Weber Spirit Natural Gas Grill, 54265 Grilling Tips & Helpful Hints, Preheating, Covered Cooking

GRILLING TIPS & HELPFUL HINTS

•Always preheat the grill before cooking. Set all burners on HI heat and close lid; heat for 10 minutes, or until thermometer registers 500° – 550° F (260° – 288°C)..

•Sear meats and cook with the lid down for perfectly grilled food every time.

•Grilling times in recipes are based on 70°F (20°C) weather and little or no wind. Allow more cooking time on cold or windy days, or at higher altitudes.. Allow less cooking time in extremely hot weather..

•Grilling times can vary because of the weather, or the amount, size, and shape of the food being grilled..

•The temperature of your gas grill may run hotter than normal for the first few uses.

•Grilling conditions may require adjustment of the burner controls to attain the correct cooking temperatures..

•In general, large pieces of meat will require more cooking time per pound than small pieces of meat.. Foods on a crowded cooking grate will require more cooking time than just a few foods.. Foods grilled in containers, such as baked beans, will require more time if grilled in a deep casserole rather than a shallow baking pan..

•Trim excess fat from steaks, chops, and roasts, leaving no more than a scant ¼ inch

(6..4 mm) of fat.. Less fat makes cleanup easier, and is a virtual guarantee against unwanted flare-ups..

•Foods placed on the cooking grate directly above burners may require turning or moving to a less hot area..

•Use tongs rather than a fork for turning and handling meats to avoid losing natural juices.. Use two spatulas for handling large whole fish..

•If an unwanted flare-up should occur, turn all burners off and move food to another area of the cooking grate.. Any flames will quickly subside.. After flames subside, relight the grill.. NEVER USE WATER TO EXTINGUISH FLAMES ON A GAS GRILL..

•Some foods, such as a casserole or thin fish fillets, will require a container for grilling.

Disposable foil pans are very convenient, but any metal pan with ovenproof handles can also be used..

•Always be sure the slide-out grease tray and catch pan are clean and free from debris..

•Do not line the slide-out grease tray with foil. This could prevent the grease from flowing into the catch pan..

•Using a timer will help to alert you when “well done” is about to become “overdone.” ◆

PREHEATING

Your Weber® gas barbecue is an energy-efficient appliance.. It operates at an economical low BTU rate.. Preheating the grill before grilling is important.. Light your grill according to the instructions in this Owner’s Guide.. To preheat: after lighting, turn all burners to START/HI, close the lid, and heat until the temperature reaches between 500° and 550° F (260° and 290° C), the recommended broiling temperature.. This will take 10 to 15 minutes depending on conditions such as air temperature and wind..

You can adjust the individual burners as desired.. The control settings are OFF, START/HI, MEDIUM, or LOW..

Note: For the first few uses of your grill, the temperature inside the cookbox may be hotter than shown in your cookbook because the surfaces of the cookbox are still reflective. Cooking conditions, such as wind and weather, may require adjustment of burner controls to obtain the correct cooking temperatures.

Note: If grill loses heat while cooking, refer to the troubleshooting section of this manual.

mWARNING: Do not move the Weber® gas barbecue when operating or while barbecue is hot.

If burners go out during cooking, turn all burner knobs off and wait five minutes before relighting. ◆

COVERED COOKING

All grilling is done with the lid down to provide uniform, evenly circulated heat.. With the lid closed, the gas grill cooks much like a convection oven.. The thermometer in the lid indicates the cooking temperature inside the grill.. All preheating and grilling is done with the lid down.. No peeking — heat is lost every time you lift the lid.. ◆

DRIPPINGS AND GREASE

The Flavorizer® bars are designed to “smoke” the correct amount of drippings for flavorful cooking.. Excess drippings and grease will accumulate in the catch pan under the slide-out grease tray.. Disposable foil drip pans are available that fit the catch pan..

mWARNING: Check the slide-out grease tray and catch pan for grease build-up before each use. Remove excess grease to avoid a grease fire in the slide-out grease tray. ◆

FLAVORIZER® SYSTEM

When meat juices drip from the food onto the specially angled Flavorizer® bars, they create smoke that gives foods an irresistible barbecued flavor.. Thanks to the unique design of the burners, Flavorizer® bars and the flexible temperature controls, uncontrolled flare-ups are virtually eliminated, because YOU control the flames.. Because of the special design of the Flavorizer® bars and burners, excess fats are directed through the slide-out grease tray into the grease catch pan.. ◆

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