George Foreman Evolve Grill

The latest George Foreman aims to do it all: muffins, sliders, waffles and more.

One of the latest in the vast family of George Foreman Grills is the Evolve: a grill that comes with a multitude of interchangeable plates (and more can be purchased separately). Different versions come with different configurations, depending on what store you buy them from; along with the traditional grill plate, you could get a waffle plate, a deep dish bake plate, a muffin pan or a slider plate.

It's a neat idea, being able to do so much with a countertop appliance, especially one that takes up a significant amount of space. But are you really going to pull out your countertop grill the next time you want to bake some muffins?

The grill itself is designed similarly to many of the other George Foreman grills. There's a lever that can switch the grill from being flat (for sandwiches or small pieces of food) to angled (for meat, so that fat can drain into the included drip tray). The hinges "float" to accommodate large pieces of food.

The controls are a bit mystifying. To turn the grill on, you have to set a timer and the temperature, both are digital, with up and down buttons to control. There appears to be no way to override the timer and just have the grill be "on" until you turn it off, which means you also have to factor in five minutes for the grill to warm up (The temperature display flashes until the grill is at temperature, and a soft beep also chimes when it's heated). Then again, when the timer reaches zero, it just beeps, and the grill remains on. Still, I found myself wishing that you could deactivate the timer, and also that the timer wouldn't begin its countdown until the grill has reached the right temperature. The display and controls are on top of the grill, so if you're using the grill open, you'll have to close the lid in order to use the controls.

Another complaint: the actual surface of the grill is not very large; about 11 by 8 inches (Other Foreman Grills, including the Stainless Steel model have larger cooking surfaces). If you're cooking for more than 2 people you might have to work in batches. And while the fat did indeed drain away while I was cooking a steak, the design of the grill plate also caused small pieces of onions and peppers to fall of the edge, since there was no rim to contain them.

I liked the grill marks of the special top "Crosshatch" grill, which gave pieces of food a picture-perfect criss-cross look. But later I discovered that while the bottom grill is a breeze to clean, that top half has lots of crevices that can trap grease, making it laborious to clean.

But complaints aside, I felt like the grill got plenty hot enough to nicely sear the food I was cooking, something that other countertop grills don't always accomplish. The grill was most effective when the lid was closed, so that food was cooked from both top and bottom.

Even though the idea of baking brownies or muffins in your grill might seem preposterous, it's not ill-advised: I baked brownies in the grill, and they turned out moist, with deliciously crunchy edges. The baking option would be great for a small apartment or for the summer months when turning on the oven can heat up the whole house.

On the George Foreman web site, you can buy a range of other plates, including a a deep dish baking pan, an omelet and snack plate set, a shallow griddle pan, a waffle plate set, and a cupcake or muffin pan set.

Barbecue Ribs on the Grill

The number one mistake people make when trying to grill ribs is too much heat. Barbecue Ribs should not be cooked quickly over a high direct heat source but low and slow. Now there are several ways that you can make great barbecue ribs on a grill and avoid making charred meat sticks. Your basic strategy needs to watchful patience. After that there are a few different paths you can take to make it easier for you.

First there is straight grilling. Like I said you will want to grill indirectly, meaning that you have a fire on one side and the food on the other. Actually you want a four part cooking area. Imagine four boxes stacked with two on the bottom and two on the top. In the top left box are the ribs. Below the ribs is a large pan to catch the drippings. In the top right box is another large pan filled with water. This added the moisture to the environment that will keep the ribs from drying out. Below the water pan is your fire.

Of course there are variations to this basic layout and you probably need to do a little experimenting to determine what is going to work best for you and your grill. A couple of variations include using wood chips, soaked in water and added to the charcoal fire, if you are using a charcoal grill, or in a smoker box if you are using a gas grill. This will add a good smoky flavor to your barbecue ribs, giving them an authentic flavor.

You will need to cook your ribs like this for several hours. You want the inside of your grill to hold a temperature around 200 to 225 degrees F. The ribs should not over lap the fire or they will burn and dry out. If you want the smoke flavor you will probably have to add more wood every hour. This is particularly important in the first two hours. Your ribs will be done when they become tender and the meat is loose around the bones.

