• Introduction
• The Basic Idea
• Equipment
• Food Preparation
• Marinades and Seasonings
• Timing Guidelines
Introduction
We all like to eat good, tasty food. Everyone who grills outdoors wants to achieve or exceed “restaurant quality” results, and to do so consistently. The purpose of Great Grilling Simplified is to provide easy guidelines to help you grill like a pro while using your Solaire Infrared Grill.
The chef of any great restaurant will identify the two most important factors in achieving superior grilling quality: serious heat and quality food items. Solaire Infrared Grills provide the heat necessary to lock in the juices. Cooking in its own juices results in a more succulent, tender and tasty food than can be achieved through conventional grilling methods. You select the quality of meats to place on your grill.
Infrared grilling is a simple matter of the relationship between the type of food, heat and time. The following guidelines, when modified through your experience to match your specific tastes and degree of doneness, will help you to consistently achieve “great grilling” results. Soon you will be known to your family and friends as “the grilling guru.”
This guide was developed using off-the-shelf items from the local grocery store. Nothing fancy; the grill does most of the work.
Great Grilling Simplified is a work in progress. We encourage you to submit via e-mail your success stories to us. Please check back here often for the latest in grilling tips and Solaire equipment.
The Basic Idea
- Pre-heat the grill for three minutes on HIGH.
- Sear the food for 2 to 3 minutes per side on high. This locks in the moisture.
- Finish the food on a lower heat setting, turning the food every 2 to 3 minutes.
- Let the food stand (rest) for a few minutes after removing it from the grill but before slicing.
The food continues to cook during this time.
- Bon Appetite! (Then tell all of your friends about Solaire!)
Equipment
The equipment used to develop these guidelines is the
“Solaire” Infrared Grilling System. Unique among gas grills,
Solaire achieves the serious heat required to produce the
consistent, restaurant-quality results.
Grilling on a Solaire is like going to a fine restaurant. In both cases, you end up with wonderful, flavorful food. Solaire brings the technology that the finest restaurants use right to your backyard. Inside every Solaire are special burners that emit radiant infrared heat. Infrared heat cooks differently than the heat produced from traditional gas grills. Traditional grills cook by convection. That is, the hood is closed and the air around the food is heated. It's the same concept as an oven or clothes dryer. Unfortunately, the result is usually dried out food. Solaire uses infrared, which is high temperature, radiant energy. The food is directly heated. The hood is usually kept open because the food is being heated, not the air. The infrared burner produces intense heat that immediately sears the food, locking in moisture and flavor. The result is succulent food in less than half the grilling time of traditional grills. Since Solaire infrared grills produce such intense, uniform heat, you don't have to worry about hot or cold spots. Flare-ups are also minimized due to the intense heat incinerating any grease drippings into the special V-grates of the Solaire or onto the surface of the burner. Grill on a Solaire grill just once and you'll experience the convenience, speed, and unmatched taste that only infrared can offer.
Key Benefits:
- More Flavorful Food: Direct heat sears food quickly, locking in moisture and natural flavor.
- Saves Time: Heats up in 3 minutes; cooks 50% faster.
- Even Heating: Thousands of gas ports per burner create a uniform cooking temperature.
- Fewer Flare-ups: Drippings are instantly vaporized and turned into flavor enhancing smoke.
In addition to the Solaire Grill, you will need the following basic tools:
- Long handled spatula and/or tongs
- Stainless steel or brass bristled brush for cleaning cooking grids
- Digital timer for a reference point in determining the time/heat relationship
Solaire InfraVection™ Rear Rotisserie Burner
For items such as whole chickens and pork loins, grilling with the rear infrared rotisserie burner provides a “non-rushed” grilling experience. Doneness is determined by internal temperature, guidelines for which can be found at http://www.foodsafety.gov/~fsg/fs-cook.html and in cook books.
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Food Preparation
Preparation of food is a very important element of grilling success. Preparation guidelines for the recipes are simple and take very little time.
General Guidelines
- Meat: Fully thawed. Trim away all excess fat.
- Vegetables and Fruit: Wash and clean. Cut to desired thickness; generally 1/2” is about right.
