For most, a sizzling summer usually conjures up images of backyard barbeque and flipping burgers on the grill. Unfortunately for apartment and condo dwellers, grilling outdoors is probably not an option. AHAM has assembled some quick tips courtesy of Men’s Fitness magazine for those who are limited to cooking indoors:
- Pick a heavy pan – When grilling indoors, a single pan takes the place of the entire gas or charcoal grill, so the thing better be sturdy.
- Burn-proof your meat and vegetables – To ensure a successful indoor grill session, pat food dry if it’s damp, lightly brush it with olive oil, and season both sides with salt and pepper before tossing it over heat.
- Get grillin’- Place the grill pan on the stovetop and heat it until it is very hot, then reduce the heat to medium-low and maintain that temperature throughout the cooking process. If the pan starts to smoke, it’s getting too hot and the heat should be turned down.
- Let the smoke escape – Open your kitchen windows and turn on fans before you turn on the flame.
- Or contain it in the oven – How to do it: Place one rack on the floor of the oven and set your grill pan on the rack. Preheat the oven to 500˙F. Give the oven and the pan 10 minutes to fully heat. Then cook items on the grill pan as you would normally, turning halfway through cooking. Keep the oven door closed as much as possible to maintain heat and contain the smoke.
Check out the Men’s Fitness article for more tips.
And no matter if you’re cooking indoors or outdoors, food safety should be your first priority. The last thing you want is for you or your guests to become ill because the food wasn’t cooked thoroughly. That’s why you should always use a meat thermometer while cooking, never assume meat is “done?? just by its color. Here’s a guide to safe minimum cooking temperatures courtesy of FoodSafety.org. Of course, you also need to keep those perishable foods cool and make sure leftovers don’t stay out too long. Find additional advice here.
Happy grilling!
Subscribe via RSS
