How to cook on an electric grill - recipes, ingredients, preparation, photos, videos

Oil

Eggplants absorb oil like a sponge. No matter how much you pour, it’s not enough. Therefore, it is best to cook them in the oven, grill or fry in non-stick pans and use a minimum of oil.

Eggplants pre-baked in the oven are often placed in caviar. They will then need less oil.

Often eggplants are cut into slices and fried. To put a small barrier between the oil and the eggplants, you can roll them in salted flour.

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Three simple and quick recipes

Grilled eggplant 3 eggplants½ tsp. salt 1 tbsp vegetable oil Step 1. Wash the eggplants and cut them crosswise, slightly diagonally, to make larger circles, 7-10 mm thick.

Step 2. Season with salt, sprinkle with oil and bake on a grill or on skewers over coals for about 10 minutes.

Step 3. Serve with garlic sauce.

Eggplant caviar with zucchini 2 onions 3 tomatoes 2 small zucchini 4 medium eggplants 1 carrot ½ head of garlic (or to taste) 2 tbsp. vegetable oil Salt and pepper A little cilantro Step 1. Finely chop the onion and fry in oil, add grated carrots to it. Later together.

Step 2 . Add grated zucchini.

Step 3. Cut the eggplants into small cubes and simmer separately with a spoon of vegetable oil. Then add chopped tomatoes to them.

Step 4. Add soft eggplants to the roast. Finely chop the garlic and also add to the vegetables.

Step 5. Season with salt and pepper. Add greens. Caviar is very tasty when served cold.

Eggplants with cheese 4 eggplants 150 g grated cheese 2 tbsp. sour cream A little mustard or green adjika Step 1. Cut the eggplants into circles 1 cm thick.

Step 2. Grate the cheese. Add a little adjika or mustard to the sour cream.

Step 3. Grease a baking sheet with oil, place eggplants, sour cream on top and sprinkle with cheese. Step 4. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 180 C. Serve hot.

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Additional functions of an electric grill - which ones to choose?

Professional electric grills also offer a number of additional features that make grilling easier and more enjoyable. Of course, they are not necessary, but they are an interesting and practical addition to the device. An electric grill may have features such as:

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Readiness level indicator

A home or garden electric grill can be equipped with an indicator showing the degree of preparation of the dish. In addition to the temperature control function, the grill should also have this useful function. This is especially important for closed grills, where, unlike open grills, you do not have the ability to constantly control the degree of browning of the food. When you throw them on the open grill, you can see with the naked eye if they are cooked properly.

Once the grate is closed, you will no longer have this option. You can, of course, raise the grill lid, but don't do it too often as it will lower the temperature of the grill. This indicator shows how cooked the meat is: light, medium or firm. The device is equipped with a color-changing LED, but it can also generate sound signals at each stage of cooking.

Measuring meat thickness

Now it's clear that each ingredient requires different grilling times. But how do you choose the right time to roast a pork neck, chicken breast or other cut of meat? After all, it cannot be damp or too dry. This is where automatic measurement of the thickness of a piece of meat comes to the rescue. Some electric grills come with this feature. The device measures and automatically selects the appropriate grilling temperature and cooking time.

Electric grill with replaceable plates

You can also choose an electric grill that has removable plates that you can change depending on your needs. The plates can be used not only for grilling, but also for toasting sandwiches and baking waffles. So this is a 3 in 1 electric grill - a regular grill, a toaster and a waffle iron.

Adjusting the position of the top plate

The ability to adjust the position of the top plate is a very useful feature for lockable electric grills. It allows you to adjust the distance between the product placed for grilling and the upper heating plate. The right combination will allow you to grill the ingredient to the right degree and at the right time.

Overheat protection and lid lock

It is worth it if your home electric grill has a thermal fuse that protects the device from overheating. This feature significantly extends the life of the device, so the grill will last in your kitchen for a long time. Another practical feature is the lid lock, which not only makes storing the appliance easier, but also protects against burns when using the grill in the presence of children.

Inclined surface and grease removal system

There is no real grilling without fat, that's for sure. Each ingredient should be greased using a silicone brush before placing on the grate or cooktop. This will prevent food from sticking to the grill and at the same time give it a distinctive taste and aroma. However, problems may arise with melted fat, so it is worth making the frying surface slightly inclined so that the fat begins to flow into special drip containers. If the electric grill does not have an inclined surface, it is worth having a fat removal system.

