The new Stainless Steel Hotplate provide a large cooking area for traditional style BBQing on the Z Grills smoker. Designed to work in Z Grills 7002B and 700E-XL smokers with vented grease trays.
Hotplate Handles
The handles should be fitted into the side slots before use.
Stand the plate on the end and push down and across into the hole. They are quite stiff (strong) to ensure they can hold the weight of the tray with food.
The handles are design to easily lift out a hot and greasy hotplate.
Wear heat proof gloves when lifting out the hotplate if still hot.
Where to Position
Remove the left grill rack and drop the hotplate into place before turning the grill on, as it will take some time to heat up.
For most normal hotplate cooking the grease tray vents can remain covered in foild as the grill can still reach over 220℃, which is sufficient.
For higher temperatures (over 220℃), uncover the grease tray vents (which should normally be covered in foil). This will allow the hotplate to reach 250℃ or higher which is better for searing meat.
Preparing Food
It is best to allow food, in particular meat, to come to food temperature before placing on the hotplate. It will cook more evenly and be less likely to stick.
If cooking a steak, pat dry with kitchen paper and lightly salt steak before cooking. The dryer surface will allow for a better sear and formation of beautiful crust.
How to Cook
Stainless steel has a slightly porous surface that food can stick to if placed on too early while still heating up. To prevent this, preheat the hotplate, by placing it in before firing up the grill, and waiting until it is hot before placing oil or food on.
Putting oil onto a cold hotplate will result in it soaking into the surface of the metal leading to brown discolouration and sticking.
Test the temperature readiness by sprinkling a few drops of water. Once hot enough, the water will form little round beads that glide around.
Once preheated, add oil then the food. Don’t flip the food straight away, instead, allow it to cook enough long enough to form a crust that results in it breaking away from the metal surface. This will allow it to lift off the surface similar to a non-stick pan.
Never pour cold liquid onto the hotplate when hot, as it can cause it to warp.
Baking Paper
A layer of baking paper (not grease proof paper) can be placed on the hotplate for easy non-stick cooking of more sensitive food types like eggs or pancakes. Just spray a thin layer of oil onto the hotplate first, then place on the baking paper.
Baking paper has a maximum temperature rating of 230℃, so it is best to keep the grease tray vents covered, or set the grill temperature to maximum of 200℃ to keep within that range. Even with the vents covered the plate will get hot enough for hotplate cooking.
How to Clean
Soak with hot soapy water and clean with plastic brush and gentle scouring pad.
For deeper stains use Bar Keepers Friend Cookware Cleaner (or similar) powder that is suitable for stainless steel cookware.
Any common cleaning method recommended for stainless steel cookware will also be suitable.