The Art & Science of GrillGrate

Grilling is a passion of mine and millions of people around the world. I'll admit to turning way too

Hot spots and cold spots result in under cooked food.

many meals into a photo shoot before we eat, but I never thought I'd be using an infrared video camera and conducting food experiments! We grilled chicken, steaks and mountains of hamburgers with and without GrillGrates. We weighed and measured, took film, cut into food immediately- taking infrared video, and of course we ate the results! We still are eating the results! We have bags of cut hamburger quarters still in the freezer.

Briquettes + GrillGrates = Infrared Squared!

All this studious grilling led us to finally articulate what our taste buds told us long ago! There is science to why GrillGrates grill so much better.  We've had a lot of input and 5 years to put forth the 5 elements to the science of GrillGrate.

• Special thanks to:
• Meathead Goldwyn of Amazingribs.com for articulating a lot of the science and infrared aspects 
• Barry CB Martin,  Mr. Charbroil himself – an early champion of infrared grilling.
• FLIR Systems- The World Leader in Infrared Imaging Systems

Insights into Infrared Grilling:

Infrared grilling was not in our vocabulary or marketing when we started GrillGrates in 2007. We just knew GrillGrate cooked better, kept flareups under control and put out beautiful, juicy food.  Infrared radiant heat is different from conventional heat.  The 2 minute video below reviews the 5 elements to the Science of GrillGrate. 

 Infrared heat is the heat you can't see. IR rays travel through air / space and warm an object. Radiant heat from the sun warming us on a sunny day is infrared heat. 

• On hot grills, GrillGrates act as an infrared emitter- they capture the heat of any grill and radiate it up to the food.
• Infrared heat warms from the inside out as well as the outside in, while traditional heat (hot air or fire) cooks from the outside in. 
• GrillGrates amplify and focus IR heat just as a magnifying glass can focus the rays of the sun. 

This is the long-form answer that took 5 years with a lot of help from our friends!


GrillGrate, Eat Well!

 Further thank you's:

• It took Francoise our talented designer only a few hours to create this beautiful web page. 
•  Thanks to Ian, intern Boy Friday for his great photography and video work- particularly on the video below. 
• And finally thank you to Sam the wild man who tamed the FLIR Infrared Video camera and ate quite well!

I am (finally) a Pellet Head!

Since Yoder Smoker's began offering GrillGrates as a standard on their newest line of pellet grills I

had to make the jump. I'll admit to actually resisting getting a pellet grill. A grill with a plug just seemed foreign and complicated to me. Boy was I wrong!

I'm experiencing the same enthusiasm and pleasure I had when I got my Big Green Egg. I'm like a kid with a new toy! Its amazing how efficient the Yoder YS 640 is. And not just as a low and slow grill either. The first time I grilled steaks on the Yoder (removing the heat shield to direct grill over the burn pot) I was surprised at how fast the grill got to 650F.

I'm over the plug issues too. Just plug it in, turn it on, and set the temp-- it really is that simple. Within 5 minutes the smoke is coming out of the stack and within 10 minutes the smoke is minimal while the heat steadily climbs to the programmed temps.

The Yoder's efficiency is matched with its environmental friendliness compared to briquettes or lump charcoal which put off a lot more smoke and soot. The ash in the bottom of the grill after 60 pounds of pellets would not fill a coffee cup. Compare that to the ash from briquettes which would fill a coffee pot!

My first low and slow was a pair of pork shoulders that spent 12 hours, then ribs and now its time for a brisket.

I think I've seen the future of grilling and it does have a plug after-all!

PS- Register to WIN a Yoder Smoker YS640!  Winner to be announced 12/13/13.

Final FOUR at the Grill!

This weekend we had our own version of the Final Four on our (new) deck.

• Four Grills
• Four Fuels
• 8 rib-eyes, 2 per grill 

 We invited 2 other couples to join us in blind judging.  A Steak-Off for the first nice weekend of spring.  The contestants: 

1. Weber Kettle fueled by Kingsford 'Original' Briquettes.  The reigning world champion for decades and the grill of choice today by many steak competition teams.  The 2011 World Championship Steak Cookoff was won using a Weber Kettle (and GrillGrates)
2. Kamado Joe fueled by Wicked Good Lump Charcoal.  Ceramic Kamado grills are the choice of champions in the low and slow world, and they grill hot which makes them a real contender in a steak cook-off
3. Yoder Pellet Grill  fueled by BBQR's Delights all natural wood smoking pellets.  A pellet grill in a steak cook-off?  The new kid on the deck, and it claims to reach 600F!  This would be our first time grilling hot without the heat shield, right over the burning pot of pellets-- boy were we surprised! 
4. Charbroil Commercial Series Gas Grill  fueled by propane from my local ACE Hardware.  Still my workhorse,  the Joe Fraser of my grills if you will.  I have grilled hundreds of restaurant quality steaks on this grill and I was on a mission to grill my best steak tonight

The rules were simple:  I would grill all 8 steaks with the able assistance of my two grilling buddies.  The wives enjoyed watching us and taking pictures.  I'm not sure who had more fun!

