Cooking Instructions / All Tips
General
Preheating
An outdoor kitchen should be preheated for at least 10 minutes before use and a maximum of 10 minutes if the hood is down with all burners on HI.
Efficient grilling
Indirect cooking is often faster and reduces the likelihood of a flare up. So the lid should be kept down wherever possible. When the lid is down do not light all burners as this will create an oven environment which is far too hot for cooking.
Even browning
To have even brown food, brush or spray oil directly onto the food instead of the cooking grate. This will also prevent the food from sticking to the cooking grate.
Cooking Tips
Grilling Meat
For most cuts of meat, searing the outside quickly on the highest temperature will seal in the juices, then dial the heat down to medium and grill until it’s done to your liking. It’s best to turn the meat over on the outdoor kitchen only once to retain the most juices.
Cooking time depends primarily on the thickness of the cut. Usually around two to five minutes per side for rare, and double that for well done (but until you get familiar with the unit making a small cut with a knife in the thickest part will expose the centre of the meat to show if it’s done). A trick for seeing when to turn the meat over is when drops of blood appear on the upper surface during cooking. This will usually provide a medium cooked and still juicy cut.
For very thick cuts, sear first on the outdoor kitchen. Then close the lid and roast using the indirect cooking method. How long it should roast for will depend on how thick the cut is and how well you like it done, but usually from 5 to 15 minutes at 200ºC will help a really thick, juicy steak cook through evenly instead of burning on the outside before the inside is cooked. The last important step before serving a tasty, juicy cut of grilled meat is to let it “rest”. This is simply taking the meat from the grill, covering it with foil and placing it in a warm place, such as the warming rack in the hood, for a minimum of five minutes – more if it’s a bigger cut or roast. This allows the juices of the meat to be redistributed evenly back through the meat and results in a much tastier, juicier cut when served.
Grilling
This is also known as direct cooking because food is placed directly over the heat with the hood up. It is the traditional way of using a barbecue.
Preparation
- Preheat the outdoor kitchen on high with the hood down for five minutes. - Brush the surface of the meat with a little oil before grilling. - Unless you are marinading, only add seasoning immediately before you put food on the grilling surface. - Marinades that contain sugar or honey will burn easily, when grilling marinaded food use a low to medium heat and baste regularly.
Roasting & Baking
This is known as indirect cooking and is performed with the hood down. Food is placed on a roasting pan or cooking tray inside the pre-heated outdoor kitchen and cooked as you would in your kitchen oven.
You can use all your regular roasting recipes to roast meat in the Grand Hall outdoor kitchen, with the added bonus that you can get outdoor kitchen models bigger than all but the largest commercial ovens. This means you can now cook the biggest turkeys, hams and whole fish that you could never have attempted at home before.
With indirect cooking using the Grand Hall outdoor kitchen it’s important to make sure that only burners NOT directly under the cooking pan are lit, otherwise the food will burn. Light only the burners either side of where the pan is sitting. Food can also be placed on the warming rack and cooked with the hood down in this way.
Casseroles & Stews
The indirect cooking method enables you to cook stews and casseroles to perfection.
Simply follow your normal recipe and place the optional porcelain cast iron cooking pan with lid or your own casserole dish, inside the pre-heated outdoor kitchen.
Cook at the required temperature for the time allowed to create a rich, hearty meal for a family get together or party of friends. You may have to stir the food and add additional liquid as needed.
Grilling Fish
There are a few key variables to be considered when grilling fish and shellfish. Grilling time will depend on: the thickness of the fish, the distance of the fish from the heat source, and whether you use direct or indirect cooking.
Closing the hood will infuse the fish and seafood with a delicious, smoked flavour.
Opening Scallops
To open the shell – hold the scallop with the flat shell uppermost. Probe between the shells with a short knife to find a small opening. Insert the blade and run it across the roof of the shell.
Separate the two halves of the shell, and pull apart. Pull away and discard the membrane or frill, and the black stomach parts. Wash the remaining white meat under cold water and dry.
Remove the thick white muscle around the outer edge of the scallop and discard. If required, separate the orange coral (roe) from the white meat.
Scaling a Fish and Skinning Fillets
Hold the fish firmly by the tail. Use the back of a round bladed knife to scrape against the scales from tail to head. (This job is less messy if the fish is held under water.)
Lay the fillet skin side down on a board, with the tail towards you. Hold the tail end firmly. Keeping the knife at an angle of 45° or less, use a slight sawing action to free the fillet. Fold the flesh forwards as you go and keep the skin taut. (A pinch of salt on the fingers may help you to grip the skin more firmly.)
Cooking & Shelling Crab
To cook the crab, place the crab in a saucepan of well-salted water (about 180g salt to 2.5L water), cover and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until cooked, allowing 15 minutes per 500g. Remove from the pan and allow to cool. To shell the crab, lay the crab on its back. Twist off the legs and claws. Cracking round the natural line (visible near the edge), remove and discard the pale belly shell.
To clean the crab, remove and discard the small sac at the top of the crab body and the spongy gills which line the edge.
Carefully pick out all the meat from the body of the crab you can. Wash and dry the shell and use to serve the meat in later.
Crack the large claws with the back of a heavy knife, and remove the meat into a bowl. Crack the legs of the crab and pick out the meat with a skewer, then add the meat to your claw meat.
Care Tips
Cleaning your Outdoor Kitchen
Keeping your Grand Hall outdoor kitchen clean is an easy job as components are finished in high quality stainless steel, painted enamel or porcelain coated enamel. They should be cleaned before initial use and just remember; never use scratchy or gritty pads or cleansers. Soap and water with a soft nylon scourer or bristle brush will remove all but the most stubborn, burnt on stains, and even they can be effectively tackled by following these simple procedures…
Stainless steel body
To avoid discolouration of the stainless steel outdoor kitchen hood clean the hood prior to turning the grill on.
Grand Hall’s Polisher & Cleaner can assist in effective cleaning of stainless steel, chrome and aluminium surfaces with one application. Never use abrasive cleaners or scrubbers on these surfaces, as this will result in scratching the surface.
Enamel painted Steel body
Enamel painted steel will last and look good for many years, and regular cleaning in the recommended fashion will keep it looking like new for a very long time. In addition to the initial cleaning, use a standard non-abrasive household cleaner to remove dirt, grease and oils. Never use abrasive cleaners or scrubbers.
Stainless steel cooking grids
Before initial use and as needed, wash your grids with a mild detergent and rinse with hot water, or simply put them in the dishwasher. For stubborn food residue use a fiber or brass cleaning brush. Never use a metal wire brush or metal scraper to clean your outdoor kitchen.
Porcelain coated cast-iron cooking grids and other accessories
To protect against the natural rusting process, cast-iron cooking grids and accessories have been coated with a hard-wearing porcelain finish. To clean, simply wash your grids with a mild detergent and rinse with hot water. For stubborn food residue use a fiber or brass cleaning brush. Porcelain coated cast iron is also safe for dishwasher use.
Grill interior
The outdoor kitchen interior should be cleaned at least once a year or as needed. Use a fiber or brass cleaning brush to clean the interior of your outdoor kitchen. Never use a metal wire brush or metal scraper to clean your outdoor kitchen. The sharp edges will scratch stainless steel surfaces and chip porcelain finished parts which will promote rusting.
Grease tray
Place a piece of aluminum foil in the grease tray and throw away after use to keep the tray nice and clean.