You can also precook your ribs to speed up the process or to increase the tenderness of the ribs. Ribs cooked on a barbecue smoker at a low temperature for several hours will be very tender. Ribs cooked on a grill, especially a gas grill, will not be as tender even cooked indirectly. To make your ribs tenderer you can precook by either boiling the ribs for about 30 minutes or by placing them in a slow cooker. This will get the ribs going and not dried out. Once you are ready to grill then you can season the ribs and cook them indirectly until done. The disadvantage of this is that the ribs will not absorb the flavor of the smoke very well and you can literally boil out the flavor of the meat. Remember, if you boil, slow cook, or oven roast ribs it must be at a low temperature, around 200 to 225 degrees F.

Now when it comes to seasoning ribs you want to be very conservative. Good ribs have a great flavor all to themselves. It is also important to avoid adding barbecue sauce to ribs early in the process. Most barbecue sauces, whether store bought or homemade, contain some kind of sugar (tomatoes contain sugar). This can cause your barbecue ribs to burn, even cooked indirectly. I suggest using a good rub before you grill and maybe a barbecue sauce after the grilling is done. However if you want to use a sauce, try using a mop. A mop is a thin barbecue sauce (mainly vinegar or water) that you brush on during grilling to help maintain moisture and to add flavor. Sometimes you will hear it referred to as a baste.

So remember, keep the temperature low. A good grilling temperature for barbecue ribs is about 225 degrees F. Also keep a close eye on your ribs. Once the surface of the meat starts to burn there's no going back. Another good tip is to fill a spray bottle with a thin barbecue sauce. By thin I mean practically water. I use a mixture of paprika, water and a few other seasonings. By spraying the ribs with this mixture during grilling you will add moisture, reduce burning and add flavor to your barbecue ribs.

How to Buy a Gas Grill

So you want to buy a Gas Grill? You've gone to the hardware store. You've looked through the newspaper. You've looked at Weber, Char-Broil and a dozen more. You've listened to salespeople tell you about surface areas, BTUs, rotisserie burners, side burners, infrared burners, and a dozen things you've never heard of. Now you're more confused than before and what you need is a little friendly advice.

Price: The first thing is the price. Rule number one: You get what you pay for! If you drop in your local department or hardware store (even grocery store) you will see Gas Grills in the price range of around $150 to $300. However there are sources of residential Gas Grills that can run over $10,000. So you should decide how much you want to spend before you shop because you can spend as much as you want. There are literally hundreds of grills on the market each year, though your local stores may only carry a few, so having an idea of how much you want to spend will help narrow your search. Try my Gas Grill Reviews to get a feel for what's out there. When comparing prices, find out whether or not a propane tank is included. This can add about $20USD to $30USD dollars to your total cost if you have to buy it separately.

Fuel: The second thing to take into consideration is the fuel. First, do you want propane or natural gas? Natural gas requires a gas line at the location of your grill. Many grills can be bought in either configuration but you can't run a propane grill on natural gas or visa versa. Many lower priced grills do not have the natural gas option although more and more grills do these days. Watch the price though. Some natural gas conversion kits can cost between $50USD and $100USD. Of course natural gas will cost you less in the long run and save you trips to the propane store.

Material: Next is the material the grill is made out of. The main body of the grill is usually made from cast aluminum, sheet metal, cast iron, or stainless steel. Stainless steel is the preferred material of professional cooking equipment and the most expensive, but not all stainless steel is created equally. One thing to watch for is not just the body, but also the frame. There are many "stainless steel" grills that have painted steel frames that can rust. Once you decide on the material, look over the whole grill to see how it's put together. Is it all stainless steel (try using a magnet)? Or only parts of it. Rule Two: Manufacturers take shortcuts with metal! The truth is that cast aluminum will typically outlast any quality of stainless steel.

Size: Once you have these factors decided, you need to pick the size and features you want. For the size, think about the kinds of things you will want to cook on your grill and for how many people you might want to cook for. If you're planning on a large turkey or being able to cook up 40 hamburgers at a time you'll want a larger grill. If you just cook a few steaks or chicken breasts once in a while, you'll probably want a smaller one. Also look at the space you have for the grill. Get one that will fit safely and conveniently.

Features: As for features, do you want a side burner? How about multiple level cooking surfaces, or a smoker box, side burner, rotisserie burner, lights, or any one of a dozen things that get added to a grill these days. Remember that a basic grill will do lots of stuff and most of the extras get very little use. Rule Three: Features cost Money! Only buy the features you actually want.

Heat: Another factor is the BTU rating. This is a measurement of the amount of heat created by the burner. A grill with higher BTUs doesn't necessarily produce more heat. It is a factor of the heat created, the size of the grill and how well it holds and distributes that heat. Don't buy a grill just because it has a high BTU number. Compare that number with the size and the shape of the grill. Smaller more compact grills can produce higher cooking temperatures with lower BTUs.