- Fish and Veggies: It is best to first spray both sides with a non-stick cooking oil (such as Pam or olive oil) before placing the food onto the grill. Do not spray directly at the grill, as such sprays are flammable.
More specific guidelines are included with the recipes where needed.
Marinating
Fork holes into the meat to allow marinade to penetrate. Place food and marinade together into sealable plastic bag and keep in the refrigerator until ready to grill.
Pre-Cooking
With some meats, such as ribs and brisket, the best results are achieved by first par-boiling or pressure cooking. After par-boiling or pressure cooking, the meat can be finished on the grill for a short time on HIGH to brown the meat and to give it the good grilled taste. Your favorite barbecue sauce can be brushed directly onto the meat during the last few minutes on the grill. This procedure greatly reduces the overall cooking time, compared with traditional “slow cooking” methods.
Marinades & Seasonings
All the marinades and seasonings used in Great Grilling Simplified are off-the-shelf products. They are only suggested products and can be substituted with similar products that are available at your local grocery store. The marinades and seasonings you use should match your tastes and preferences, not what some recipe tells you are “correct.” In fact, make every time you grill a new experience while you experiment with new tastes by using different marinades and seasonings.
Products used and sources include:
Marinades:
- Allegro (original or smoke flavor) - Albertson’s
- Raspberry Vinaigrette - commonly available through many brands
- Italian dressing
Seasonings:
- Garlic Salt - Available at all grocery chains
- Tradewinds Seafood & Poultry Rub - Smart & Final
- Old Bay Seasoning
- Cajun Spices
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Timing Guidelines
• Times may vary based on the actual thickness of the food and your desired doneness.
• Ensure that all meats are fully thawed before grilling.
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Thickness |
Sear-in Side 1 |
Sear-in Side 2 |
Finish Side 1 |
Finish Side 2 |
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Hamburger |
5/8" |
HI - 2 min 30 sec |
HI - 2 min 30 sec |
HI - 1 min |
HI - 1 min |
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Sprinkle with garlic salt on both sides. |
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Thickness |
Sear-in Side 1 |
Sear-in Side 2 |
Finish Side 1 |
Finish Side 2 |
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Tri-Tip Steak |
1" |
HI - 2 min 30 sec |
HI - 2 min 30 sec |
MED-LOW - 2 min |
MED-LOW - 2 min |
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Marinate 3 hours to overnight or season with seasoning
or rub of choice. |
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Medium-rare is excellent for this item. |
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Thickness |
Sear-in Side 1 |
Sear-in Side 2 |
Finish Side 1 |
Finish Side 2 |
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Filet Mignon |
1 3/8" |
HI - 2 min 30 sec |
HI - 2 min 30 sec |
MED-LOW - 5 min |
MED-LOW - 5 min |
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Apply steak rub to both sides. |
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Medium-rare is superb. |
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Thickness |
Sear-in Side 1 |
Sear-in Side 2 |
Finish Side 1 |
Finish Side 2 |
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New York |
1" |
HI - 2 min 30 sec |
HI - 2 min 30 sec |
MED-LOW - 1 min 45 sec |
MED-LOW - 1 min 45 sec |
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Cut Steak |
Trim excess fat. Sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper to
taste. |
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Medium-rare is excellent. |
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Thickness |
Sear-in Side 1 |
Sear-in Side 2 |
Finish Side 1 |
Finish Side 2 |
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Country Sausage |
1/4" |
HI - 2 min |
HI - 2 min |
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Patties |
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Contains adequate fat so no oil or spray is needed. |
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Thickness |
Sear-in Side 1 |
Sear-in Side 2 |
Finish Side 1 |
Finish Side 2 |
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Top Sirloin |
1" |
HI - 2 min 30 sec |
HI - 2 min 30 sec |
MED-LOW - 3 min |
MED-LOW - 3 min |
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Rub with Beef Spice Rub. |
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Thickness |
Sear-in Side 1 |
Sear-in Side 2 |
Finish Side 1 |
Finish Side 2 |
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Flank Steak |
1/2" |
HI - 2 min 30 sec |
HI - 2 min 30 sec |
MED-LOW - 2-3 min |
MED-LOW - 2-3 min |
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(London Broil) |
Marinate overnight. |
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Thickness |
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Sear-in Side 2 |
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Carne Asada |
1/4" |
HI - 2 min |
HI - 2 min |
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Place carne asada and marinade in Ziploc bag. Marinate
for a minimum of 3 hours. |
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Thickness |
