• Introduction
• The Basic Idea
• Equipment
• Food Preparation
• Marinades and Seasonings
• Timing Guidelines
- Meat
- Ribs
- Poultry
- Fish and Seafood
- Fruit and Vegetables
- Rotisserie Turkey
- Rotisserie Prime Rib
- Rotisserie Chicken with Solaire InfraVection™ Rear Infrared Rotisserie Burner
Great Grilling Simplified is also available for download as a PDF file.
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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
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.
Rotisserie Turkey - The Solaire Infrared Way
The following was developed with a 14 lb. turkey on a Solaire 30" Infrared Grill using the bottom infrared burners..
Equipment needed: Solaire Infrared Grill; Solaire BBQ Tray (SOL-IRBT-BQ); Solaire Rotisserie; Oven Thermometer; Meat Thermometer; Twine or cooking pins; Carving knife and fork.
Food needed: Turkey; Seasoning or rub; Water (for BBQ Tray).
a. Trim as much loose skin and fat as possible to minimize drippings. Mop up any excess grease in and on the bird with a paper towel.
b. Place the bird on the spit between the forks. Make sure the forks are pushed in tight and have a good grip on the bird.
c. Tie or pin the wings down to keep them from flopping while turning.
d. Place your favorite seasoning or rub on the bird. Do not marinade or oil the bird, as this will interrupt the searing in process (too many juices that will cause a fire during the searing-in process).
e. Place a meat thermometer in the thickest portion of the thigh. Be sure that it is not touching bone.
f. Remove both cooking grids. Place an oven thermometer (I bought mine at the grocery store for less than $7.50) on the back part of the hood in the middle (the shelf-like portion of the rear hood).
g. The proper sequence of components on the spit are (from left to right): handle; counter-weight; bushing with set screw; fork; bird; fork; motor.
h. Insert the spit into the motor. Position the bird directly over the right burner, then tighten the fork set screws with pliers. Start the motor and adjust the counter-balance to make the bird spin free (no jerky motions).
i. Light the burner (right burner) under the bird. Sear the bird on high for 15 minutes with the hood open. This will lock in the juices and start a golden appearance on the skin.
j. After searing, place the BBQ tray under the bird (over the right burner supported by the cooking grid supports of the grill) and fill the tray with water (careful not to spill any water onto the burner!). After 1 minute, turn the right burner to the low side of “*” and leave it there until the bird is done.
k. Light the left burner on high and close the hood. After 2 minutes, turn the left burner below “*”. You will need to adjust the left burner as necessary to maintain a temperature between 340and 350 degrees F (as registered on the oven temperature). Most of the time I had the left burner half way between “*” and low, and close to low (second dot). Where you place the knob depends on how often you lift the hood to check on the bird, which escapes the heat.
l. Check the water level in the BBQ tray every 30 minutes and replenish as necessary. (Note: do not let the BBQ tray go dry as it will warp the tray). The water in the tray steams up into the bird to keep it moist.
m. Periodically check that the burners remain lighted. If the left burner extinguishes while on the low setting, you need to adjust the low setting per the instructions in the owner's manual.
n. Periodically check the bird through the opening in the rear of the hood to ensure that it is turning. After a time, the set screws of the forks may work loose, stopping the bird from turning. If this happens, using extreme caution to avoid burns, use gloves and pliers to retighten the fork set screws. You may also need to adjust the counter-weight as necessary, as the balance will change as the bird cooks. The hood is hot, so be careful not to touch it.
o. When the thermometer reads 180 degrees, you can turn off the burners and remove the turkey. Let the turkey stand for 20 to 30 minutes before carving (the turkey continues to cook during this time).
p. Total cooking time for our 14 lb. turkey was 2 hours 15 minutes. Normal oven time would be about 3 ½ hours. The bird was done, juicy and tasty. The searing-in process is the trick, as it is with all grilling on a Solaire.
The Solaire Infrared Way
The following was developed with a 7 1/2 lb. Prime Rib Roast on a Solaire 30" Infrared Grill.
Equipment needed: Solaire Infrared Grill; Solaire BBQ Tray (SOL-IRBT-BQ); Solaire Rotisserie; Oven Thermometer; Meat Thermometer; Carving knife and fork.
Food needed: Roast; Seasoning or rub; Water or desired liquid (for BBQ Tray).
a. Trim as much excess fat as possible to minimize drippings.
b. Place the roast on the spit between the forks. Make sure the forks are pushed in tight and have a good grip on the roast.
c. Place your favorite seasoning or rub on the roast. Do not marinade or oil the roast, as this will interrupt the searing in process (too many juices that will cause a fire during the searing-in process).
d. Place a meat thermometer into the roast. Be sure that it is not touching bone.
e. Remove both cooking grids. Place an oven thermometer (I bought mine at the grocery store for less than $7.50) on the back part of the hood in the middle (the shelf-like portion of the rear hood).
f. The proper sequence of components on the spit are (from left to right): handle; counter-weight; bushing with set screw; fork; roast; fork; motor.
g. Insert the spit into the motor. Position the roast directly over the right burner, then tighten the fork set screws with pliers. Start the motor and adjust the counter-balance to make the roast spin free (no jerky motions).
h. Light the burner (right burner) under the roast. Sear the roast on high for about 20 minutes with the hood open. This will lock in the juices and start a golden appearance on the outside. The high-heat searing-in process is what separates Solaire from all other grills.
i. After searing, place the BBQ tray under the roast (over the right burner supported by the cooking grid supports of the grill) and fill the tray with water or desired liquid (we used beer for this roast). Be careful not to spill any water onto the burner! After 1 minute, turn the right burner to the low side of “*” and leave it there until the roast is done.
