BEST
SUMMER
EVER
HUFFINGTON
05.26.13
CRAIG GOLDWYN
LIFESTYLE
FOOD
are also gas jets and venturis that
can clog up. I have even had to dig a
wasp’s nest out of one of the tubes
once. Some people discard the lava
rocks or ceramics every year. Others
think that the buildup of grease in
the porous materials produces desirable flavors. My brother-in-law
makes the world’s finest swordfish
on a crappy old gas grill with lava
rocks he has been using since they
were harvested in the last ice age.
Some of his lava rocks have begun
to disintegrate and there are gaps
where bare flame slips through to
lick the meat. I have never been
able to come close to his swordfish
on all my fancy toys.
The biggest problem with gas
grills is that only the top-end models get hot enough to get a steak
crunchy on the exterior without
overcooking the interior. If you like
your steaks well-done, gas grills are
perfect for you. But if you like your
meat crunchy on the outside and
rare to medium rare on the inside,
the temp at which it is most tender
and juicy, then most gas grills just
don’t get the job done — emphasis
on “most.” Many of the more expensive gas grills now come with
“infrared” burners off to one side.
Infrared burners use a gas flame to
superheat a ceramic or metal plate
that radiates much more heat than
standard burners. As much as twice
the heat. In the 700F plus range.
That’s the kind of temps that steakhouses cook at. They can give you
those deep dark crusty steaks with
red or pink interiors.
Infrared burners may be perfect
for steaks, but they are much too
hot for direct heat cooking of most
Gas grills outsell
charcoal grills, and it is easy
to understand why. They
offer convenience and control.”
fish and veggies. Even with steaks,
you need to keep an eye on food
over direct infrared. They can incinerate in a hurry.
Some high end gas grills also
have smoke boxes for wood chips,
but for most gas grills you need
to make foil packets or put pans
of wood down under the cooking
grate near the flame. Even though
it is not recommended, I often
throw aromatic woods right down
near the burners.
Alas, most gas grill lids do not
seal well, so a lot of the smoke
L