Indoor grill and method of grilling foods
OwnerMargaret A. Kidushiminventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An arrangement for barbecue cooking indoors on an existing gas or electric heating element includes a base, substantially rectangular in plan view, having a water well concavity sized radially and in depth to receive water and a substantial volume of stones of high surface area to volume ratio. A grill element conforming to and seated on the base has apertures communicating with the water well area and the stones, such that drippings from the food fall into the stones while vapors from the heated stones flow back to the items being cooked. A barbecue flavor is imparted to the food while at the same time it is cooked rapidly and efficiently.
Claims6
An indoor grill for using an existing heating element, electric or gas, to provide a grilled food with a flavor characteristic of an outdoor barbecue, comprising the combination of:
- base means defining a central aperture and a water reservoir about the central aperture, the water reservoir having a concave shape, the bottom of which is to rest on a surface (above) about the heating element, and an interior water containing volume sufficient to permit usage during a normal cooking operation without significant evaporation;
- a plurality of high surface area stones of transverse dimension sufficient to substantially encompass the depth of the water reservoir, distributed through the water reservoir about the heating element;
- and
- a grill panel seated on the base and spanning the water reservoir, the grill panel including a central surface area for the food being grilled above the heating element and a peripheral area including means defining apertures about the central surface area and coextensive with the area including the stones in the water reservoir.
A device for indoor preparation of grilled foods on a stovetop heating element, comprising the combination of:
- a base having a generally rectangular periphery with rounded corners and including a peripheral rim and a seating shoulder within the peripheral rim, and an upstanding central rim defining a central aperture of a size to accommodate a stovetop heating element therewithin, the space within the seating shoulder being formed as a concavity about the central ring that defines a water well having a radial span approximately equal to the radius of the central opening, and a depth substantially equal to its radial span, for containment of a substantial amount of water in the water well;
- a plurality of irregular shaped impermeable stones each having a high surface area to total volume ratio, disposed throughout the water well;
- and
- a surface panel having a periphery disposed within and mating with the seating shoulder of the base, the surface panel being an integral generally planar member having an uppermost central area with sides slanted at a low angle to the outer periphery, and including a plurality of apertures therethrough in the region coextensive with the water well of the base, such that the base, when positioned with the central aperture about a heating element of the stovetop, is open to permit direct heating of the surface panel, with heat being transmitted radially to the stones and the water in the water well and with the juices from food being cooked descending outwardly to the apertures to fall on the stones and the water.
A device for indoor preparation of grilled foods on a stove top panel including a heating element, comprising the combination of:
- a base panel including a concave, open topped ring, the base of which seats on a stove top panel about a heating element, the open topped ring defining a central aperture large enough to encompass the heating element, the base panel including an upwardly curved central wall defining the central aperture and an upwardly curved outer wall terminating in an uppermost peripheral lip, the concave ring of the base panel defining an interior water containing well for confining a predetermined height of water within the well;
- a plurality of high surface area stones having complex configurations including surface concavities, the stones having transverse dimensions greater than the predetermined height of the water, and disposed in the well about the central aperture;
- and
- a grill panel having an outer periphery shaped to seat on the peripheral lip of the base panel, the grill panel having a central upper surface area slanting downwardly on all sides to the grill panel periphery, and including outer apertures disposed within the outer periphery of the grill panel and substantially laterally coextensive with stones in the water well of the base panel, such that a food disposed on the central surface area of the grill panel is grilled by the stove top heating element and drippings drain outwardly and downwardly to the peripheral apertures, and drop onto the stones and into the water, with the temperature of the stones being limited by the water, such that aromatic vapors from the stones are returned via the apertures into the vicinity of the food being grilled.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.