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Boneless |
3/4" |
HI - 2 min |
HI - 2 min |
HI - 3 min |
HI - 3 min |
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Pork Chop |
Marinade according to instructions on bottle. |
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For Carne Asada Tacos: Cut meat into small pieces after
grilling. |
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Fill corn tortillas with carne asada, chopped onions,
cilantro and your favorite salsa. |
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Thickness |
Sear-in Side 1 |
Sear-in Side 2 |
Finish Side 1 |
Finish Side 2 |
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Pork Country Ribs |
5/8" |
HI - 2 min |
HI - 2 min |
HI - 2 min 30 sec |
HI - 2 min 30 sec |
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Boneless |
Marinade according to instructions on bottle. |
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Thickness |
Sear-in Side 1 |
Sear-in Side 2 |
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Finish Side 2 |
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Pork Spare Ribs |
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HI - 2 min 30 sec |
HI - 2 min 30 sec |
MED-LOW - 2 min 30 sec |
MED-LOW - 2 min 30 sec |
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Parboil ribs for 45 minutes. Let cool. Place ribs and
marinade in Ziploc bags. Marinate overnight. |
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Brush on your favorite BBQ sauce at the end of the
cooking time. |
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Thickness |
Sear-in Side 1 |
Sear-in Side 2 |
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Pork Baby |
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HI - 2 min |
HI - 2 min |
MED-LOW - 1 min 30 sec |
MED-LOW - 1 min 30 sec |
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Back Ribs |
Parboil for 30 minutes. Let cool. Place ribs and
marinade in bag. Marinate overnight. |
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Brush on your favorite BBQ sauce at the end of the
cooking time. |
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Thickness |
Sear-in Side 1 |
Sear-in Side 2 |
Finish Side 1 |
Finish Side 2 |
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Beef Back Ribs |
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HI - 2 min |
HI - 2 min |
MED-LOW - 3 min |
MED-LOW - 3 min |
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Place ribs and marinade in Ziploc bag. Marinate
overnight. |
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Brush on your favorite BBQ sauce at the end of the
cooking time. |
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Thickness |
Sear-in Side 1 |
Sear-in Side 2 |
Finish Side 1 |
Finish Side 2 |
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Chicken Breasts |
1 1/4" |
HI - 2 min |
HI - 2 min |
LOW - 6 min |
LOW - 6 min |
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Boneless, Skinless |
Trim excess fat. Use marinade or spice rub of choice. |
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Thick |
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Thickness |
Sear-in Side 1 |
Sear-in Side 2 |
Finish Side 1 |
Finish Side 2 |
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Chicken Breasts |
3/4" |
HI - 2 min |
HI - 2 min |
MED-LOW - 3 min 30 sec |
MED-LOW - 3 min 30 sec |
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Boneless, Skinless |
Trim excess fat. Use marinade or spice rub of choice. |
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Medium |
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Thickness |
Sear-in Side 1 |
Sear-in Side 2 |
Finish Side 1 |
Finish Side 2 |
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Swordfish |
1" |
HI - 2 min |
HI - 2 min |
MED-LOW - 1 min 30 sec |
MED-LOW - 1 min 30 sec |
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Steak |
Spray with non-stick cooking oil on both sides. |
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Thickness |
Sear-in Side 1 |
Sear-in Side 2 |
Finish Side 1 |
Finish Side 2 |
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Salmon |
1 1/2" |
HI - 2 min |
HI - 2 min |
MED-LOW - 4 min 15 sec |
MED-LOW - 4 min 15 sec |
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(Atlantic) |
Apply spice rub to salmon steak. Spray both sides with
non-stick cooking oil. |
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Thickness |
Sear-in Side 1 |
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Finish Side 1 |
Finish Side 2 |
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Salmon Fillet |
1/2" |
HI - 2 min |
MED - 4 min-skin side |
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Sprinkle both sides with garlic salt. Spray with
non-stick cooking oil on both sides. |
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Thickness |
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Finish Side 1 |
Finish Side 2 |
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Salmon Fillet |
3/4" |
HI - 2 min |
MED - 6 min-skin side |
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Sprinkle with garlic salt. Spray with non-stick cooking
oil on both sides. |
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Thickness |
Sear-in Side 1 |
Sear-in Side 2 |
Finish Side 1 |
Finish Side 2 |
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Slipper |
