Why not Sear burner for Webers?


 

Jason B

TVWBB Fan
I know we have some experts/employees of Weber floating around here so I would like to ask why Weber hasn't integrated an infrared burner for searing into any of their new models?

I'm a big steak fan so I really want an IR burner that can sear the heck out of my steaks without me having to heat up a cast iron skillet and deal with the mess everytime I want to do a steak like that.

Just curious since I would like to buy Weber again.
 
It's the glass man!

Well, sorta.

IMHO, IR burners are great for cooking big things on a rotisserie. The trouble happens when you try to put them under something (like food) and they get drippings on them. You would think that with all that heat, they would burn off right away. But they don't. This alone causes some major problems with cleaning them. Then there is the GLASS!!! Most IR burners use ceramic or glass grates in them. When something cold (like melted fat) hits them, they can actually break.

Then there is the cost. One single IR burner can cost upwards of $100.00 to install on a grill. If we were to add 3 of them for cooking, it could make the grills just a little too expensive for personal use.
 
Jason; I believe that infrared is a gimmick. Just another buzzword. You can grill some really superb steaks without it. Practice cooking technique. And forget about the gimmicks.
 
During my relatively short active duty in the Army, I remember the DIs telling soldiers who inquired about getting married ... "troop, if the army thought you needed a wife, they'd issue you one !"
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. I guess my feeling is that when Weber thinks IR burners are an advantage for searing, they'll make one.... I know, sometimes I take this Weber thing too far
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.

Paul
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bob H.:
Jason; I believe that infrared is a gimmick. Just another buzzword. You can grill some really superb steaks without it. Practice cooking technique. And forget about the gimmicks. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Unless Stefan's Law--which correlates temperature to wavelength--and all of the industrial applications of infrared heaters are useless, they are by no means a gimmick. Long term practicality of having consumer-grade IR burners with food cooked directly over them is a good question, but the technology that enables the extremely high searing heats without direct contact is most certainly real.

Here's some info. I found:

http://www.grillsearch.com/html/infraredburner.html
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bob H.:
Jason; I believe that infrared is a gimmick. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I was not sure but took a leap of faith. It is not a gimmick. I replaced one of my 25,000 btu tube burners with a 25k btu infrared burner.
 
David, what IR burner do you use?

I know Ruth's Chris is not the end-all and be-all of steaks, but their steaks are fantastic, they sear at 1800F.

You can cook a good steak at lower temps, I do all the time, You can cook a fantastic steak at higher temps too.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">by Joe Dang: David, what IR burner do you use? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I have a Twin Eagles Pinnacle Grill now. The company also makes something called the Salaman which is real close to the exact equipment at Ruth's and Mortons (IR fitted on the top).

The amount of heat an IR produces is incredible. Even compared to the same BTU burner right next to it. You have to cook with the lid open. For the same BTU, the difference between a normal gas tube and these things is night and day.

To make a perfect 1" medium steak you sear on both sides about 4 minutes. I usually just watch the color of the juice on the top. Quick. The super thick (1-1/2" )steaks are problematic. Works best for 1" steaks. For the wife's "no pink" I take the perfect medium steak and move it to the middle burner for a couple of minutes. I did crispy the first few steaks trying to figure out how to get the wife's perfect no pink steaks.

Not a gimmick. {sorry about taking so long to respond}
 

 

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