jps246's Full Review: George Foreman GR26CB XL Indoor Grill
Having gone from living single for years, to living with my partner, it was time to upgrade my old George Foreman Grill. The one that I had was fairly small and after all those years of use, I figured it could stand to be retired. So I went shopping and picked up the George Foreman XL Indoor Grill as its replacement. Since then, we’ve both been perfectly happy with our new grill.
Details
Slightly larger than it’s predecessor, the George Foreman XL Indoor Grill is about 10 inches or so wide and about a foot deep. So the machine alone takes up almost a square foot of counter space. You will also want to keep most other items away from the grill when you are using it, as there is steam and heat given off by the machine that could affect those items (especially keep away anything that is plastic or easily damaged).
The grill has space for about 4 regular size hamburgers, two chicken breasts, or two pork chops. If you finagle the spacing and placement of the food, you’d probably be able to fit more on at the same time. All three choices will come out quite good on this grill - because the grill cooks from both sides at the same time, there is no flipping involved and everything is cooked evenly. The wonderful thing about the grill is that because you have high heat and you are cooking from both sides – the food is seared and all the juices stay inside while you are cooking. You don’t get that dried out hockey puck type meal that you can sometimes get when you use a regular grill or your oven with this grill. Though getting the food to come out exactly right will take some practice – even an extra minute in the grill will make a huge difference in the doneness of the food – and if you leave it on too long – the food can come out very well done.
There is no temperature control on the George Foreman XL Indoor Grill – one setting fits all. Honestly though, it’s not something that you really have to worry about. Temperature is not what you should be concerned with, it’s the length of time you are cooking something. Thawed steak or chicken usually takes about 8 to 10 minutes, if that, depending on the thickness of the cut and pork chops and hamburgers take a little bit longer because you want to make sure that it is cooked throughout (well-done, we don’ want anyone getting food poisoning or trichinosis here).
The set-up of the grill is very easy. Plug it in and a small orange light comes on signifying that the grill is warming up. Slip the grease tray underneath the front of the George Foreman XL Indoor Grill and then when the light turns off, you’re ready to place your food on the grill. Place the food on the grill, close the lid and leave it alone until you think it’s ready to go. You’ll even be able to watch the grease drip off the food into the pan. I wouldn’t suggest continually opening up the grill, the high temperature from the two sides of the George Foreman XL Indoor Grill are what causes the food to cook quickly and seal in the moisture, by opening it up and looking, you’re reducing the heat and changing the cooking characteristics.
The grease try is probably the least well thought out portion of the grill (and I’ve had this complaint ever since I had a George Forman grill). Many times I have set up the grill and started cooking, only to realize that I had forgotten to put the catch-pan underneath and I had grease dribbling out on the counter. So be forewarned – make sure you set it up right beforehand.
Cleaning is generally easy – the grill comes with a fork shaped tool that is used to scrape up the burned on grease or other material stuck to the grill. Make sure the grill is unplugged, get a warm soapy sponge and use the sponge and the fork and 99% of the stuff should come right off the grill. A bit of elbow grease might be needed to get rid of everything – then just wipe it dry and it’s good to go for the next meal.
Experiences
What more can you really say about a grill that takes up about as much room as a frying pan or a large pot and that can finish a meal in about 10 minutes? This grill can almost replace that frying pan and makes you want to use that pot a lot less often. I find myself grilling everything – from steaks and chicken to vegetables and breads. The George Foreman XL Indoor Grill makes tasty grilled dishes in minutes and cleanup is a snap.
I’ll warn you that you don’t quite get an outdoor grill taste with this grill – it’s in between a grilled taste and the taste you get from roasting something in the oven. However, the tenderness and juiciness you get, I haven’t seen replicated very often in other cooking methods. For foods to cook, I would say that chicken breasts and hamburgers are the best to cook on this grill, followed by small steaks and pork chops. If you do decide to do pork chops, go with the boneless kind (that goes for any cut of meat – no bones). The bones prevent the grill from closing all the way and can scratch the Teflon interior of the grill.
Another great use of the grill is to create hot pocket type meals. If you take two pieces of bread, fill them with whatever you want (chicken and cheese, ham and turkey, etc…) and then put it in the grill – after a few minutes, you open it up and voila, you have this grilled sandwich sealed in between the two pieces of bread. It’s great to pack away and then heat up at lunchtime in the microwave while you are at work.
Cleaning can be a bit of a pain - the forked tool that they provide with the grill works, but I do find that I have to use the sponge to get a lot of the grease off. Plus like anything with grease on it - the grease you can never get off (I know it's on there - since even with scrubbing and wiping it down with a dry cloth afterwards) - there is that distinctive smell from the grease. Just make sure you scrub it and wipe it down after each use and that shouldn't be too much of a problem.
Final Thoughts
The George Foreman XL Indoor Grill is not going to replace your outdoor barbeque, but it sure makes it a lot easier to get that grilled taste and flavor whenever you want it and without the hassle of a regular grill. Plus it’s a whole lot warmer inside in the winter than it would be outside trying to get your grill going.
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