Durability: Materials, thickness of metals, quality of parts play a major role in how long a grill will last. However, the biggest part of the lifespan of your gas grill is how well it is take care of. Rule Four: A well taken care of grill can last a long time!. The best grill out there will rust and fall apart if it is left uncovered and uncleaned. Of course a better grill will last longer, but you can get a long time out of a cheap grill is you take care of it.

So what features or grills will make the best cook-out? None. Practice and experience make great grilled foods. A gas grill is just a tool. The product depends on the cook. However, a good quality grill is a joy to use while a poor quality grill can lead to bad experiences the leave you less likely to cookout.

One way to separate the bad from the good is to look for name brand grills versus store brands. Ask the salesperson at the store you are shopping at if the grill you are looking at is one of there brands, or a national brand. Name brand grills have replacement parts, customer support and a company that will survive or not based on the quality of their products. Store brands change factories annually and lack the depth of support that will help keep you grill working for years to come, because if you take good care of it, it should last for many, many years. Just in case you are interested I have put together a couple of lists of the best gas grills on the market today. These are broken down by price and should give you a good idea of where to start.

Barbecue Ribs on a Gas Grill

Cutting Spareribs

Regarding BBQ Inc.Cooking ribs with a genuine barbecue flavor using a gas grill is often a challenge. Gas grills are great for hot and fast cooking but, not so good when you need to turn a rack of ribs into tender, smoky barbecue. However, there are some tricks you can use. To get the best possible ribs from your gas grill, all you need is this three step process.

For this example, I am using a full rack of spareribs trimmed. You can use baby back ribs with this same method but reduce the cooking time about 5 minutes per stage. Otherwise, the total cooking time will be between 1 1/2 and 2 hours.

Your gas grill must be large enough and contain at least two burners, since these ribs will be cooked indirectly. This means the heat will not be below the rack of ribs, but off to the side of the grill. I will explain the set up in detail as we progress.

What you will need: one rack of ribs a good Rib Rub barbecue sauce 1/2 cup apple juice aluminum foil fuel for your grill wood chips for smoke a sharp knife

How to Grill

Grilling Chuck Steak

Regarding BBQ Inc. Strictly speaking, grilling is done by placing food directly over a hot flame. In the old days this meant a fire and something to keep the meat from falling into it. Today it can be a little $20 charcoal grill or a $15,000 gas grill. There are a lot of bells and whistles on grills these days but the basics never change so you can learn how to grill regardless of the kind you have.

Hot and Fast: For thin cuts of meat and smaller items like kebabs, steaks, chops, burgers, and dogs you want to turn up the heat and go quick. This means you need to keep a close eye on the grill and more importantly the food. So how hot is hot? The Rule is to (carefully) hold your hand just above the cooking grate and start counting seconds 5 Seconds - Low 4 Seconds - Medium 3 Seconds - Medium High 2 Seconds - High 1 Second - CrazyThis is true for gas or charcoal. When cooking hot and fast you want your fire at High.

Turn, Move, and have an Escape Plan: It's a myth that you shouldn't turn foods too frequently. Flip when you need to. You want even cooking and you can't do that over direct heat without flipping occasionally. You also want to move your foods around the grill. Take advantage of all that space you have. Think of this, when you put a steak on a hot grill the cooking grates create grill marks, but cool down in the process. Moving to a new space when you flip will give you better grill marks. The other reason to move your food around, particularly on a gas grill, is to avoid Flare-Ups. Flare-ups are going to happen and you need to be prepared for them. Your best bet is to move food out of their path and not run for the spray bottle, which is never a good idea.

Control the Heat: Hot and fast isn't the way to go for everything. Fish, chicken, vegetables, and fruit (yes, fruit) are better grilled at lower temperatures. Aim for medium heat with these foods. For a gas grill this means turning down the knobs, for charcoal it means going smaller when you build a fire. You still need to watch these foods closely, but they are generally going to take longer to cook because of the lower temperature.

Take it Indirect: Indirectly grilling is when you have the fire on one side and the food on the other. Yes, this is basically baking, but you still get the light the grill so it is still cool. You use indirectly grilling for large foods like whole chickens, roasts, racks of ribs, and any other food need a lot of time to cook. Indirect grilling allows you to get big foods cooked through the middle before the outside turns to charcoal (not the kind of charcoal you burn, but just as tasty). Don't know what kind of grilling method to use? Don't worry. All my grilling recipes tell you which way to go.

