As a mother I am always seeking out new ways to make my family's diet a little healthier. I was sent a George Foreman grill and have been using it regularly to make family meals.
The new George Foreman grills come with removable plates which makes them much easier to clean. They come in 3 different sizes and we have the “family 5 portion”.
First a little info about these amazing grills!
The fat reducing grills are an ideal solution if you are looking for a healthier way to cook food. The patented angled grill channels fat and grease away from food into a separate flush fitting drip tray, removing up to 42% of fat*. In addition to this, the contact grilling from both sides applies gentle pressure onto food encouraging additional fat to be removed.
The new design of removable plate grills combine a sleek, contemporary look with innovative clever features which are designed to save you precious time by heating up, on average, 25% faster**. Not only do the grills reach higher temperatures in a faster heat up time meaning you’ll have more time to soak up the sun this summer, but the removable, dishwasher-safe grill plates means cleaning has never been so easy. You can simply pop these in the dishwasher, or soak these in the sink. The new, simpler push button release mechanism also makes your cooking time as easy and fuss free as possible.
The new Permacoat non-stick coating technology means the removable plate grills are incredibly durable and 3 times longer lasting***, so they are a great accessory you can rely on for many more occasions to come.
The grill is set up to use straight from the box, no assembling and no messing. It contains two grill plates, one at the top and one at the bottom, both of which are easily removed with easy press buttons.
Prior to plugging it in I have to run a little oil or butter into the grooves of the plates. I only use a minimal amount. Then plug in and wait for the green light to come on.
The drip tray needs placing under the grill. It does not attach to the unit. I did find it tends to move every now and then and especially when opening the lid.
For my first go at using new George Foreman I kept things safe and easy by using bacon and found it very easy to do. What I will say is you have to be very careful as once the green (ready to cook) light comes on, it gets very hot and the instructions advice using oven gloves and not touching or handling food near the grill.
As soon as I put the bacon on, it was already cooking and sizzling away and that is before I closed the lid so this gives you an idea of just how hot it gets. Whilst cooking it's easy to see the fat pouring down into the drip tray and away from the food.
Bacon only takes a few minutes and probably much faster than a normal grill. When cooked it tastes exactly
the same as it would any other way but with much less fat and oil.
I have since made lots of other things using the George Foreman too. Almost anything that can be grilled or fried can be cooked on one of these. The instructions have a handy guide explaining how long each item should be cooked for. As the grill had 2 hot plates it also means the food does not need to be turned. I have cooked steak, chicken fillets, sausages, bacon and even fish on mine.
The instruction booklet also comes with several recipes for all sorts of foods. Even a banana one which sounds delicious and I think I may just have to attempt that one.
Now I have also heard that people cook fried eggs on these. However I would not personally try this as I can imagine it being a little messy and may not work out.
Cleaning is very easy. First switch off and unplug and wait until the unit cools down (20 minutes) then remove the drip tray and the two plates which can they all be washed in hot soapy water. I found they cleaned easily using a sponge and even more stubborn particles easily came off once soaked. The unit can then be gently wiped down if needed and it's good to go again for next time.
GOOD POINTS
I am enjoying using the George Foreman as I know it's more healthier for us and all the food both looks and tastes less greasy. Also as it's a separate unit and not attached to my cooker it's free of that cooker smell which sometimes builds up and can be off putting. Not that my cooker is dirty but most people will know what I mean by that. It's also portable and so can be placed and used anywhere in my kitchen, or even taken elsewhere. As it's a compact lightweight size it can easily be stored In a cupboard too when not in use.
WHAT I WOULD CHANGE
I would not call these negative points but more things that could be improved slightly.
• first the lead is very short. I'm not sure if this is because of safety reasons but I think people who are short of space and plug sockets may have difficulties and may need to use an additional extension socket.
•The drip tray tends to slide about a little when in use. Maybe a way of temporarily attaching it to the unit whilst in use would improve this.
My overall opinion of George Foreman grills is good. I had heard of them before, as have most people and I am now happy to be using one to make my children's meals a little healthier.
I think they are a useful investment for a one off payment of approximately £64.99 for the 5 portion family grill.
This can purchased directly from the George Foreman website as well as many other places.