j. Light the left burner on high and close the hood. After 2 minutes, turn the left burner below “*”. You will need to adjust the left burner as necessary to maintain the desired temperature. Where you place the knob depends on how often you lift the hood to check on the roast, which escapes the heat. The hood should be closed after the searing-n period until the roast is done.
k. A word about temperature. We cooked this roast at 250 degrees F for about two hours (after the searing-in period). This gave us a rare meat that was cooked very evenly throughout the roast. An alternative method would be to maintain between 300 to 350 degrees. This would cook the roast faster, give a crustier exterior and allow for a more graduated doneness (medium to well on the outer part, going to rare in the middle of the roast). You will want to experiment with the time/heat relationship to arrive at your desired outcome.
l. Check the liquid level in the BBQ tray every 20 to 30 minutes and replenish as necessary. (Note: do not let the BBQ tray go dry as it will warp the tray). The liquid in the tray steams up into the roast to keep it moist.
m. Periodically check that the burners remain lighted. If the left burner extinguishes while on the low setting, you need to adjust the low setting per the instructions in the owner's manual.
n. Periodically check the roast through the opening in the rear of the hood to ensure that it is turning. After a time, the set screws of the forks may work loose, stopping the roast from turning. If this happens, using extreme caution to avoid burns, use gloves and pliers to retighten the fork set screws. You may also need to adjust the counter-weight as necessary, as the balance will change as the roast cooks. The hood is hot, so be careful not to touch it.
o. When the meat thermometer reads 140 (rare) to 160 (well) degrees, you can turn off the burners and remove the roast. (See #k above for discussion of temperature and time). Let the roast stand for 20 to 30 minutes before carving (the roast continues to cook during this time).
p. Total cooking time for our 7 1/2 lb. prime rib roast was 2 hours 20 minutes. The roast was rare but done throughout, juicy and tasty. The searing-in process is the trick, as it is with all grilling on a Solaire.
Rotisserie Chicken -
The Solaire InfraVection™ Way
The following was developed with two fresh chickens (3.67 lbs. and 5.18 lbs.) on a Solaire 42" InfraVection Grill with rear infrared rotisserie burner and the hood down during the entire rotisserie time.
Equipment needed: Solaire InfraVection Grill; Solaire Rotisserie; Drip Pan (aluminum or other metal); Meat Thermometer; Twine or cooking pins; Spray Bottle with Water; Carving knife and fork.
Food needed: Chicken (fresh or thawed, not frozen); Seasoning or rub.
Safe Handling: Proper handling of chicken and all meats eliminates the risk of bacterial infection.
· Thaw chicken in refrigerator, microwave oven, or cold water - never on the kitchen counter or picnic table.
· Keep uncooked chicken in the refrigerator or cooler until it's time to grill.
· Serve chicken from the grill on a clean platter, never on the platter used to hold raw chicken before cooking, unless that platter has been washed thoroughly with soap and water.
· Wash hands, counter, side shelves, cutting boards, knives and other utensils with hot soapy water after each contact with raw poultry or other meat.
· Chicken should be well-done, never medium or rare. An internal temperature of 180ºF should be reached before cooking is completed.
· Never leave cooked chicken at room temperature for more that 2 hours. If not eaten immediately, cooked chicken should be kept either hot or refrigerated.
Procedure:
a. Trim as much loose skin and fat as possible to minimize drippings. Mop up any excess grease in and on the bird with a paper towel.
b. The proper sequence of components on the spit are (from left to right): handle; counter-weight; bushing with set screw; fork; bird; fork; motor.
c. Place the bird on the spit between the forks. Make sure the forks are pushed in tight and have a good grip on the bird.
d. Tie or pin the wings down to keep them from flopping while turning.
e. Insert the spit into the motor. Position the bird directly in front of the rear infrared rotisserie burner, then tighten the fork set screws with pliers. Start the motor and adjust the counter-balance and/or bird to make the bird spin free (no jerky motions).
f. Place drip pan directly underneath the bird to collect drippings and to protect grill burners.
g. Place your favorite seasoning or rub on the bird. Do not marinade or oil the bird, as this will interrupt the searing-in process (too many juices that will cause a fire during the searing-in process).
h. Start the motor to start the bird turning.
i. Light the rear infrared rotisserie burner.
j. Close the hood.
k. Approximate Rotisserie Time: 25 to 30 minutes per pound, or approximately 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours, depending on the size of the bird. The larger the bird, the less time per pound.
l. Periodically check the bird through the opening in the rear of the hood to ensure that it is turning. After a time, the set screws of the forks may work loose, stopping the bird from turning. If this happens, using extreme caution to avoid burns, use gloves and pliers to retighten the fork set screws. You may also need to adjust the counter-weight as necessary, as the balance may change as the bird cooks. The hood is hot, so be careful not to touch it.
m. Periodically check the bird through the opening in the rear of the hood to ensure that it is has not caught on fire. If you see the bird on fire, open the hood and extinguish the fire on the bird with a spray of water.
n. Checking for Doneness. As you approach the estimated time of completion, you need to check the internal temperature of the bird. Place a meat thermometer in the thickest portion of the thigh and/or deep breast. Be sure that it is not touching bone. When the thermometer reads 180 degrees, you can turn off the burner and remove the bird. Juices should run clear - not pink - when a fork is inserted with ease. Let the bird stand for 20 to 30 minutes before carving (the bird continues to cook during this time). If the center is pink, the bird needs more grilling time.
