The ultimate grilling guide: how to use an electric grill

With spring in full bloom and that first little heatwave already come and gone, it’s time to start looking forward to the summer. That means days in the park, long evenings in the back garden – and, of course, barbeques!

11 June 2021

The familiar smell of food sizzling on the grill is one of the best parts of the great British summertime, and one of the things we dream of most during the long, dark winter days. Well, the time has arrived, and we’re sure you’ve got some big plans. As lockdown eases, why not have a few friends round and have a proper catch-up over some delicious food?

Photograph of man grilling pork on the Swan Stealth Smart Grill next to a plate of vegetarian burgers

However, barbeques aren’t always plain sailing. In all the excitement and anticipation, it’s easy to forget some of those familiar struggles. Waiting while it heats up, trying to control the temperature, making sure everything is cooked properly… And then there’s the cleaning up afterwards! It’s easy for a fun little get-together to turn into a real chore. Not only that, but if you’re health-conscious and trying to make positive food choices, it’s not always easy. Barbeques are synonymous with burgers, sausages, and other high-fat, high-calorie meats. There are also suggestions that the smoke from your barbeque can have other negative health consequences.

So, with all this in mind, you might well be looking for an easier, healthier way to enjoy that perennial summer treat. Or you may even simply want to find a simple solution to grilling that you can use all year round to make more nutritious – and delicious! – meals. If so, why not consider investing in an electric grill? It can offer the delicious grilled flavour of the classic summer barbeque, while avoiding so many of the downsides. Read on to find out everything you need to know about electric grills. They might be just the solution you’ve been looking for.

Photograph of woman adjusting the settings on the Swan Stealth Smart Grill cooking vegetarian burger patties in a black fitted kitchen

How to use an electric grill

If you’re new to electric grills, there’s one question that is likely at the forefront of your mind: how do you use one? Thankfully, the answer is quite simple! Electric grills, unlike traditional barbeques, come with a simple on-off power button. Once it’s turned on, the grill will begin to pre-heat. (This is assuming you’ve plugged it in and turned it on at the wall, of course!) Most grills will have an indicator light to tell you when the grill has reached the desired temperature. Once it’s ready, you simply need to lay your chosen food on the cooking plates and close the lid. You can lightly oil the grill beforehand if you choose, but usually, only a little oil or spray will be needed. This makes using an electric grill a much healthier option than frying, for instance.

Some grills, such as our Stealth Smart Grill, come with a range of pre-set options to help you. With the Stealth Smart Grill, you can use the handy dial to select the appropriate option. Whether you’re cooking steak, chicken, or fish – among others! – there’s a setting for you.

Once you’ve placed your food on the grill and closed it, the Stealth Smart Grill will detect the thickness and adjust the cooking time accordingly. All you need to do is sit back and wait! Or why not get on with those other little bits of food prep while the Smart Grill works its magic? The display on the front of the grill will light up as your food cooks, moving from “rare” to “well-done”. So, there’s no need for guesswork! You’ll know the moment your food is ready to go.

Close-up of Swan stealth smart grill cooking meat

The benefits of electric grills

Our little overview of how to use an electric grill has already displayed one of their major benefits – they’re easy to use! Not only do they turn on and off at the touch of a button, but they also heat up quickly to a controlled temperature. You can avoid all the uncertainty that surrounds cooking on a barbeque. How long will it take to heat up? Will it get hot enough? All these questions will be a thing of the past.

So too, will those worries about whether your sausages are properly cooked. Alas, barbeque season is also the season of food poisoning. The Food Standards Agency even suggests pre-cooking your food in the oven before you barbeque it. Well, your Stealth Smart Grill will take all that uncertainty away. The display on the front will tell you exactly how far along your food is, and beep to tell you when it’s well done.

And the benefits continue after all the cooking is done and everyone has eaten their fill. We all know just how unpleasant it can be trying to scrape all the grease and grime off your barbeque grill. In fact, it can make for a rather depressing end to a lovely day! With an electric grill, by contrast, you’ll have a far easier time. Read on below to find out how to keep your electric grill in sparkling condition.

Photograph of the Swan Stealth Smart Grill open on a black countertop next to two burgers, side of coleslaw and salad

How to clean an electric grill

Many electric grills – including the Stealth Smart Grill – come with a non-stick coating on the cooking plates. This means that most of the grease or fat from your food will run straight off into the handy drip trays. What is more, the Smart Grill’s cooking plates are removable. This means that not only are they easy to wipe clean, but you can also submerge them in warm, soapy water to make the process even simpler.

The drip trays, as you might expect, will collect most of the oil and fat that runs off your food. As well as making the whole process healthier, it’ll also help you when it comes to cleaning. The drip trays are dishwasher safe, so cleaning them is perfectly easy. However, you may want to wear gloves when you remove them; depending on how much cooking you’ve done, they can get a little grimy! Also, be sure to leave any oil or residue to cool before removing them.

Close up of blue tongs flipping beef burgers that are cooking on the Swan Stealth Smart Grill

Our top tips for using your electric grill

So, we’ve covered most of the basics, and hopefully answered any burning questions you might have about how to use an electric grill. But we thought it would be nice to add a few extra tips to help you get the most out of your appliance!

For quicker pre-heating, be sure to close the lid of the grill. Keeping the cooking plates together like this will help them heat up faster.
Avoid using metal tongs or a knife – or anything metal at all, really! – when removing food from the grill. It can be easy to accidentally scratch the non-stick coating on the cooking plates.
If you select the “beef” pre-set option on the Stealth Smart Grill, you will hear a beep when the food reaches both “rare” and “medium”. Otherwise, you will only hear a beep when it reaches “well done”.
As with a regular barbeque, it’s a great idea to season or marinate your meat before cooking it on the grill. For the best results, why not leave it in the marinade overnight to absorb all the flavour?

Photograph of the Swan Stealth Smart Grill next to a plate of grilled cauliflower, couscous and grilled pork on a bed of asparagus

Recipe ideas for your electric grill

So, you’ve got your new Stealth Smart Grill unpacked and ready to go. But you’re mind’s a blank – what to make? The sheer number of options can seem overwhelming. Here are a few suggestions to get you started!

This Spiced BBQ Pork Chops recipe from Good Housekeeping is the perfect way to enjoy some authentic barbeque goodness on your electric grill. The mix of spices will add a lovely heat to the tender pork.
On our very own Swan website, you can find this delicious bacon and egg grilled breakfast burrito recipe. It’s truly the perfect way to start a lazy Sunday, especially if the night before was a little full-on!
And don’t forget that your electric grill isn’t just a simple, quick and healthy way to cook your favourite meats. It’s perfect for vegetables too! Why not try Taste of Home’s delicious grilled brussels sprouts? It’s good enough to convince even the most ardent of sprout-deniers!

The perfect solution to summer cooking!

So now you know all about how to use an electric grill, and the many advantages it brings. So why not treat yourself to a shiny new Stealth Smart Grill to celebrate the coming of summer? This year more than ever, we need to enjoy our summer in style. The Stealth Smart Grill is a simple, quick, and easy way to cook delicious grilled food without all the downsides of the traditional barbeque. For those who want to enjoy all their favourite summertime dishes without taking too much of a hit to the waistline, this is the option for you! And once the summer is over, you’ll be able to continue making tasty and nutritious dishes all through the colder months – but don’t think about that too much just yet!