HANDS-ON: Winter BBQs back on the menu with indoor Philips Avance Grill
We here at Tech Digest aren’t normally ones for covering cooking appliances. We’d need Google Maps to find our way around a kitchen, with our culinary skills not stretching far beyond a top-notch Pot Noodle. But when Philips gave us the chance to try out their new Avance Grill, our inner Ron Swanson burst forth; after one of the wettest British summers on record, who’d say no to the chance of throwing a rain-free indoor barbecue?
That’s exactly what the Avance Grill lets you do. A 2000W grill designed for use inside the house, but without scrimping on the juicy flavours that characterise a great outdoor barbecue, it’s great for cooking red meats, poultry and fish, as well as grilling veg too.
As we stated earlier, Tech Digest weren’t in the queue when they started handing out Michelin Stars, but the Philips Avance Grill makes it simple for even amateur cooks to throw together a tasty meal. For starters, there’s just one control, a heat dial that lets you choose how hot you want the grill to get, with a handy indicator light that blinks off once the grill has warmed enough to cook on. Philips also throw in a simple cook book too, showing dozens of recipes that can be made simply by throwing all the ingredients in at once. It’s basically fool proof.
The Avance Grill’s secret weapon is its “Taste Infuser”, a small circular metal depository where you can pop in smoker chips. A packet of hickory chips come in the box, which when heated up in the compartment on the grill (and the glass lid has been shut in order to keep the smoke circulating around the meat) adds a sophisticated smoked taste to your dishes. A small well at the back of the grill can also be filled with water if you’re looking to steam meats, keeping steaks moist and fish from going too crisp.
Cleaning the grill is easy too. The glass covering panel slides out, as does the cooking grill itself, exposing the heating conductors below. The Taste Infuser pops out of the grill, and there’s a run off tray underneath that collects excess oil (keeping meals pretty healthy too). All these can then be soaked in warm soapy water, with the cooking grill and glass panel washable in a dishwasher.
Even with our lack of cooking experience, we were able to knock up a load of tasty dishes for a gang of pals in just 30 minutes or so, including preparation and beer-sipping time. As well as a great BBQ alternative on a rainy day, we’d also say the Avance Grill is a great going away present for students who aren’t too comfortable in a kitchen, as it’s so easy to use.
The Philips Avance Grill costs £120 and can be picked up from Argos and Homebase. Extra taste-infusing Smoker Chip packs in a handful of different flavours can be picked up for £7 from www.barbecook.com.
Scroll down for some more images of the Philips Avance Grill in action.
