Electric grills have become extremely popular. They come in a wide variety of sizes and make the grilling experience more accessible to everyone. Before, you wouldn’t be able to use a grill in spaces like apartment buildings. However, if you are more familiar with the typical charcoal or gas grill, you might be curious if the electric grill provides similar tastes and flavors.
Does food taste good on an electric grill? When cooked well, food will taste good on an electric grill. But it will taste different, so do not expect the same flavor that is provided through a gas or charcoal grill.
There are so many options when you are looking at electric grills. They are a variety of sizes, allowing for both outdoor or indoor use. They are convenient and can be easier to clean than their gas and charcoal counterparts. Not to mention, they can be healthier too.
Does Food Taste Good on An Electric Grill?
Yes, the food will taste good. It may not be the typical barbecue taste that you are used to, but it will still be delicious. The flavor from grilled food is primarily due to caramelization. Grilled foods are also heavily characterized by the look after cooking. During the grilling process, you are extracting fat from the meat.
Heat is really the most crucial part of the process, and the electric grill uses heat, just like any of the other options. The electric grill allows for a more even cook throughout.
The Grilling Process
The common element among all grills is heat. It’s the most crucial part. Once you place your meat on the heat, the process begins. Here are the stages the meat goes through during the grilling process:
- Fat is extracted as a liquid. About 5% of the meat is made up of fat.
- Along with fat, water is being removed, which is about 75% of the meat.
- Protein is about 20% of the meat. The protein is tightly coiled, and heat allows the coils to loosen up. This breaking down of the protein is what makes the meat start to tenderize. Once you introduce heat, the compounds break apart and shrink.
- This shrinkage occurs from the water and fat that is extracted from the meat.
- The more it cooks, the further it dehydrates and shrinks. This is why something well-done may be smaller than something medium-rare.
The differences in an electrical grill are due to indirect and direct heat. The electrical grill uses indirect heat and allows for a flavorful interior. A lot of the crispiness associated with traditional grilling is due to direct heat and can’t really be achieved with the electrical grill. The indirect heat is more evenly cooked throughout, but may not get that crispy exterior that is common of the charcoal or gas grill.
How to Flavor Your Food For Optimal Electrical Grilling
The food you cook on your electrical grill will taste delicious. It is all dependent on how you flavor your food and prep beforehand. Without flames and things such as wood chips or charcoal, you will experience a slightly different taste than what you have been accustomed to with traditional grills.
These things will help improve the flavor of your food on the electric grill:
- Marinades – marinating your meats in sauces, seasoning, and spices will significantly enhance your food flavors.
- Prep cooking surface – make sure your grill is on and warming up for about 5 minutes before placing your food on the cooking surface.
- Cooking Oils – after the 5-minute warm-up, add oil to the surface for added flavor and to prevent sticking.
The flavor preferences can be very subjective. What may taste good to one person may not to another person. We all have different preferences, so through trial and error, you will find different flavors that you love that may not be an excellent flavor to another person.
How to Get Your Electric Grill to Taste like Outdoor Grilling
There are a few things you can try in order to mimic the taste of a charcoal or gas grill more closely. Here are the things that can help you achieve that:
- Pick an open-face grill – It will cook slower, but allow smoke to circulate.
- Marinate – the same way you would marinate your food for traditional grills.
- Smokiness – the flavor comes from wood, so you can wet some wood chips and wrap it in some aluminum foil to be placed near the heating element.
Is an Electric Grill Best?
These types of grills have grown in popularity over the past few years. They are more realistic for those living in an apartment type situation where rules prohibit the more traditional grills. Electrical grills are also being viewed as the healthier option of all the grills available.
The ease of use is another feature that has increased the popularity. You just need an outlet near, and you are ready to get cooking. To clean it, you simply unplug, let cool, and wipe the surface down with a cleaning cloth or sponge.
Pros of Electric Grilling
There are so many pros to choosing an electric grill. They are convenient, easy to use, safer, and a great all-around choice. Here are the many reasons why:
- Ease of use – no extra things like lighter fluid, gas, or charcoal necessary. Just plug it in and go. It is also easier to clean than other options.
- Healthier than the alternatives – With charcoal grills, the smoke contains carcinogens that are linked to cancer.
- Safer – the others can be more robust fire hazards.
- Indoor and counter options available – some places won’t allow an outdoor grill on a balcony due to fire hazards. These indoor and smaller options are perfect for that. This also eliminates the worries of weather raining out your cooking.
- Heats up quickly – you don’t have to get a fire started. Just wait for the heating element to get warm.
Cons of Electric Grilling
The cons are very minimal. The main drawback will be if you are specifically looking for the exact flavors that are achieved on more traditional grills. You really can’t go wrong with this option. Here are the cons to an electric grill:
- The taste is different from the more traditional grills. Your food will taste good, but different from the typical flavor of a gas or charcoal grill. It won’t have that familiar crisp or smokey flavor.
- It must be near an outlet.
Are Electric Grills Healthier?
Electric grills are healthier than the more traditional gas or charcoal grills. They don’t produce the carcinogens that are created through the other grills. This type of grill also doesn’t utilize gases that can be detrimental to the environment.
Electric Grills Will Make Your Food Taste Good
Electric grills will make your food taste good, but there are so many other great reasons for buying one. They are healthier, easier to use and clean, and much more accessible to people that cannot have a large grill because of building codes.
If you can get past the fact that it will taste slightly different than what the traditional grills produce, then it is a fantastic option. If you season and marinate your food correctly and cook to the desired temperature, your food will be delicious and nutritious.
Go in with an open mind and don’t expect the flavor to be exactly like the gas or charcoal grills. These are fantastic options for anyone looking for an indoor, easy-to-use grill. They are super convenient and come in a variety of sizes, whether you are looking for a small personal use grill or a grill for hosting cookouts.