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HI - 2 min |
HI - 2 min |
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Lobster Tail |
Spray tails with Roasted Garlic spray. |
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Thickness |
Sear-in Side 1 |
Sear-in Side 2 |
Finish Side 1 |
Finish Side 2 |
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Ling Cod |
1 3/8" |
HI - 2 min |
MED-LOW - 8 min |
MED-LOW - 3 min |
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Rub fillet with spice rub on both sides. Spray with
non-stick cooking oil on both sides. |
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Thickness |
Sear-in Side 1 |
Sear-in Side 2 |
Finish Side 1 |
Finish Side 2 |
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Chilean Sea Bass |
1 " |
HI - 2 min |
HI - 2 min |
MED-LOW - 1 min 30 sec |
MED-LOW - 1 min 30 sec |
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Rub fish with spice rub. Spray with non-stick cooking
oil on both sides. |
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Thickness |
Sear-in Side 1 |
Sear-in Side 2 |
Finish Side 1 |
Finish Side 2 |
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Halibut |
1 1/2" |
HI - 2 min 30 sec |
HI - 2 min 30 sec |
MED-LOW - 3 min 30 sec |
MED-LOW - 3 min 30 sec |
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Sprinkle Albacore with Lemon-Herb Seasoning. Spray with
non-stick cooking oil on both sides. |
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Thickness |
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Sear-in Side 2 |
Finish Side 1 |
Finish Side 2 |
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Halibut |
3/4" |
HI - 2 min |
MED-LOW - 5 min |
MED-LOW - 2 min |
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Spray with non-stick cooking oil on both sides. |
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Thickness |
Sear-in Side 1 |
Sear-in Side 2 |
Finish Side 1 |
Finish Side 2 |
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Pink Grouper |
1 1/4" |
HI - 2 min |
MED-LOW - 8 min |
MED-LOW - 3 min |
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Rub with spice rub. Spray with non-stick cooking oil on
both sides. |
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Thickness |
Sear-in Side 1 |
Sear-in Side 2 |
Finish Side 1 |
Finish Side 2 |
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Yellow Eye |
1 1/2" |
HI - 2 min |
HI - 2 min |
MED-LOW - 8 min |
MED.LOW - 3 min |
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Rub with spice rub. Spray with non-stick cooking oil on
both sides. |
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Thickness |
Sear-in Side 1 |
Sear-in Side 2 |
Finish Side 1 |
Finish Side 2 |
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Dover Sole |
1/4" |
HI - 1 min |
HI - 1 min |
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Rub with herb rub. Spray with non-stick cooking oil on
both sides. |
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Thickness |
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Sear-in Side 2 |
Finish Side 1 |
Finish Side 2 |
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Catfish |
1/2" |
HI - 2 min |
HI - 2 min |
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1. Rub with spices or 2. Marinade according to
instructions on bottle. |
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Spray with non-stick cooking oil on both sides. |
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Thickness |
Sear-in Side 1 |
Sear-in Side 2 |
Finish Side 1 |
Finish Side 2 |
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Tilapia |
3/8" |
HI - 1 min 30 sec |
HI - 1 min 30 sec |
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Rub with lemon herb. Spray with non-stick cooking oil
on both sides. |
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Thickness |
Sear-in Side 1 |
Sear-in Side 2 |
Finish Side 1 |
Finish Side 2 |
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Thresher Shark |
1" |
HI - 2 min |
HI - 2 min |
MED-LOW - 3 min 30 sec |
MED-LOW - 3 min 30 sec |
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Marinade with Lemon Pepper Marinade according to
instructions on bottle or spray with |
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top |
non-stick cooking oil on both sides and rub with Lemon
herb rub. |
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Thickness |
Sear-in Side 1 |
Sear-in Side 2 |
Finish Side 1 |
Finish Side 2 |
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Seared Ahi Tuna |
1" |
HI - 2 min |
HI - 2 min |
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Marinade with Emeril’s Marinade or Teriyaki Marinade for
1-2 hours. |
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Or spray with non-stick cooking oil on both sides. |
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Seared Ahi is traditionally rare inside. If you like
your fish more done inside, grill 1 min more on each
side. |
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Try not to cook past Medium-rare, as the fish will
continue to cook when removed from grill. |
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Thickness |
Sear-in Side 1 |
Sear-in Side 2 |
Finish Side 1 |
Finish Side 2 |
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Lobster |
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HI - 2 min 30 secs |
