candidates for spit roasting.

To be successful though, there are a few rules that must be followed. They are simple, however will ensure the success of your spit-roasted meal.

The first step is to identify if your grill includes a specialized rotisserie burner or not.

If your grill does include a rotisserie burner, make sure to use only this burner – DO NOT use it in conjunction with the main burners of the grill.
If your grill does not come equipped with a specialized rotisserie burner, you will use the main burners to create heat for the rotisserie.

Planning is crucial, allow plenty of time for preparation. You will need to set up the rotisserie and the barbecue, prepare the meat for cooking and allow for inevitable last minute adjustments.

The barbecue should be adjusted for indirect cooking so that the flame is not directly under the food as it rotates on the spit. The cooking grids must be removed so a aluminum foil pan can be placed under where the meat will sit on the spit. The aluminum foil pan should have approximately ½? - 1? of liquid in it. Marinades, vinegar, beer, wine or just plain water can be used in the drip pan, depending on your preference for flavour. This will serve to catch grease drippings which will prevent flare ups and the liquid will steam up into the food adding both moisture and flavour to the meat. At all times fill up the pan with water while cooking as needed. Always wait for the grill to cool completely before trying to remove the pan.

Run through your set-up with the barbecue off. Do not skewer the meat and place on a lit barbecue until you are sure that everything is set properly. All fine-tuning should be done with the grill off.

Secure the spit fork closest to the spit handle - usually on the right side - first, placing it so that the food will be centered over the drip pan. Pliers should be used when tightening the thumbscrews on the spit forks to prevent loosening when subjected to the heat of the cooking process and the weight of the meat. Slide the meat onto the spit rod and push into the secured spit fork so that it is held firmly by the fork's tines. Slide the other fork onto the spit so that it also holds the meat securely and tighten its thumbscrew with the pliers.

Balancing the meat on the spit is extremely important. If not balanced properly the rotisserie motor will be overworked and live a very short life. To balance the rod, hold it so each end lays across the palms of your hands; the heavy side of the meat will rotate down. There are two ways to balance the spit rod. You can either reposition the meat on the rod so that there is no heavy side, or you can use a rotisserie counter balance on the spit rod. To use a counter balance, find the heavy side of the meat by letting it rotate down and then position the counterbalance so that the weight is up, opposite the heavy side of the meat. The correct amount of counterweight can be adjusted by moving the weight toward the spit rod, or away from the rod, until the proper balance is achieved. Balancing is the key to how much weight can be turned on your spit.

Place the spit rod on the barbecue and turn on the rotisserie motor, letting it rotate enough times that you are sure the meat turns easily and its path is not obstructed by any part of the barbecue. If you are roasting poultry, the wings and legs should be tied so they are bound tightly to the body of the bird and are not free to dangle. Cotton twine, soaked in water, should be used when tying poultry or your butcher will provide 'butcher string' if asked.

Check to make sure the barbecue's hood will close without obstructing the rotation of the food. If you are roasting an oversized turkey or roast you may need to use a hood holder to prop the hood partially open, allowing the meat to turn freely. A hood holder can also be used to keep the cooking temperature low, allowing for extended cooking times. Cooking meats for a longer period of time at a lower temperature will result in more tender food. Normally the cooking temperature should be between 150° - 190°C degrees.

Now that the meat is properly secured and balanced, turn on the motor, light the barbecue, adjust the burners for indirect cooking, then sit back and wait.

One of the beauties of spit-roasting is the meat will self baste. The constant turning will keep the meat's juices flowing around it as it rotates.

Make sure you check the food at various times during the cooking process. Sometimes the thumbscrews can loosen, or the meat may shrink and the forks may need to be adjusted, so keep a clean pair of pliers handy just in case.

Always use a meat thermometer to insure the meat has been cooked thoroughly.