Industry Insider: PMA Outdoor

Outdoor cooking enthusiasts have another item to add to their “wish list:” a Solaire infrared grill.

Grills that use this type of technology produce food to rival that served in the finest restaurants, in a fraction of the time you are used to spending on outdoor cooking, said Tom Patton, north suburban territory manager for PMA Outdoor of St. Charles, the local distributor for Rasmussen Iron Works of Whittier, Calif., manufacturer of Solaire grills.

“The intensity of the heat produced by Solaire grills sears in the juices, prevents the food from becoming dried out and preserves the flavor of the meat. In addition, drippings instantly vaporize, adding a great natural flavor to the food,” Patton said. “Everything comes off the grill tender and succulent.”

Infrared grilling also has the advantage of being more efficient, cutting preheating and cooking time in half and cutting gas usage, as well. Solaire burners are ready to grill in only three minutes, as opposed to up to 15 minutes for other grills, Patton said. Then, with most meats you simply cook two minutes on each side to sear in the juices, then cut back the heat and cook to each person’s preferred “doneness.”

“Cutting down the amount of time it takes to cook dinner is really nice when people’s lives are so busy,” he said. “And since infrared grills heat food directly, not the air around the food, you can even grill when the weather is frigid.”

Solaire grills are powered by gas — either liquid propane from a tank or natural gas piped from the home — and their use of that gas is 60 percent more efficient than conventional convection grills, Patton said.

“Our ceramic infrared burners utilize the gas more efficiently. That is why we are able to preheat in only three minutes.”

Unlike conventional grills that cook using convection, during which heated molecules of air bump into other molecules and rise up to transfer heat to the food, infrared grills use radiant heating, which causes organic molecules in food to vibrate and produce heat without using any intermediary such as air or water.

The Solaire website describes this difference. “Think for a minute what a hot wind does to your skin. It dries it out,” it states. “A convection grill is doing the same thing to your food. All that rising hot air carries away a little bit of moisture each time it blows by.

“Infrared energy has the opposite effect, actually driving moisture away from the surface and deep into the item being grilled. This process enhances flavor and creates a succulence that is difficult to replicate with other cooking methods.”

Solaire grills come in many different sizes and may be either built-in or used on a movable cart. The smallest is a tailgater size that sells for $400, while the largest is a 56-inch grill that lists for $12,000. In between there are models sold in five other sizes.

All are made from polished, professional grade stainless steel for a clean appearance. They are easy to clean with grids that pop right out and very few seams to catch dirt and grease. The ceramic burners come with a lifetime warranty.

Rasmussen Iron Works introduced “Solaire” to the gas grill market 11 years ago. Patton said the product was originally made in Taiwan, but company officials have been producing it in American factories for the past six years.

“Solaire was Rasmussen’s first entry into the grill market. The company began over 100 years ago as a blacksmith shop that made iron tools for fireplaces,” he said. They later expanded into making burners for artificial log fireplaces and today they make infrared grills, as well as gas log burners and contemporary burners like fire balls and fire stones.

The company is still family-owned and in its fourth generation of management.

PMA Outdoor in St. Charles has been a distributor for Rasmussen products, Toro power equipment, Empire Gas Fireplaces and Broilmaster grills for more than 20 years. They do not sell directly to the public, instead selling through independent dealers around the area, including Fireplace and Chimney Authority in Lisle, Hearth and Home in Mount Prospect and Grassroots Energy in Wauconda, to name a few.

For more information about Solaire grills, including demonstration videos and a list of all authorized dealers, visit www.solairechicago.com.