Napoleon Grills N415-0158 operating instructions Infrared Heat, Infrared Grilling Chart

INFRARED HEAT

Most people don’t realize that the heat source that we are most familiar with, namely the sun warms the earth using mainly infrared energy. Infrared energy is a form of electro-magnetic energy that has a wavelength just greater than the red end of the visible light spectrum, but less than that of radio waves. This energy was discovered in 1800 by Sir William Herschel who, dispersed sunlight into its component colours using a prism. He showed that most of the heat in the beam fell into the spectral region just beyond the red end of the spectrum, where no visible light existed. This is infrared energy. Most materials readily absorb infrared radiation in a wide range of wavelengths, causing an increase in temperatures of the materials. This is the same phenomenon that causes us to feel warmth when we are exposed to sunlight. The infrared rays from the sun travel through the vacuum of space, through the atmosphere and penetrate our skin. This causes increased molecular activity in the skin, which creates internal friction and generates heat, allowing us to feel warmth.

Foods cooked over infrared heat sources are heated by the same principle. Charcoal is the traditional way of infrared cooking that we are all familiar with. The glowing briquettes emit infrared energy to the food being cooked, with very little drying effect. Any juices or oils that escape from the food drip down onto the charcoal and vaporize into smoke giving the food its delicious grilled taste. The Napoleon infrared burner cooks in the same way. In each burner, 10000 ports each with its own tiny flame cause the surface of the ceramic to glow red. This glow emits the same type of infrared heat to the food, without the hassle or mess of charcoal. It also provides a more consistent heated area that is far easier to regulate than a charcoal fire. For instantaneous searing the burners can be set to high, yet they can also be turned down for slower cooking. We all know how difficult that is on a charcoal fire. Traditional gas burners heat the food in a different way. The air surrounding the burner is heated by the combustion process and then rises up to the food being cooked. This generates lower grill temperatures that are ideal for more delicate cuisine such as seafood or vegetables. The bottom line is that Napoleon’s infrared burners produce searing heat for juicier, tastier steaks, hamburgers and other meats. For cooking times and tips refer to the Infrared Grilling Chart.

INFRARED GRILLING CHART

FOOD	CONTROL SETTING	COOKING TIME	HELPFUL SUGGESTIONS
Steak	High setting 2 min. each side	4 min. - Rare	When selecting meat for grilling, ask for meat
1” Thick	High setting 2 min. each side	6 min. - Medium	with a marbled fat distribution. The fat acts as a
			natural tenderizer while cooking and will keep
	then medium setting		the meat moist and juicy.
	High setting 2 min. each side	8 min. - Well Done
	then medium setting
Hamburger	High setting 2 min. each side	4 min. - Rare	Preparing hamburgers to order is made easier
1/2” Thick	High setting 2 1/2 min. each	5 min. - Medium	by varying the thickness of your patties. To add
			an exotic taste to your meat, try adding hickory-
	side
			flavored woodchips into Napoleon’s woodchip
	High setting 3 min. each side	6 min. - Well Done	smoker.
Chicken	High setting 2 min. each side	20-25 min.	The joint connecting the thigh and the leg from
			the skinless side, should be sliced 3/4 of the
Pieces	medium-low to low setting
			way though in order for the meat to lay flatter on
			the grill. This will help it to cook faster and more
			evenly. To add a trademark taste to your cooking,
			try adding mesquite-flavoured woodchips in your
			Napoleon woodchip smoker.
Pork Chops	Medium	6 min. per side	Trim off the excess fat before grilling. Choose
			thicker chops to get more tender meat.
Spare Ribs	High setting for 5 minutes	20 min. per side	Choose ribs that are lean and meaty. Grill until
	low to finish	turn often	meat easily pulls away from the bone.
Lamb Chops	High setting for 5 minutes	15 min. per side	Trim off the excess fat before grilling. Choose
	medium to finish		extra thick chops to get more tender meat.
Hot Dogs	Medium - Low	4-6 min.	Select the larger size wieners. Slit the skin
			lengthwise before grilling.

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