Fucking George Foreman. I thought he’d never get me, but he’s all jolly and lovable and stuff. I admit my snobbery. I hated electric grills. In the same way I swore I wouldn’t drink instant coffee, I promised myself I’d always grill outdoors.
Now? I’m in my robe on a Friday night at my kitchen table (couldn’t be happier, by the way), listening to Eddie Vedder, staring at the grill that I need to simply wipe down in a few minutes. My belly is satisfied between the fish and yam slathered in jalapeño hot sauce that I just polished off.
I needed to prepare food in advance for the next several days. So far, I’ve grilled salmon, ground beef, bacon and chicken on that bad boy, and damn has it been easy. The flavor isn’t quite the same as cooking over charcoal, and I certainly don’t feel as manly standing over the gimmicky wonder, but for food prep, it certainly does the trick.
Seriously, two steps from my fridge, I rip open my salmon, season with salt, pepper, paprika and lemon and 7 minutes later I’m eating and storing. Beef patties with pepper, garlic powder and generously salted are done in less than five minutes, perfectly cooked bacon…geez, I sound like an infomercial.
You don’t need a ton of tips to use something this easy. My only suggestion would be to make sure you grab a grill with a large enough surface to handle four burgers. The whole idea here is to create a convenient, efficient experience. You don’t want to have to finish one cut of meat before you start another. Buzz kill.
In hindsight, there is something I’d do differently. I’d buy a knockoff brand, just so I could look myself in the mirror and say I didn’t fall for the tricks of a man that named all five of his sons after himself. That’s right, they are all named George. And I own his grill. For shame.
Casey says
I love this post, in short, because I could have written it myself. I too was skeptical, if even a little bit above using an electric grill. There’s a certain masculinity derived from grilling meat on the open flames of a barbeque grill, with smoke in the air – and perhaps a beer in hand. However…. the convenience got me, especially during this long, cold winter when outdoor grilling isn’t so desirable. The Foreman grill has gotten a lot of use in the past year. I’ve found it cooks a burger almost as well as the outdoor grill, chicken even better and, what really surprises me, is that its now my favorite way to cook fish. Grilling some fresh, wild caught cod or halibut on the Foreman with some seasoning and citrus is one of my new staples. But in all honestly, I still can’t bring myself to grilling a steak or tuna on it. I’ve got to draw the line somewhere.
Also, here’s a clean up tip: After you remove the meat, unplug the grill and sit it with the lid open on the edge of the sink so that the drip edge overhangs into the sink. While the grill is still hot (and unplugged!) use the sink sprayer with low pressure and short bursts to steam off most of the residue. The rest will be loosened and easy to wipe off.
Gabe Kapler says
Good stuff here, Casey. Thanks for chiming in.
Adam says
I bought one years ago. My wife was the skeptical one. Then we used it everyday in the cold winter months. I agree, it’s not the same. But it’s quick and easy and does the trick.
Gabe Kapler says
Sometimes it’s about convenience, sometimes it’s about experience. Thanks, Adam.
Paul says
Hey, no reason to use the language.
Gabe Kapler says
Ha. Thanks, Paul. I’ll keep that in mind. But that’s really me talking in this blog. I curse a bit. That’s me.
Casey says
I see the grass fed beef there, I usually grab the market ground grass fed from Whole Foods. I was at Trader Joe’s this weekend and saw the pre packaged grass fed beef as well. Does anyone notice any difference between the packaged and the market ground, other than about $1 per pound? Do they both taste pretty equal?
Jeremy says
I’ll start by saying I’m a huge fan of TJ’s…for some things. Their grass fed beef is NOT one. I don’t think it tastes nearly as good as the stuff from whole foods (or the butcher if you have one you trust).
my 2 cents
JD says
And an Eddie Vedder fan to boot! This blog just keeps getting better and better. Thanks for all the great tips Kap! Reading your posts has transformed my lifestyle. I owe you one
Brett says
Late to the party on this post. Curious, do you have a healthy alternative for ketchup, assuming you’re not a fan of the corn syrup? Love the idea of pre-grilling patties on Sunday night, wouldn’t mind covering them with something during the week.