It was a guys dream to stand amidst four grills smoking beautifully as the steaks were grilling.  It was a Bellagio Fountain of Smoke! This post will be in two parts.  If you want to skip ahead visit the GrillGrate Facebook page.  Otherwise stay tuned!  We may need Alton Brown to officiate the rematch!

Pellet Vs. Lump, Vs. Briquette, vs Gas

 This was the first nice weekend in Georgia to use the new deck.  Everyone's tails and tongues were wagging!

Ralph's Tail Never stopped moving

I bought a deck with a house attached!

One Color Per Person

Updated May 21, 2013
 
And the winner of Round ONE of the Grate Steak-Off was... The Weber Kettle! 

This video may help explain why.  (maybe I'll figure out how to embed?)
http://youtu.be/fY4mXs1Jbck

Grilling for St. Patty's Day? Serve Green Hamburgers!

No food dye here!  I used pureed kale to create a beautiful green hamburger.  You will need:

1lb ground beef

A bunch of green kale

Garlic cloves

Sea salt

Cracked pepper

Any other seasonings you like in/on your burgers

First you want to puree the kale.  Kale is full of dark green chlorophyll so you want to break up the cell walls and release it into the beef.  Start by chopping the kale into chunks and throwing them into a food processor.

Puree the kale until it is in very small pieces and wet looking.  Throw the kale into a bowl.  How much kale you use is up to you.  I think beef has such a wonderful strong flavor that I used an entire bunch of kale in a little over 1lb of meat and couldn’t taste the kale.  If you are a kale lover you might want to add even more!

Then add the ground beef, salt (you will probably use more than you normally do- the kale will really soak up the salt flavor), pepper (I like to grind my own pepper right before I use it because black pepper contains compounds that help you absorb nutrients from your food), chopped garlic and whatever else you like in your burgers.

Now mash it all together!  Warning- your hands may turn a little green.  Once it all very well mixed together make some green burger patties.

Head out to your grill and throw these on the grillgrates!  We got a foot of snow yesterday so I had to get my grill out from under the snow first.  These burgers are worth it.

Now my favorite part, dig in!  Happy St. Patrick’s Day!  

Meet Fourie Jordaan- Recently Named New Zealand's Best Griller!

Fourie has been a grate customer for several years and we communicate regularly about his adventures.                                                                                                                                         Fourie recently won the title of Best Griller in New Zealand in a contest sponsored by the NZ Lamb & Beef Council and a local radio station.  Fourie ROCKED the contest with stuffed jalapeno burgers that he grilled on GrillGrates!  His prize is fantastic!  A trip to  Memphis in May!  Fourie and his wife are coming to America and I know the BBQ community will treat him well!   

PS- Fourie has two people on his hope to meet list:  Mike Mills and Meathead Goldwyn!  The man knows his American BBQ.  

Just a few of Fourie's Grills!

Check out Fourie's recipes on his Blog

Meet:  Fourie Jordaan JD

Your Day Job / Career:                           Computer Teacher and Financial Service Provider

Grilling is your passion, that is for sure! How did you become a master griller?

"My dad use to make drum BBQ's for people when I was still in primary school, as a South African I have always loved to BBQ. BBQ for us is not low and slow we call it a "Braai" with charcoal or hardwood we use to use "Thorn-Bush" to BBQ with. When I came to New Zealand I missed home so much that BBQ became my absolute life line and passion even more. I Buy BBQ's for $1 or more, revamp them cook on them and then sell them for very little again every holiday, therapy I call it. I really started enjoying grilling when I got my grates! Among friends and family and students I am known as the BBQ Guy "JD Hogwild" Hog Wild for BBQ! I have been grilling and BBQ'n for other people for over 30 years now, I have started young bbqen for family!"

Who do you regularly grill for?

