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I have to admit, I am sometimes a sucker for TV infomercials.

There have been some hits (George Foreman Grill for example) as well as some misses (“Mighty Putty” and the Ab Roller come to mind).

In fact the George Foreman Grill was my go to cooking source throughout medical school and residency.

Although the Foreman Grill did a great job, it never could recreate the flavors from outdoor grilling.

I lived in an apartment complex in medical school so getting a grill was out of the question.

Even when I had a backyard in the home I bought during residency, I could not be bothered with an outdoor grill, so I accepted my fate and utilized the Foreman grill as a compromise.

Last year I happened to stumble across an infomercial that highlighted a smokeless indoor grill by Philips.

By the end of the infomercial I was hooked and I ordered one shortly after.

The biggest problem with grilling indoors is having flare ups from the fat dripping and hitting the heating source element, creating a lot of smoke and subsequently setting off the fire alarm.

The George Foreman grill was designed to eliminate this issue because the heating element was the entire cooking surface placed on an incline so that fat would drip down into a small collection tray.

However this “grilling surface” lacked the intense heat to create a nice sear and only produced “pseudo grill marks.”

The finished meat therefore tasted more like it was cooked in a pan and not on a grill.

The designers at Philips did a wonderful job of getting as close to an outdoor grill experience indoors by moving the infrared heating elements to the side which allowed the fat to fall directly below in a collection pan and not onto the heating elements, avoiding flare ups.

 

 

Because of the open grate system and these powerful infrared heating elements (which achieve a constant 446°F), true grill marks and a great sear could be obtained.

There is no smoke created throughout the cooking process, allowing the Philips grill to be used in a dorm room or apartment without setting off smoke alarms.

It takes about 4 min of cooking time per side to create hamburgers that are on the same level as those cooked outdoors on a grill.

 

 

Cleanup is a breeze as well as the grill grate and collection pan are dishwasher safe (and the grilling grate is truly nonstick).

The Philips grill allows you to have a healthier burger by eliminating the patty from being cooked in its own fat the way more traditional pan fried methods force you to do.

Some of the other things we have cooked on the grill and had great success with include corn on the cob, vegetables and various fish filets.

After many uses I am proud to say that this infomercial based purchase falls on the “Hits” side.

 

 

 

 

 

Curious to see what other items are in my doctor’s bag?  

Just open the bag and peer inside, you may find something of use.

 

 

 

-Xrayvsn