Grill Cooking

The cast iron burners heat up the briquette underneath the grill, which in turns heats the food on the grill. The natural food juices produced during cooking fall onto the hot lava rock below and vaporize. The subsequent rising smoke bastes the food, as it travels upwards, imparting that unique barbecued flavor. More even cooking of food will be achieved by using the BBQ with the hood down. This should only be done with the burners on low.

Griddle Plate Cooking

The cast iron burners heat the griddle plate directly, which then cooks the food on contact. Plates allow for the cooking of smaller items, such as seafood, which could fall through the spaces of a grill. They are also suitable for cooking items that require high-temperature / short-duration cooking, such as vegetables and smaller cuts of fish. Similarly, it can be used in exactly the same way as a griddle in the kitchen, for searing steaks, cooking eggs, etc. Alternatively, it can be used for heating pans or keeping food warm.

Roasting Hood Cooking

Barbecues equipped with a roasting hood give the option of cooking with hood closed to form an oven for roasting food, such as joints of meat, whole chickens, etc.

When roasting, turn the burner directly under the food to the off position. Turn all other burners to a low or medium position and close the hood. Avoid lifting the hood unnecessarily as heat is lost every time the hood is opened. Use the temperature gauge to check the heat of the barbecue. DO NOT allow your barbecue to overheat.

Flare-Up Control

Flare-ups occur when meat is barbecued, and its fats and juices fall upon the hot lave rock. The smoke from some flare-ups helps give cooked meat its barbecued flavor, but excessive flare-ups will result in meat being burned. To control flare-up, it is advisable to trim away excess fat from meat and poultry before grilling. Also, the burners should always be placed on the low setting during cooking.