The quest for the perfect steak has been with mankind since before the pyramids. We each have the vision in our heads, but only rarely do we even come close to achieving that goal. After all those eons of searching through the evolution of grills and burners of all shapes and sizes, humanity has managed to produce the infrared burner. Now that we have accomplished this great feat, what good is it? Well for one thing, it really helps in coming close to that vision of the perfect steak.

Infrared cooks food differently than conventional gas burners. While conventional gas burners heat the air that moves around the food, infrared is a wavelength of light that carries heat, but doesn’t move the air. The advantage of this is that hot air moving over the meat will dry it out, but since infrared doesn’t move the air the meat stays stays nice and juicy. Another factor in keeping the meat nice and juicy is that infrared burners are HOT. They will sear the outside of the meat, keeping most of the juices inside, a factor you will really come to appreciate when it is time to enjoy your meal. Maybe the most important feature of infrared burners to some, is how the steak looks when you use infrared. When you eat at one of the fancy restaurants and they bring out your fifty dollar steak, that steak looks like it is actually worth fifty dollars. It is beautiful. Chances are, the reason for those good looks is infrared. The intense heat from the infrared imparts a great look to steaks, from the sear marks to the edges. When you can accomplish this same look at home at a fifth of the cost in much more comfortable surroundings, the value of an infrared burner comes through.

So why not have the whole grill infrared if it’s so great? Like so many things in life, there’s the good news, and the not so good news. The strength of infrared is also its weakness. It is HOT. There isn’t a whole lot of range there for the more subtle dishes in your repetoire. When grilling with infrared, the best plan is to sear the steaks to keep the juices in and give the steak the looks of a pro, then move it to the cooler conventional burners to finish the steak to the desired level of your guests. Also, if you are just cooking up some brats or burgers, the infrared isn’t really usable in that situation and actually cuts down on your available grill space. Lastly, because of the intense heat, you really have to be focused on the grilling if you intend to use all infrared burners. No time for chit chat here. All in all, it is best to have the option of having infrared or going 100% conventional.

There are a great number of manufacturers offering infrared, with a great number of options concerning their burner configuration. Infrared isn’t the only factor in buying a new grill, but must be considered along with a myriad of other options to put together a grill that will do what you want it to do, and look how you want it to look. Your new grill will be with you for a long time, and every option should be considered before that final decision. To that end, I recommend talking to a professional and getting other opinions. Talk to more than one. Two heads are better than one, and six heads are better than two.

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