The wonderful world of infrared cooking
You’ve probably heard the terms “infrared cooking” or “infrared side burner” when it comes to barbecuing. But what exactly does that mean? Isn’t it some military term?
The infrared burner on your grill reduces the cooking time while using less gas. It produces an unbelievable source of heat.
First, let’s check out some advantages of the infrared grill, compared to standard grills.
Pros of the infrared grill
- Faster cooking: Napoleon infrared burner produces intense heat that traditional tubular cooker can’t match, which allows to sear perfectly your food and keep the savory juice.
- Shorter pre-heat time: the intense heat of these burners allow to pre-heat the BBQ faster. No pre-heat is required to use your infrared burner, you only have to start it and cook.
- More efficient gas consumption: the infrared burner needs less fuel than a tubular burner. We link this efficiency to the way that the energy gets in the food. With a tubular burner, the air around the burner is heated by the flame and it rises to cook the food. With an infrared burner, the infrared radiance directly penetrates the food (like the sun warming your skin)
- Shorter cooking time: Cooking time is reduced thanks to the intense heat. Cooking your meal can take up to four times less than cooking it with tubular burner, which is considerable time-saving.
- Savings: all the pros mentioned above allows you to save money and energy.
How does it work?
The traditional infrared cooking method is the charcoal method. Incandescent briquettes transmit infrared energy to the food, which cooks without drying.
Napoleon infrared burners work the same way. Each burner has 10,000 holes, each possessing their flame, which get incandescent heat to the ceramic. This glow produces the same type of infrared heat without the disadvantages of charcoal. For example, charcoal can get dirty. With infrared, the heat is more uniform and easier to control than charcoal. To sear your food, the burner can be set to “High” and “Low” for a slower cooking.
In short, Napoleon infrared burners produce an intense glow that will get your steak, hamburgers, and meats juicier and tastier. To know the cooking time and other tips, follow the infrared cooking chart in your handbook.
How to cook a steak on an infrared burner?
The perfect steak starts with a perfect cut, and the meat needs to be marbled. The steak needs to be at least an inch thick. Through the cooking, the fat acts as a natural tenderizer. It keeps the meat tender and juicy. Preheat the grill at high, with the lid closed for five to ten minutes. Put the steak on the infrared burner for two minutes on each side. The intense heat will sear the meat and lock the juices in. You will get a perfectly rare steak. For a well-done cook, move your steak over an indirect heat zone, and keep cooking for four extra minutes.
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