Meals prepared using grills are tastier than those prepared using other cooking devices.
Grilled dishes are prepared using their own fats rather than the external oils added when cooking meals and this makes the dishes tasty and full of flavor.
Grilling also uses fewer utensils than the traditional cooking methods so you will have very little to do once you are done with food preparation.
There are different ones that you can get for your cooking needs but when they are gauged on their effectiveness in grilling food to perfection, infrared grills emerge as the best.
These units are built with the latest technology where radiant heat is used to prepare the food rather than the conduction and convection currents employed by other grills.
To help you find the best infrared grill for your cooking needs, I have searched the market extensively and found the Char-Broil Signature TRU-Infrared 525 4-burner cabinet liquid propane gas grill as the best infrared grill under $500.
These are the features of this amazing model to understand why you should get it for your future outdoor cookouts.
What is the best infrared grill to buy?
- 525 square inches of primary cooking over porcelain-coated cast iron grates
- 200 square inch porcelain-coated warming rack
- Four top-ported 443 stainless steel tube burners for lasting performance and better temperature control
- Surefire Electronic ignition system offers a reliable spark at every burner
- 13,000 BTU side burner
- Easily converts from liquid propane(lp) to natural gas(ng) with natural gas conversion kit (sold separately)
If you want to enjoy tasty and well-done meals prepare them on the Char-Broil Signature TRU-Infrared liquid propane gas grill as it is the best infrared outdoor grill that you can get.
Let’s now take a look at the features of this monster as well as some of the reasons why you should get one for your backyard kitchen.
Char-Broil Signature TRU-infrared 4-burner review
This Char-Broil infrared grill will help you to prepare the juiciest stakes and vegetables and will distribute the heat evenly on the entire device.
Below, you will find some other impressive attributes of it so let’s dive in.
TRU Infrared Cooking System
The unit features Char-Broil TRU-Infrared cooking system that allows you to prepare food evenly with the perfect temperature control.
It helps to prevent hot and cold spots on the device that can be a common thing in other types of grills. With even cooking surface temperature, you will cook faster and use less fuel.
Large cooking area
I am pretty sure you don’t want to spend a lot of time cooking your meals and this unit will make sure that you don’t have to do that.
The Char-Broil Signature grill has a large grilling area to the tune of 525 square inches that you can use to prepare all the dishes that you love. It measures 23.5 x 57.2 x 47.2 inches and weighs 162.9 pounds.
525 square inches is large enough for you to cook several steak pieces, burgers, hot dogs and all the lovely grilled dishes that you love at a go.
You, therefore, won’t spend a lot of time cooking and this will ensure that you have enough time to bond and interact with those you are hosting over.
Warming rack
There is an extra 200 inches of space of the porcelain-coated warming rack where you can warm buns and already grilled dishes to stay warm.
The ability to generate a lot of heat
Grills with infrared technology are known to generate a lot of heat and this model isn’t an exception.
It comes with 4 top-ported 443 stainless steel tube burners for lasting performance, better temperature control, and producing all the heat that you need for efficient cooking.
An infrared element within the grill distributes the heat evenly within the device and makes sure that your meals are prepared properly.
The radiant heat within the device is gentle so it won’t destroy the moisture barrier of the foods you are cooking. This will make sure that your meals are juicy and full of flavor.
A side burner
Most people prepare sauces to accompany their steaks and when you buy this grill, you will not have to wait for your main dishes to get ready for you to prepare your sauce.
The unit has a side burner that can generate about 13,000 BTU of heat which is enough for you to cook your sauces and side dishes.
Quick ignition
This Char-Broil model uses a surefire electronic ignition system that lights the unit fast and reliably.
You will, therefore, be able to start your device quickly and get to prepare tasty dishes for your family and friends.
Durable design
This unit is one of the strongest grills on the market. The cooking grates are made of heavy-duty cast iron which is able to repel the high temperatures generated within the device.
The grates are coated with porcelain enamel which gives them an amazing look and makes cleaning very easy.
The lid and the firebox stand have also been coated with porcelain enamel which makes it resistant to harsh outdoor elements such as rain and storms.
Enclosed storage cabinet
Enclosed storage cabinet hides the propane tank and offer storage space for things like wood chips, grilling tools and other stuff that will help you at cooking.
Effective heat monitoring
To make sure that your meals are cooked properly without getting charred, then you should be able to monitor and control the temperature within the grill.
This Char-Broil Signature model has a lid-mounted temperature gauge that allows you to monitor the temperature.
The burner controllers
The burners have controllers as well that allow you to adjust the temperature as you wish.
You can increase the temperature to cook your tough steaks and reduce it to prevent charring your delicate meals.
Converts to natural gas easily
If you want to convert it to run on natural gas you can do that because it easily converts from liquid propane (lp) to natural gas (ng) with a natural gas conversion kit that you can buy here.
Don’t forget to check your grill model so you will be able to buy the right kit. You can opt for the kit that fits grill models before 2020 and the one that fits grill models of 2020 and after.
If you want the products guide with instructions, click here to access it.
How does infrared heat work?
Infrared grills have a different build and design than other cooking devices in the market. Yes, they use either charcoal or gas as their fuel source but they don’t use the heat produced by the fuel to prepare the food.
They have an infrared element that gets heated when the fuel is ignited. The heated IR element produces radiant energy which is then distributed within the unit.
This distributed radiation energy is used to prepare the meals and the fact that it is ever-present in the grill, it makes sure that the meals are cooked evenly and properly.
How do you cook a steak on an infrared grill?
It is easy and fast to prepare a juicy steak on the infrared device. Preheat your unit to achieve between 300°F and 350°F (it will take about 10-15 minutes).
Place the steak on the grates and sear them for about one minute on each side.
If you see that it doesn’t turn easily wait for a few seconds more to do it. The cooking time depends on the thickness of the steak and the way you like it to be prepared.
Are infrared grills hard to clean?
Grills come in different materials so you should know what is the best way to clean yours. How to clean an infrared device? The best way to do it is to use a burn-off method.
This means that you will heat the grill again after you finished enjoying your meal to burn off the excess grease and food debris. How to do that?
First steps
Turn your grill to a high option, close the lid, and wait for about 15 minutes. Then turn the unit off and wait so it cools down a bit. Use a nylon brush to take off any remaining food parts from the grate.
Final steps
You can lightly tap the stainless steel grilling grates and infrared emitters together to remove baked-on debris and ash.
Don’t forget to spray them with cooking oil after the cleaning so your food won’t stick to them the next time you grill.
Which are the key benefits of infrared grills over traditional grills?
Infrared grills work way differently than traditional ones. Their key benefits over traditional ones are faster and more even cooking without hot and cold spots. They get hotter too, you can easily get 700°F.
You will use less fuel because of infrared radiation and faster preheating time. Char-Broil claims that their units use 30% less fuel than traditional ones.
The best feature of these grills is the way the food is prepared. The food won’t be dry and without juices, as the heat penetrates food’s moisture barrier.
Meanwhile, you should control the temperature all the time as they get pretty hot and can burn the food.
Grill with the minimum flare-ups!
You should get an infrared grill if you want to cook your meals evenly and to avoid having hot and cold spots.
The model mentioned above is the best infrared grill under $500 that you can get if you want to prepare tasty meals for your family and friends without facing flare-ups.
