Processbeginnerdraft
Radiant heat (grill, top heat)
Also searched as: grill, broiler, top heat, salamander, infrared
In short: Embers and heating elements radiate heat straight onto the surface, like the sun. That browns quickly but barely cooks inwards.
Picture it
Like sun on your skin: the surface gets hot, underneath it stays cool.
Level 1 · Grill from above≈ 20 cm
Simplified model
What happens
Radiation needs no air. It hits the surface and heats it strongly. The closer to the source, the more intense; at twice the distance, only about a quarter.
Why it matters
The grill and top heat are ideal for gratinating and for a crust, but thick pieces also need indirect heat.
Rules of thumb
- Distance from the heat source is the dial.
- Thick pieces: indirect first, then direct.
Levers
1
Temperaturecloser → much hotter
Related entries
Sources · 1
- Harold McGee: On Food and Cooking (2004)