Automatic grilling programs

Choosing the temperature and cooking time for a specific dish on your own can be difficult, especially for people who are just starting their grilling adventure. Some electric grills solve these problems and offer automatic grilling programs. All you have to do is place the specific product on the grill or plate and select the program . The grill will select the appropriate temperature and time for cooking the dish itself. Depending on the model you choose, you can select a program for grilling red meat, poultry, fish, hamburgers and vegetables.

Types of electric grills

When choosing a device, you need to distinguish between contact and non-contact models, between which there is a fundamental difference.

The peculiarity of contact electric grills is the use of a ceramic heated surface with a relief pattern, on which the cooked products are placed. There are open and closed contact type models. The first are good because it is possible to control the cooking process both visually and manually. Closed electric grills cook food faster. Contact grills are suitable for those who prefer to control the degree of roasting, as well as for those who like dishes with crispy stripes left by the grates.

Contact electric grills are divided into one-sided and two-sided. The latter allow you to bake/fry foods without turning them over. A special feature of contact devices is the presence of a lower tray used to collect fat dripping from cooking products.

The cooking principle of contactless electric grills is different: here the products are not in direct contact with the heated surface, they are placed on a spit or skewers and blown with hot air. There will be no characteristic crispy streaks here, but the food will be baked almost the same way as kebabs.

Touchless grilling requires more space, so these grills are larger than their touchless counterparts and are not suitable for small kitchens.

In planetary non-contact devices, the skewers are mounted vertically on the disk and rotate with it. Carousel grills can also rotate the skewers themselves, ensuring more even cooking of food.

Portable and stationary

Electric grills can be portable or stationary. The former are compact and more suitable for use in small kitchens. The main advantage of such devices is that they do not have to be installed in one place once and for all. They are lightweight and therefore can be moved from one place to another at any time.

And stationary electric grills are large appliances that require a lot of space. They are usually used in catering establishments and large kitchen areas.

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Single-sided and double-sided

An electric grill can have only one working surface, or it can be equipped with two at once. To cook on a single-sided grill, food must be turned over periodically. Only in this case can you achieve high-quality roasting on both sides.

And when using a double-sided device, the ingredients are laid out on one panel and covered with the second. There are also combination grills that can be used both single-sided and double-sided.

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What types of devices are there?

Electric grills are divided into two main types:

Stationary . Massive devices that require a large area of placement and a constant connection to a 380 V network. They are used in catering establishments.
Portable . Compact, actively used in everyday life. You just need to plug it into an outlet.

The second type is what you need. Let's take a closer look at what types it qualifies for:

Contactless

A device with an open spiral, a grill, and a tray for collecting fat.

IMPORTANT! It is best suited for a cottage or kitchen with a good hood, as it produces a lot of smoke during cooking.

Contact

Products are placed directly on the work surface. They function without additional devices.

Such electric grills can be of several types:

One-sided . The heating element is located on one side only. In some cases, the meat has to be turned over, which means the cooking process takes twice as long.
Double-sided. The dish is fried on both sides at the same time, which significantly speeds up cooking. The function of adjusting the distance between the heating elements increases the range of dishes that can be cooked on an electric grill.
Combined . Can work as a single-sided or double-sided device. They are best suited for active home use, as they have a wide range of modes.

Rules for working with an electric grill

The home electric grill is used by many cooks. True gourmets appreciate the excellent taste of dishes prepared using this household appliance. Each dish has a unique taste and also looks great. An electric grill can be used by both amateur cooks and real professionals.

But to ensure safe operation of the device, you must follow the following rules.

The electric grill must be installed on a strictly vertical surface.
The use of multi-pin sockets is prohibited.
Contact points must be reliably protected from moisture.
Children should not have access to the device.
The room where the electric grill is used must have vents and an exhaust hood.
The thermostat must be inserted into the device before it is plugged into the outlet.
Before connecting the device to the network, you need to make sure that the outlet is safe. It must be grounded.

