I gotta admit, i'm a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to outdoor cooking (my current weber genesis is a concession to convenience and my wife), so I've ignored these newfangled infrared 'grills' for a long time. But now my curiosity is getting the better of me... Am I missing out on something?
Infrared grilling?
- Thread starter drogers
- Start date
- Apr 5, 2007
- 425
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Hi there 
I wouldn't say your missing anything by not having an infrared burner. But it is a nice feature to get IF your buying a new four or five burner grill.
The sear burner comes in handy when you... Well...when you want to sear. You can hit the steaks with the high temperature sear burner and then finish on a lower setting without having to battle raised temperatures inside the grill. You can turn the burner off when your done using it...taking it totally out of the picture.
I've always favored lump charcoal much more than gas before I got my five burner Jenn-Air. Before this I've always been disappointed with gas grills...always complaining that I've got more control with pressed charcoal or lump charcoal. On other gas grills I always had sporadic temperatures (especially when trying to use a low temp indirect grilling) or hot spots and flare ups. But I'm continually amazed at the amount of temperature control I have with this new grill. This grill does have some areas that need some improvement (which you wouldn't expect for the money), but the needed improvements have nothing to do with cooking. I still don't get that nice charcoal flavor...but I do get the control I've always found lacking on the many other gas grills that I've used. This additional control at all temperatures really improves the consistency in the finished product.
There seems to be a lot of BS and marketing going into the infrared burner grills touting them as locking in flavors with it's high heat sear...and cooking in a "better light". They also compare this high heat flame with the flavor of charcoal. While it may be true that you gain some additional flavors by providing the caramelizing sear...but you do not get the complex smoke flavors as when you cook with wood. Nor do you get the temperature control and versatility like when you cook with charcoal...or a good gas grill with one infrared burner.
Just my two cents...
happy grillin',
dan
I wouldn't say your missing anything by not having an infrared burner. But it is a nice feature to get IF your buying a new four or five burner grill.
The sear burner comes in handy when you... Well...when you want to sear. You can hit the steaks with the high temperature sear burner and then finish on a lower setting without having to battle raised temperatures inside the grill. You can turn the burner off when your done using it...taking it totally out of the picture.
I've always favored lump charcoal much more than gas before I got my five burner Jenn-Air. Before this I've always been disappointed with gas grills...always complaining that I've got more control with pressed charcoal or lump charcoal. On other gas grills I always had sporadic temperatures (especially when trying to use a low temp indirect grilling) or hot spots and flare ups. But I'm continually amazed at the amount of temperature control I have with this new grill. This grill does have some areas that need some improvement (which you wouldn't expect for the money), but the needed improvements have nothing to do with cooking. I still don't get that nice charcoal flavor...but I do get the control I've always found lacking on the many other gas grills that I've used. This additional control at all temperatures really improves the consistency in the finished product.
There seems to be a lot of BS and marketing going into the infrared burner grills touting them as locking in flavors with it's high heat sear...and cooking in a "better light". They also compare this high heat flame with the flavor of charcoal. While it may be true that you gain some additional flavors by providing the caramelizing sear...but you do not get the complex smoke flavors as when you cook with wood. Nor do you get the temperature control and versatility like when you cook with charcoal...or a good gas grill with one infrared burner.
Just my two cents...
happy grillin',
dan
i've always had the classic & trusty weber 22" charcoal grill...
but, it's also nice to have a gas grill for a quick, convenient grill...
but, it's also nice to have a gas grill for a quick, convenient grill...