A small amount of smoke and/or odor may occur upon heating due to the
release of manufacturing oils – this is normal.
Some minor expansion/contraction sounds may occur during heating and
cooling – this is normal.
Contact Grill Operation: Used as a contact grill, the cooking plates are typically
placed with the grill side showing. The food to be cooked is placed on the bottom
surface and the top is closed over and in contact with the food. This application is
great for cooking burgers, steaks, boneless meats or anything that may benefit from
the speed of grilling both sides of the food simultaneously. The ribs on the grill plate
provide the traditional “grill” marks in the food product and allow excess grease to
drain away from the bottom. When multiple items are placed on the cooking surface,
ensure the pieces are all about the same thickness so the top cooking surface
contacts them evenly and all the items cook at the same speed.
Panini Press Operation: A Panini is a bread sandwich, typically warmed and
toasted. Any number of ingredients such as meats, vegetables and cheeses are
placed between two pieces of bread and warmed or grilled. Used as a Panini press,
the cooking plates are often placed with the griddle surface, flat side showing.
However, the plates can be oriented either way as desired. An ideal orientation for
warming and grilling a Panini sandwich is to use the bottom cooking plate in the
griddle orientation and the top cooking plate in the grill orientation. The hinge design
of this appliance will allow you to “float” the top cooking surface over the sandwich if
it is delicate and could be damaged by the weight of the top. When multiple
sandwiches are placed on the cooking surface, ensure the sandwiches are all about
the same thickness so the top cooking surface contacts them evenly and they all
cook at the same speed.
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