To make the meat juicy, it does not need to be placed in water before frying. If there are contaminants on the surface of the product, they can be removed with a knife.
Do not place cold meat on the grill. Its temperature should be equal to room temperature.
If the meat was purchased in vacuum packaging, then it must be taken out 24 hours before cooking, wrapped in a napkin, and then put in the refrigerator for a while.
Before frying, the meat must be cut into pieces no less than 3 cm thick and no more than 5 cm thick. Thicker pieces may simply not be fried inside. If, on the contrary, they are too thin, they will most likely burn.
It is better to cut off the fat along the edges of the pieces. Otherwise, it will turn into a crust during cooking.
If you plan to cook large pieces, then you need to make cuts on them. This will contribute to better roasting.
Pieces placed on the grill should not touch each other. Otherwise, it will no longer be frying, but stewing.
The device itself must be preheated to the required temperature.
It only takes four minutes to fry the meat. Then you can take it out and put it on a napkin, and cover it with foil on top. So the meat should lie for about 9 minutes. As a result, it will reach full readiness.

Any fish can be used for grilling. It must first be seasoned with spices and herbs. For large fish, the device must be heated to a temperature of 200 degrees.

The pieces can be placed on the grill immediately, or you can pre-wrap them in foil. To make the dish more juicy, you can add a little butter.

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Grill Surface Separation:

Electric grill with barbecue

Made from a heater with a grate installed on it. Its appearance is reminiscent of a traditional charcoal garden grill, so it should appeal to the biggest grill enthusiasts. Melting fat from the meat drips onto the heater (in the case of a traditional charcoal grill), which is then difficult to clean. On the other hand, this type of grill has a large grilling surface, which allows you to cook different dishes at the same time. Some models are equipped with an adjustable thermostat that allows you to set the grill temperature to the appropriate temperature.

Advantages:

resembles a traditional charcoal grill,
large grill area.

Flaws:

grease drips onto the heater - it is difficult to keep it clean,
grilling on both sides is not possible.

Electric grill with hob

It consists of a heating plate on which you can place grilled food and a powerful heater. This type of stove is coated with a non-stick coating - most often Teflon or ceramic. Unlike a grill with a grate, melted fat does not flow into the heater, but through special gutters into a drip tray. This is a great convenience and makes the electric grill with hob very easy to clean. Not every model is equipped with such a tank. However, you can disassemble the hob and clean it thoroughly.

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Advantages:

equipped with a plate with a coating to which food does not stick,
The melting fat does not flow into the heater, but into the grooves,
very clean benches,
Models with a large grill area are available.

Electric raclette grill with mini frying pans

Multifunctional device of round or rectangular shape. There's a plate at the top for grilling, and space at the bottom for mini skillets for melting cheese and frying eggs. This allows you to cook different dishes at once. Such a grill is most often placed on a table around which guests gather - each of them can create their own casserole, which they place in a small frying pan, usually coated with Teflon. In turn, the grill plate itself is often made of stone. The fat does not drip onto the heater, but remains in the trays.

Advantages:

multifunctional appliance - the ability to cook different dishes at once,
some models are also equipped with a fondue function,
the fat melts in the grooves,
easy to keep clean.

How to cook dessert

The electric grill can also be used to prepare sweet dishes. The most popular are waffles. They are convenient to cook.

The result is crispy products with a graphite surface. Usually waffles are baked in 4 minutes.

When the dish is cooked, carbon deposits will appear on the surface of the appliance. It must be removed immediately. But it is important to choose the right tool to use for cleaning.

Brushes can be used to remove carbon deposits from stainless steel plates. To clean non-stick panels, it is better to use a more gentle tool. A special spatula is well suited for this.

After removing the grease, the device must be washed with water and detergent. For this it is better to use a sponge. Cleaning will take no more than 10 minutes. If you do it on time, that is, immediately after using the device, then next time you won’t have to suffer for several hours trying to remove dried fat.

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What are the benefits of an electric grill?

This equipment is made from stainless steel. The grate is coated with a non-stick layer, similar to that used in the production of Tefal cookware. Thanks to this, dishes on an electric grill are cooked almost without oil. They are not only tasty and aromatic, but also low in calories. The second advantage of an electric grill is ease of use. Even for a beginner, cooking on a mains-powered grill will seem like child's play. Whatever you fry - meat, vegetables or fish - everything will come out appetizing, juicy and aromatic.

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