7
OPERATION COOKING TECHNIQUES
Burn-off. Before cooking on your gas barbecue for the
first time, burn off the barbecue to rid it of any odors or
foreign matter as follows:
Remove cooking grids and warming rack and wash in
mild soap and water. Ignite the burner. Close the lid
and operate the barbecue for 20 minutes with the
control knobs set at "MEDIUM". Turn the gas off at the
source. Turn the control knobs to "Off". Let the
appliance cool down, replace the grids. You are now
ready to use the appliance.
Preheating. It is necessary to preheat the barbecue
with the lid closed for a short time before cooking certain
foods. Food that requires a HIGH cooking temperature
needs a preheat period of six to ten minutes; food that
requires a lower cooking temperature needs only a
period of two to five minutes. There is no need to
preheat for casseroles or other food that requires slow
cooking.
Lid Position. The position of the lid during cooking is a
matter of personal preference, but the barbecue cooks
fastest, uses less gas, and controls the temperature best
with the lid closed. A closed lid also imparts a smokier
flavor to meat cooked directly on the grid, and is
essential for smoke, rotisserie and convection cooking.
Vaporization Systems. OMC Gas Grills are designed
for use with either Ceramic Briquets or Flav-R-Wave or
Flav-R-Cast vaporization systems. Ceramic Briquets
are only to be used with the Briquet Grate supplied or
specified. They are not to be used with Flav-R-Wave or
Flav-R-Cast. Only one layer is to be used. Place
evenly.
COOKING TEMPERATURES
HIGH Setting. With the control knobs at HIGH, the
surface temperature at the cooking grid is approximately
550° F (290° C) when the barbecue is warmed up. Use
this setting only for fast warm-up, for searing steaks and
chops, and for burning food residue from the cooking
grids and briquets after the cookout is over. Rarely, if
ever, do you use the HIGH setting for extended cooking.
Medium Setting. With the control knobs at MEDIUM,
the temperature inside the barbecue is approximately
450° F (230°C) with the lid down. Use this setting for
most grilling, roasting, and baking, and for cooking
hamburgers and vegetables.
Low Setting. With the control knob at LOW, the
temperature inside the barbecue is approximately 350° F
(175° C). Use this setting for all smoke cooking,
rotisserie cooking, and when cooking very lean food
such as fish.
These temperatures are approximate only and vary
with the outside temperature and the amount of
wind.
When cooking by the convection or rotisserie method,
use a meat thermometer for best results.
PREPARATION:
1. Prepare food in advance to avoid delay and timing
problems. If using marinade or spices, they should
be applied before placing meat on the cooking grid.
2. Organize the area around the barbecue to include
forks, tongs, oven mitts, sauces and seasonings, to
allow you to stay in the vicinity of the barbecue while
cooking.
3. Trim excess fat from meat to minimize the "flare-
ups" that are caused by dripping grease.
4. To avoid the problem of food sticking to the cooking
grid, coat the grids with vegetable oil or non-stick
spray before lighting the burners.
5. Pre-heat the barbecue to the desired temperature
with the cover closed, before starting to cook.
6. Vegetables are best done in aluminum foil with
enough moisture to create steam. Cooking time for
vegetables will be similar to baking or steaming on
the electric range.
7. Check the gas supply before starting the barbecue.
MEAT THERMOMETER GUIDE:
BEEF/LAMB RARE 55°C (130°F)
BEEF/LAMB MEDIUM 66°C (150°F)
BEEF/LAMB WELL DONE 71°C (160°F)
VEAL WELL DONE 65°C (150°F)
PORK WELL DONE 77°C (170°F)
POULTRY WELL DONE 77°C (170°F)
GRILL COOKING
Grill cooking is the most popular form of barbecuing.
The techniques are dictated by personal taste.
1. Hold the salt when cooking meats on the barbecue.
The meat will stay juicier if the salt is added after
cooking.
2. Don't baste meats until they are one-third to one-half
cooked. Sauces with tomato, sugar, and oil burn
easily and can produce unappetizing results if
allowed to burn.
3. To prevent steaks from "drying out", use tongs
rather than a fork and start on "HIGH" to sear the
meat and seal the juices in. Reduce the heat when
the meat is well browned. Generally, thicker cuts of
meat will stay moist better on a barbecue.
4. To test when the meat is done, make a small cut at
the thickest section or near the bone to check
colour.
5. For best results, don't let the flames reach the food.
If "flare-ups" occur, remove the food. This will
eliminate the "burned taste", particularly for chicken
and pork.
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