10 Easy Tips to Cooking with LeMax™ Grill/Griddle
#1 – Use of Fats and Oils!
Remember that the LeMax™ grill/griddle is a very professional unit. This means it will cook faster, hotter and more efficiently than other electric grills or griddles. Much less fat is used in comparison to a fry pan. If your meats have lots of fat in or on them, eliminate the use of extra oil and trim fat before cooking. Fat is what causes smoke. Everything will brown more evenly and the pores will close quickly when you use small amounts of oil.
#2 – Use of Utensils!
We recommend the use of metal utensils. When purchasing a spatula, look for one that is flexible and not stiff. The flexibility makes it easy for getting under food such as pancakes and eggs. You can even use a knife (not serrated) for cutting a piece of meat directly on the ceramic glass.
#3 – Dry your Meat!
Rinse and pat completely dry all meats, fish and poultry before, grilling or sautéing.
#4 – Grilling Steaks!
Pre-heat the LeMax™ 8 minutes setting #12. Either marinate your meat or rub a small amount of oil on the meat. Add salt, pepper and seasonings. For a one inch thick steak, grill the first side approx. 1 minute at setting #12 turn meat and grill the other side for 1 minute. Now reduce the temperature to setting #9 without turning, leave it for approx. 2 to 3 more minutes longer. Turn the steak once more, grill another 2 to 3 minutes and your steak should be a perfect medium to medium rare.
#5 – Grilling Fish! – Direct Method
Pre-heat the LeMax™ 7 minutes setting #10. We suggest when grilling fish to put a small layer of flour on the skin. The flour closes the pores and keeps the skin in tact. Take a plate and put some flour on it.
Add salt, pepper and seasoning. Lay the fish in the flour mixture and turn so that both sides of the fish have touched the flour. Shake the fish slightly to remove excess flour. Place your favorite oil directly on the grill where the fish will be grilling (let it get hot). Now grill the fish on both sides until done.
#6 – Grilling Fish! – In Aluminum Foil
Cooking in aluminum foil is a great way to prepare fish. The fish will cook very quickly and can be cooked along side of meats without the flavor of the fish interacting with the meats. Fish can be stuffed with vegetables, then steamed or sautéed with butter in the aluminum foil.
Fish Recipe – Trout in Aluminum Foil: Take a whole cleaned trout. Place it on the aluminum foil. Spread some softened butter on both sides of the fish and sprinkle with salt and pepper. On the inside of the fish add salt, pepper, garlic a few thin slices of onion, a couple pats of butter and some lemon juice. Close the aluminum foil around the fish (like a taco) Seal the open edges by turning twice and pinching so that the juices stay in the aluminum. The pouch should be about 1.5 inches wider than the edges of the fish after sealing. Pre-heat the LeMax™ 5 minutes setting #10. Place the aluminum foil on the grill and cook each side about 8 to 10 minutes depending on the size of the fish, Place the pouch on a serving platter, cut the aluminum pouch open with a scissors, taking care to avoid the steam.
#7 – Cooking Vegetables!
Pre-heat LeMax™ 5 minutes setting #8. Vegetables can be cooked directly on the glass or in aluminium foil. If using aluminium foil the result will be more of a steamed vegetable. With this method you can either add a little water inside the aluminium or a few pats of butter. This is a great way for making potatoes. Slice the potatoes ¼ inch thick add butter, salt and pepper. Cook each side of the aluminium pouch approx. 10 minutes. Remove and keep in foil until you have finished grilling your meats. When cooking directly on the glass the best way is to use 2 spatulas when turning the vegetables using the same motion as if you were lightly tossing a salad.
#8 – Use as a Griddle!
Pre-heat LeMax™ 5 minutes #8. Temperature can be adjusted to your liking. For pancakes, put a very small amount of oil on the LeMax™ and rub it over the surface with a paper towel. It is not necessary to add oil for every batch only when the pancakes start to stick should you add a little more. For eggs, only put a little fat under where the egg is to cook. For toast, just lay dry bread on the LeMax™. When it is browned to your liking, turn and brown the other side. Grilled cheese sandwiches can be made with or without buttering the sides.
#9 – Cleaning!
Every LeMax™ is provided with a ceramic-glass scraper. To clean up as simply as possible, always scrape over the glass while it is still hot. Scrape the excess residue into the grease-pan. When replacing the grease pan make sure it is placed under the lip of the glass. Once the LeMax™ is cooled down you can wash it with soapy water. Once in a while it is a good idea to use a ceramic glass polish to bring the surface back to a brilliant shine. For difficult clean-ups, place a couple layers of very wet paper towels on the cooled down LeMax. Turn the LeMax™ on full power until the paper towels start to steam. Immediately turn the LeMax™ off and unplug. Using a spatula, push back and forth over the steaming paper towels to remove the excess deposits. Use tongs to pick up the paper towel for safety’s sake.
Replace scraper when blade is dull. Scrapers can be purchased in most hardware stores and appliance stores.
#10 – HAVE FUN!
Always refer to the main User’s Manual for complete instructions!