Napoleon Grills PRO 500 manual Infrared Heat, Infrared Grilling Chart

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Infrared Heat

Most people don’t realize that the heat source we are most familiar with, our sun, warms the earth using mainly infrared energy. This is a form of electro-magnetic energy with a wavelength just greater than the red end of the visible light spectrum but less than a radio wave. This energy was discovered in 1800 by Sir William Herschel who dispersed sunlight into its component colors 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. Most materials readily absorb infrared energy in a wide range of wavelengths, causing an increase in its temperature. The same phenomenon 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 grilling is our most familiar choice for infrared cooking. 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 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, 10,000 ports – each with its own tiny flame – cause the surface of the ceramic tile to glow red. This glow emits the same type of infrared heat to the food as charcoal, without its hassle or mess. Infrared burners also provide a more consistently heated area that is far easier to regulate than a charcoal fire. For instant 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 to the food being cooked. This generates lower grill temperatures that are ideal for more delicate cuisine such as seafood or vegetables, whereas 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 marbled fat
1 in. thick			distribution. The fat acts as a natural tenderizer while
	High setting 2 min. each side	6 min. – Medium	cooking and keeps it moist and juicy.
	then medium setting.
	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 by
1/2 in. thick			varying the thickness of your patties. To add an
	High setting 2 1/2 min. each side.	5 min. – Medium	exotic taste to your meat, try adding hickory-flavored
	High setting 3 min. each side.	6 min. – Well done	woodchips to Napoleon’s woodchip smoker.
Chicken pieces	High setting 2 min. each side.	20-25 min.	The joint connecting the thigh and the leg from the
	then medium-low to low setting.		skinless side should be sliced 3/4 of the way though
			for the meat to lay flatter on the grill. This helps it
			to cook faster and more evenly. To add a trademark
			taste to your cooking, try adding mesquite-flavoured
			woodchips to your Napoleon woodchip smoker.
Pork chops	Medium	6 min. per side	Trim off the excess fat before grilling. Choose thicker
			chops for more tender results.
Spare ribs	High setting for 5 minutes	20 min. per side	Choose ribs that are lean and meaty. Grill until meat
	low to finish	turn often	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 extra
	medium to finish		thick chops for more tender results.
Hot dogs	Medium - Low	4-6 min.	Select the larger size wieners. Slit the skin lengthwise
			before grilling.

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