When is it Done?: This is the secret to the art of grilling. While there are general grilling time guidelines you can use the simple truth is that knowing when food is done is a challenge. What you need to remember are the three laws of successful grilling. Law 1: You can cook more, but you can't uncook. Of course this is leads us to Law 2: Undercooked meats can kill you. Sounds serious, but that's just because it is. What I am saying is that you need to work your way up to done and not just hope to get lucky. So what is the real answer? Law 3: Trust by Verify. Experience is the best tool you have to getting the foods you grill done, but a thermometer is necessary to make sure you have it right.

These basics will help you learn how to grill. For basic grilling techniques remember to follow these rules: Rule 1: Always keep your grill grate clean to prevent sticking. Rule 2: Oil the food, not the grill. Oil burns away at high temperatures so it is pointless to oil the cooking grate. Rule 3: Always give yourself plenty of time. Don't leave your family and/or guests waiting. Rule 4: Always keep an eye on what you’re grilling. Rule 5: Do not use spray bottles of water to control flare-ups. Flare-ups are caused by too much fat and too much heat. Trim excess fat and when you turn meat on the grill move it to a different part of the grill. Rule 6: Do not add sugary sauces or marinades to meat on the grill. This causes burning. Rule 7: Keep your grill away from anything flammable like lighter fluid, fences, your house, etc.. Rule 8: Spice up your food a good hour before you grill. This lets the flavor sink in. Rule 9: Have the proper grill tools to do the job. Rule 10: Place grilled food on a clean plate.

While all these rules and laws will help you learn how to grill I know that you are probably interesting in grilling something specific so here is some additional resources to help you out.

Komodo Kamado OTB 23-inch Charcoal Grill

The history of the Kamado Charcoal Grill is too long and confusing to recount. Suffice to say that when Dennis Linkletter stumbled across these ceramic charcoal wonders, he knew he could make them better. From a reinvention of airflow, spring assisted lid, and laser cut stainless steel parts this is one loaded grill. Anyone who knows anything about Kamado grills know that they grill at incredible temperatures and smoke at a perfect low and slow pace. This unit takes it to the next level and does it inside a shell of pure beauty.Since the 1970s the Big Green Egg has been synonymous with the Kamado style of cooker. Many companies have tried to cash in on their popularity by imitating their design and business method. The Komodo Kamado isn't one of those. Probably the first thing you will notice about this charcoal grill/smoker is the price. This 23-inch version will run you nearly 5 times what a comparable Egg would cost at around $3,600USD. Of course there is very little comparable between the two, other than the fact that they are both Kamado style grills.

The Komodo Kamado is the epitome of over-engineering. Weighing in at nearly 600 pounds of which 82 pounds are stainless steel, this is the space age of charcoal grills. That is more than just hyperbole. The bonding agent that holds the tiles on the shell is similar in composition to what NASA uses to hold heat tiles on the space shuttle. The cooking grates are 3/8-inch welded 304 stainless rod and the remaining stainless steel pieces are CNC laser cut plate.

This Kamado style grill has a thick, heavy shell. The lid would literally be too heavy to lift but the covered spring mechanism makes the lid virtually weightless. The lid is held closed by a simple locking latch (that thumped my fingers a few times until I learned to move them out of the way). The top vent is actually a rotating cap made of the same refractory materials and covered in the same tiles as the rest of the grill. While the cap, once installed, won't fall off, it does wobble a little to allow for the expansion of the metal bolt that holds it in place.

In the area of thinking of everything, the Komodo Kamado has the only rotisserie system (sold separately) that lets you close the lid completely while in use. There is even a space to install the popular BBQ Guru airflow control mechanism that lets you control the temperature of this grill with computer precision.

This grill comes standard with three cooking grates, giving you up to nearly 1,000 square inches of potential cooking space. The bottom grate fits down inside the grill and has an open space in the front to feed the fire. The main grate has a hinged door in the front for the same purpose. The top grate sits on top of the main grate. These would be primarily used for smoking, giving you plenty of space for lots of barbecue.

The Komodo Kamado is a luxury grill. Is it better than other similar grills? Yes. Is it 5 times better? No. You buy this grill because it is attractive, extremely well built, and because you can (I personally can't). It is available in virtually any color you want and in multiple tile patterns. There is even a brushed copper design coming soon.

You buy this grill directly from the manufacturer and it is shipped to you in a big crate. Have several strong people on hand when it shows up. It is very heavy and if you are placing it on a wooden deck I suggest something to put under it so that it doesn't dent the wood. Special orders are available.