HI - 2 min 30 secs |
MED - 1 min |
MED - 1 min |
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Place lobster on its back and butterfly with a sharp
knife. Garlic-butter dip: Melt butter. |
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Stir in crushed garlic and seasoned salt to taste. |
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Thanks to Dan Steuer of Studio City, CA for this great
recipe! |
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Thickness |
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Finish Side 2 |
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Zucchini |
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HI - 1 min 50 sec |
HI - 1 min 50 sec |
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Cut off stem. Cut into 1/4" thick slices. Spray with
non-stick cooking oil on both sides and sprinkle with
garlic salt. |
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* Finish on warming rack for 3-4 min. |
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Thickness |
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Finish Side 1 |
Finish Side 2 |
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Grilled Pineapple |
1/4" |
HI - 1 min 30 sec |
HI - 1 min 30 sec |
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Prepare pineapple by removing top and cutting off outer
skin. |
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Cut into 1/2" rings or remove core and cut into 3/4"-1"
thick spears. |
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Thickness |
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Finish Side 1 |
Finish Side 2 |
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Portabello |
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HI - 1 min 45 sec |
HI - 1 min 45 sec |
HI - 2 min |
* |
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Mushrooms |
Whisk together oil, vinegar, and dry ingredients. Place
mushroom caps in rectangular baking dish. |
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Pour oil mixture over top of mushrooms. Let marinate for
at least 2-4 hours. |
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Grill smooth side down first. |
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top |
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Thickness |
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Sear-in Side 2 |
Finish Side 1 |
Finish Side 2 |
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Eggplant |
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HI - 1 min |
HI - 1 min |
* |
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Cut eggplant lengthwise into 3/8" slices. Pour olive
oil onto both sides and rub in. Salt and pepper both
sides. |
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The eggplant is very porous, so it will most likely suck
up the olive oil that you applied. |
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Don't hesitate to put eggplant in a dish and cover with
more olive oil. *Finish on warming rack for 1-2 min. |
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Thickness |
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Sear-in Side 2 |
Finish Side 1 |
Finish Side 2 |
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Asparagus |
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HI - 1 min |
HI - 1 min |
* |
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Blanch in boiling water for 1 minute. Remove from
boiling water and immediately immerse in bowl of ice |
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water until asparagus has cooled. Drain asparagus on
paper towel. Coat with olive oil; salt and pepper. |
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*Finish on warming rack. Remove when al dente (tender
but slightly firm). |
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Thickness |
Sear-in Side 1 |
Sear-in Side 2 |
Finish Side 1 |
Finish Side 2 |
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Baby Potato |
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HI - 1 min 45 sec |
HI - 1 min 45 sec |
HI - 1 min |
HI - 1 min |
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and Sweet Onion |
1. Parboil* potatoes for approximately 10 min, depending
on size. Remove from water. |
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Skewers |
2. Cut onion into eighths. 3. Alternate on skewer:
small piece of onion/potato/onion/...etc. |
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4. Place skewers on tray and cover with olive oil, salt,
pepper, and Italian herbs. |
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* To parboil is to partially cook in boiling water. |
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Place skewers directly on cooking grids. |
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Thickness |
Sear-in Side 1 |
Sear-in Side 2 |
Finish Side 1 |
Finish Side 2 |
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Corn on the Cob |
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HI - 8 min |
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LOW - 12 min - |
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(in husk) |
Rinse with water. Place directly on the grill in the
husk. |
turn every 2 min |
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Grill corn in husk directly on cooking g
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