Napoleon LEX 485, Instructions Manual

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Infrared Grilling Chart
Food Control Setting Cooking Time Helpful Suggestions
Steak
1 in. (2.54cm) thick
High setting 2 min. each side.
High setting 2 min. each side
then medium setting.
High setting 2 min. each side
then medium setting.
4 min. – Rare
6 min. – Medium
8 min. – Well done
When selecting meat for grilling,
ask for marbled fat distribution.
The fat acts as a natural
tenderizer while cooking and
keeps it moist and juicy.
Hamburger
1/2 in. (1.27cm) thick
High setting 2 min. each side.
High setting 2 1/2 min. each
side.
High setting 3 min. each side.
4 min. – Rare
5 min. – Medium
6 min. – Well done
Preparing hamburgers to order
is made easier by varying the
thickness of your patties. To add
an exotic taste to your meat,
try adding hickory-flavored
woodchips to Napoleon’s
woodchip smoker.
Chicken pieces High setting 2 min. each side.
then medium-low to low
setting.
20-25 min. The joint connecting the thigh
and the leg from the skinless
side should be sliced 3/4 of the
way though for the meat to lay
flatter on the grill. This helps it
to cook faster and more evenly.
To add a trademark taste to your
cooking, try adding mesquite-
flavoured woodchips to your
Napoleon woodchip smoker,
optional accessory.
Pork chops Medium 6 min. per side Trim off the excess fat before
grilling. Choose thicker chops for
more tender results.
Spare ribs High setting for 5 minutes
low to finish
20 min. per side
turn often
Choose ribs that are lean and
meaty. Grill until meat easily
pulls away from the bone.
Lamb chops High setting for 5 minutes
medium to finish
15 min. per side Trim off the excess fat before
grilling. Choose extra thick
chops for more tender results.
Hot dogs Medium - Low 4-6 min. Select the larger size wieners.
Slit the skin lengthwise before
grilling.
Infrared Heat
Most people don’t realize that the heat source we are most familiar with, our sun, warms the earth using mainly
infrared energy. This is a form of electro-magnetic energy with a wavelength just greater than the red end of the
visible light spectrum but less than a radio wave. This energy was discovered in 1800 by Sir William Herschel who
dispersed sunlight into its component colors using a prism. He showed that most of the heat in the beam fell into the
spectral region just beyond the red end of the spectrum, where no visible light existed. Most materials readily absorb
infrared energy in a wide range of wavelengths, causing an increase in its temperature. The same phenomenon causes
us to feel warmth when we are exposed to sunlight. The infrared rays from the sun travel through the vacuum of
space, through the atmosphere, and penetrate our skin. This causes increased molecular activity in the skin, which
creates internal friction and generates heat, allowing us to feel warmth.
Foods cooked over infrared heat sources are heated by the same principle. Charcoal grilling is our most familiar choice
for infrared cooking. The glowing briquettes emit infrared energy to the food being cooked with very little drying
effect. Any juices or oils that escape from the food drip onto the charcoal and vaporize into smoke giving the food
its delicious grilled taste. The Napoleon infrared burner cooks in the same way. In each burner, 10,000 ports – each
with its own tiny flame – cause the surface of the ceramic tile to glow red. This glow emits the same type of infrared
heat to the food as charcoal, without its hassle or mess. Infrared burners also provide a more consistently heated area
that is far easier to regulate than a charcoal fire. For instant searing, the burners can be set to high, yet they can also
be turned down for slower cooking. We all know how difficult that is on a charcoal fire. Traditional gas burners heat
the food in a different way. The air surrounding the burner is heated by the combustion process and then rises to the
food being cooked. This generates lower grill temperatures that are ideal for more delicate cuisine such as seafood
or vegetables, whereas Napoleon’s infrared burners produce searing heat for juicier, tastier steaks, hamburgers and
other meats. For cooking times and tips refer to the Infrared Grilling Chart.