Family, friends normally about 10 - 25 at a time, school fundraising, African days in Auckland, Birthdays for friends

What Signature Dishes Do You Grill Regularly?

Rump Steak "better than any restaurant" with pepper sauce, Chorizo Red Onion Cheese and Jalapenos Stuffed Burgers number one, Ribs, BBQ Pie my favorite number two.

Do you have GO TO Meals when you grill for a crowd?

25 - 30 rump steaks at a time for fundraisers or birthday parties, 25 stuffed burgers at a time, lots of ribs at special occasions etc.

How Many Grills do you own?   I don't want to count them up as it will upset my wife!

Congratulations Fourie!  The American BBQ Community looks forward to hosting you!

Super Bowl Game Day Grilling

For me game time grilling is out of the question and halftime is too!  Nobody wants to be at the grill unless a TV is nearby.  Pre-game grilling is where it's at for this big game day. An early evening kickoff makes an afternoon appetizer party a great way to nosh, nibble and 'pre-game' as my kids would say, before kick-off.

Grilling appetizers is fun, fast, and an easy way to mix it up with a variety of offerings. Just think of the fun serving grilled cheese sticks, pot-stickers, ravioli, quesadillas, and more to your appreciative guests!

Here are three ideas to make your Super Bowl grilling a fun and easy game day party.

1. Hit the Freezer Section at the Supermarket:

Cheese Sticks and Bread Sticks make easy appetizers right from the freezer to the grill.  Medium to low heat- you'll know when they're done.

Large Ravioli, fresh (we love Costco for these) or frozen is another easy finger-food appetizer.  Coat lightly in olive oil, grill at 400F.  Add a simple dipping sauce such as marinara or vodka sauce.  Raviolis crisp and puff-up when grilled at medium heat.

Potstickers are easy to grill with GrillGrates.  Frozen or not with little coat of oil to the grill at medium heat.  Postickers usually come with their own sauces another time saver.

2. Grill Cheese Quesadillas and Hit the Refrigerator for Salsas & Toppings:

Quesadillas on the grill and a nice platform to put salsas, sour cream, guacamole etc. 

• Two flour tortillas with a cheese mix in the center is a 5 minute grill at 400F.  
• Lightly coat with olive oil- a mister is real handy for applying the oil. 
• A couple of turns for nice grill marks and stiffness.
• Add toppings on or off the grill.  

I make a plate of cut slices for people to build their own toppings.  Grill peppers, brats and other goodies for toppings if you are looking for extended grill time.  OR- raid the refrigerator and clean out your sauces, greens and sour cream!

 

3. Throw a Pizza Party for the Super Bowl!

Use either MamaMary's par-baked crusts, make your own or buy the pre-made pizzas and grill them at 400F.  Check out dozens of grate pizza recipes on grillgrate.com.

• Pizza Grilling Tip:  At temps above 400F the bottom will burn before the toppings are hot.  The more toppings just lower the heat and the crust will stay golden brown and crispy.

What are you grilling for the Super Bowl? 

Share you pictures and recipes!

• Facebook

• SuperBowl Pinterest Board

• Recipe and Feedback link

GrillGrate, Eat Well!  Game ON!

 

Share Your Holiday Grilling Plans & Pics!

Up Load Photos to Holiday Grilling Album

I'm already excited about our holiday grilling plans! We get to spend over a week together as a family and the meal planning has been underway for quite a while. After yesterday's Costco trip, it looks like the grill will be active every day! No complaints from me!

So far the Big Day Meals are set:

• Spatch-cock Turkey on Christmas Day
• Beef Tenderloin on New Years Eve
• Pork Shoulder one day in between

We also stocked up on salmon, brats, and pizza crusts. Non-stop grilling ahead at our house! We're also going to smoke a mac 'n cheese. We've never done that on that before on the grill.

We've put together a Holiday Grilling Photo Album to share ideas and recipes. You'll see a couple of classics from Amazingribs.com, Weber, and Smoking-Meat.com. 

Please feel free to post your favorite recipes and signature holiday grill fare in this album or on our Facebook page.  We hope this interactive photo album can become a reference tool and a place to show off your grate holiday meals.  

Remember to click a couple of pics when you are at your grill during the holidays.   We love hearing from you!  And it helps us share great recipes, grilling ideas, and mouthwatering pictures.

Best wishes for a warm, wonderful and delicious holiday.  

GrillGrate, Eat Well!

What are your holiday grilling plans?  link to holiday grilling survey