Learning Infrared Grilling

[Mhp]

I just picked up a new (to me) Solaire grill. This replaces a 20+ yo Weber Genesis. It's a totally different beast and gets HOT.

On the Solaire I have the option of using a combination of conventional and/or ceramic burners. I have two of each and 3 slots to use them. Right now I have the grill set up with 2 ceramic and one conventional burners as I try to learn cooking using these infrared burners.

I have not yet found a great resource for learning how to grill at these higher heats. Is there a wonderful guide (like Meathead's deep dives) or a truly informative You-Tube video that will help me climb the learning curve? My kids have informed me that my "sear" is their "charred" and they are not always kind critics

Thanks

[captainlee]

If it's true infra red, 1800 F it will cook a steak about twice as fast. Lots of companies call infra red when it is not truly infra red. Commercial IR broilers have a blower fan mixing gas and air together to achieve 1800 degrees. Whatever you have it will be faster than you are used to. At 1800 degrees the heat will travel in a straight line, anything less that that it will radiate.

[Spinaker]

Hahaha, I once cooked some burgers on an infrared grill. It did not go well.

My brother was talking me up to all these people at this dinner party. Then he pretty much volunteered me to cook the dinner on this insanely expensive IR grill.

Well needless to say we ate Hockey pucks that night.

[Smoke n Beers]

What would you do different?

[Spinaker]

Cook with half the heat and half the time

[Mhp]

If it's true infra red, 1800 F it will cook a steak about twice as fast. Lots of companies call infra red when it is not truly infra red. Commercial IR broilers have a blower fan mixing gas and air together to achieve 1800 degrees. Whatever you have it will be faster than you are used to. At 1800 degrees the heat will travel in a straight line, anything less that that it will radiate.

I haven’t been able to measure it yet, my thermometer tops out at 1000F and just displays an error….have a ceramic probe coming. We will see how close it gets

[captainlee]

Let me know when you measure it I'm curious. They can say they are using an infra red burner but is that burner really achieving that temp. Hope it works out for you.

[Mhp]

captainlee

Experimented today with my inexpensive ceramic probe (rated to 932, operating range to 1100F) and about a half an inch off of the protective grill above the burner the highest temp recorded was 1380F. That's pretty warm--I dont know what is required to "truly" be infrared.

[captainlee]

That's what i thought, infra red is 1800 F, wavelength at that temp would be a straight line.
That would heat an object, not the air. It still is hot at your lower temp, but the heat will be radiating in all directions. Not infra red but hot. Thanks for getting back to me, enjoy your cooking.

[GolfGeezer]

I use my IR burner a lot on my Napoleon. If I had your grill, (read: Jealous!!), I would swap out 1 of the IR burners for a conventional one. 1 IR, 2 conventional. That makes 2 zone cooking much easier. The problem with IR burners is that you cannot use them for the "cool" side of 2 zone cooking - you do not want food over those burners unless they are "on" as grease and food particles will get into the very small ports of the ceramic burners and that is not good.

Cooking over the IR burners pretty much requires constant flipping. For thick cuts, I usually sear first on the IR burner, then move to indirect with just 1 of my conventional burners on to finish. Thinner cuts, just keep flipping until done.

I do not know how low the Solaire IR burners can be set to, but I would imagine they are still much hotter than conventional ones even on very low. If they can be set to a lower heat, then using 1 as a heat source for 2 zone works really well.

I do not know a source for learning how to use a setup like the Solaire. I think there is another brand out there that is all IR burners as I recall seeing youtube videos on how to use it. Damned if I can recall the brand though.

[Mosca]

I do my steaks about an inch or less over a ripping open flame. I don’t know how hot it is, but I can tell you that I can only stay near it for a few seconds with the Kevlar gloves. Gotta be careful, the exterior can char before the interior is anywhere close to done.

[Huskee]

To me "charred" is a layer of black dust, whereas a good sear is darkened-yet-moist meat! Tell your kids to join up and become members and be schooled!

[GolfGeezer]

Check this out: Benefits of Infrared Grills & Burners | What is an Infrared Grill? | BBQGuys.com - YouTube