George Foreman Grill

[Hawkshot99]

So I live in a small studio apartment. I have always loved to grill at home, but there is not the room to have even a real small grill. So my mother gave me her George Foreman grill.

I HATE this thing. It is impossible to tell when the steak is ready. The other day was my first attempt with it. I cooked a 1" thick steak for dinner. I had it cooking for 8-9 mins. till the outside of it didnt look grey. When I cut the thing open and tried to eat it.....Well lets say i think my shoe soles are more chewable.:blink: I still ate it because i am cheep:smash:

So tonight I pull out another steak and go to cook it. I now know to not cook it too long after the previous experience, and my mother telling me she will only cook it for a few mins. when she used it. I took the steak off after 2 or 3 mins. It looked identical on the outside to the one I way over cooked. When I cut it open, it looked purple.:angry: So back on the grill it went.

At least i can still make a good box of Kraft Mac-n-cheese!:lol:

 

[Paul]

I love my Foreman grill. I like to wake-up to the smell of bacon, so I lay three strips on the Forman grill before I go to bed at night. When my alarm goes off, I plug in the grill, and a few minutes later I wake up to the smell of crackling bacon. Its delicious and nutritious.

 

[Moe Ghoul]

It's great for bacon, grilled sandwiches, but they suck with meats and poultry. I think it ends up steaming the meat in it's own juices, not really grilling.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

For a one inch thick steak on a George Forman grill 8-9 minutes is way to long..I'd got with 5 minutes max..and you can always broil steak in the oven..that's the way I like to do it..you have to flip the steak but it seems juicier..

 

[hardline]

So I live in a small studio apartment. I have always loved to grill at home, but there is not the room to have even a real small grill. So my mother gave me her George Foreman grill.

I HATE this thing. It is impossible to tell when the steak is ready. The other day was my first attempt with it. I cooked a 1" thick steak for dinner. I had it cooking for 8-9 mins. till the outside of it didnt look grey. When I cut the thing open and tried to eat it.....Well lets say i think my shoe soles are more chewable.:blink: I still ate it because i am cheep:smash:

So tonight I pull out another steak and go to cook it. I now know to not cook it too long after the previous experience, and my mother telling me she will only cook it for a few mins. when she used it. I took the steak off after 2 or 3 mins. It looked identical on the outside to the one I way over cooked. When I cut it open, it looked purple.:angry: So back on the grill it went.

At least i can still make a good box of Kraft Mac-n-cheese!:lol:

go to good cookware store and get yourself a good grill pan. you will be very happy

 

[skibum9995]

I love mine. It took me a few weeks to get cooking times for different things figured out, but it has been worth it.

 

[deadheadskier]

go to good cookware store and get yourself a good grill pan. you will be very happy

exactly

a nice cast iron grill pan will due just fine. Go three minutes a side on medium high heat, then throw it in the oven for 8 minutes at 400....perfect medium rare for a 1 inch steak depending on the cut.

 

[frozencorn]

I used to love it when I lived in a small apartment in Brookline.

Now? Between the outdoor grill, grill pan, grill skillet, panini maker.....I can't remember the last time it emerged from storage.

 

[severine]

George Foreman grills are a PITA to keep clean. If you want something like that, get the Cuisinart Griddle/Panini thing. It has removable plates (one set flat, one set ridged) for easier cleaning and you can use it flat, too, like if you want to make pancakes and sausage/bacon at the same time. If you insist upon cooking meat on one of those, you have to remember that you're cooking both sides at the same time so it should take half as long as usual. But really, you get better flavor with other options than those tabletop plugin type grills for meat. I'd recommend cast iron, too, but honestly, I only cook steak on the outside propane grill. I have never cooked one on the stove or in the oven. (Though I once did have a George Foreman grill before the propane grill... I was less than enthused with the results...) There's no need to for me to prepare otherwise these days with a grill 3 feet outside the door.

 

[hammer]

George Foreman grills are a PITA to keep clean. If you want something like that, get the Cuisinart Griddle/Panini thing. It has removable plates (one set flat, one set ridged) for easier cleaning and you can use it flat, too, like if you want to make pancakes and sausage/bacon at the same time. If you insist upon cooking meat on one of those, you have to remember that you're cooking both sides at the same time so it should take half as long as usual. But really, you get better flavor with other options than those tabletop plugin type grills for meat. I'd recommend cast iron, too, but honestly, I only cook steak on the outside propane grill. I have never cooked one on the stove or in the oven. (Though I once did have a George Foreman grill before the propane grill... I was less than enthused with the results...) There's no need to for me to prepare otherwise these days with a grill 3 feet outside the door.

+1

We only use ours for paninis. Tried cooking bacon on it a few times, and it was OK for that, but we just cook the bacon in the cast iron pan now.

 

[MichaelJ]

+1 on the cast iron grill pan. Get that thing raging hot and it's a great alternative to using an actual grill outside. My only caveat: I highly recommend you have a real hood over the stove that vents outside. High heat on cast iron cooks meat (red or poulty) beautifully, but puts out a good deal of smoke and steam.

 

[ctenidae]

For a one inch thick steak on a George Forman grill 8-9 minutes is way to long..I'd got with 5 minutes max..and you can always broil steak in the oven..that's the way I like to do it..you have to flip the steak but it seems juicier..

A broiler is just an upside-down grill, after all.

Do like the cast iron grill pan, though, despite the smoke.

 

[Johnskiismore]

Haven't owned one of these grills myself, but a buddy of mine who did took a while to cooking meats to his liking.

Cast iron grill pan is the way to go!

 

[skibumtress]

IMO, I don't like the GF Grill. Pain in the arse to clean for about 60% of the things I've used it for. I've found similar such grills that are much easier and faster to clean. On the other hand perhaps they've improved them since I got mine.

 

[hardline]

ya i forgot about the smoke in the grill pan if you dont have a good hood put a fan in the window.

 

[RootDKJ]

IMO, I don't like the GF Grill. Pain in the arse to clean for about 60% of the things I've used it for. I've found similar such grills that are much easier and faster to clean. On the other hand perhaps they've improved them since I got mine.

I'm with you. When I lived in an apartment, I used this for "grilling" Also works well for French Toast & eggs.
https://secure.lodgemfg.com/storefront/product1_new.asp?menu=logic&idProduct=3943

Super easy clean up.

 

[Black Phantom]

Anybody still use these? Haven't used mine in 4 years. Tough to clean.

 

[deadheadskier]

nope

still on the cast iron

 

[o3jeff]

nope

still on the cast iron

I have a cheap cast iron grill pan and it is a pain to clean it, any tricks? Are the expensive ones easier?

 

[deadheadskier]

I actually use just a straight flat bottom cast iron pan that is well seasoned. Wipes clean with a paper towell like a non-stick pan.

I'm not sure if you can season a cast iron grill pan like you can a regular pan as the ridges would probably prevent the oil from being absorbed evenly.

I do have a non-stick grill pan that I use for Paninis. That doesn't work so hot for steaks though as it doesn't get as hot and conduct heat as well.

Until I get an outdoor grill that has an infrared burner, I'll stick with the cast iron. I don't find a typical outdoor grill gets hot enough to get a good sear on a steak like I can with cast iron.