Lava stone grills: what are they and what are they like?

Many restaurateurs dream of cooking vegetable, fish and meat dishes in the kitchens of their establishments, which will smell like smoke, as if they had just been removed from the fire. Many residents of the private sector dream of the same delights. And lava grills can make these desires come true. But before you buy them, you need to find out what they are and what they are.

Lava stone grill is a machine with which you can get aromatic and mouth-watering dishes that are absolutely safe for health. The main feature of these devices is that food is cooked without the use of fat.

The product consists of a lattice, a pallet where volcanic lava stones are laid, and electric heating elements or gas burners, which provide uniform heating of stones. Lava rocks, in addition to distributing heat over the surface of the grill, also absorb grease that drips from above.

Despite the apparent simplicity, lava grills differ from each other. They are of two types, depending on the power source.

• Electric. They work from the mains, and the role of heating devices is performed by heating elements or quartz lamps. The thermostat controls the temperature in this case. The maximum heating level for this type of unit is + 300C.
• Gas. The grill is connected to a natural gas supply system or a liquefied heating source, piezo ignition is provided. The kit includes a removable nozzle for liquefied gas.

Lava stone grill bodies are made of high-strength stainless steel, which does not lend itself to corrosion processes, is reliable in operation and easy to clean. Grill grates are also made of steel - uncomplicated, but durable.

Cast iron grates are much heavier, however, due to this, they retain heat from hot stones much longer. The grilles are removable for easy maintenance.

Lava stone grills, as a rule, have one or two working zones, but there are also combined models that use a ribbed frying surface, fatty meat or seafood is fried on it. Lean meats, fish and seafood are cooked on a smooth surface.

The control panel is easy to understand. A heating regulator is installed on it, it has from 2 to 10 positions (the number depends on the model), power indicator lights and a heating indicator.

By the presence of a pan for collecting fat, lava grills are divided into those with a pan and models without a pan. The latter option is bought more often, since such devices wash much faster.

Gas grills may have a fire extinguishing function.

Despite the variety of devices, grill lava has an undoubted advantage - dishes cooked both on gas and on an electric grill always turn out delicious, with a piquant aroma that is obtained thanks to the juice from meat or fish that flows down onto the stones and melts under the influence of high temperature.

And to make the finished dish even more popular with gourmets, culinary experts advise adding spices not to the product itself, but directly to the hot stones when cooking. The rising smoke from the hot lava rocks will saturate meat or fish with an insanely appetizing aroma of herbs and spices. No additional fat (vegetable and animal) or sprinkling of the semi-prepared ingredients with water is required during frying. Thus, dishes cooked on a lava grill will retain all their vitamins and minerals important for the human body.

As already noted, during cooking on a lava grill, finished products do not lose, but, on the contrary, retain all trace elements, which cannot be achieved when the ingredients are fried in a pan, and the bulk of the nutrients are irrevocably lost.

Another advantage of this machine is the fact that it is possible to cook different food products one by one, but their aromas and tastes will never mix.

Thus, food that has gone through the process of grilling with lava coals has the following advantages:

• gets the taste and aroma the same as can be caught from the delicacies cooked over the fire;
• ingredients are fried in their own marinade, while preserving all the useful elements;
• the cooking process takes less time than on a traditional frying pan.

Most often, lava grills are used in restaurants, cafes, fast foods, and bars. The use of such devices makes the menu of any catering establishment more sophisticated and attracts a much larger number of guests. A live fire not only helps to prepare healthy meals in a matter of minutes, thanks to it, food intake becomes much more interesting, because it is very pleasant to watch how food is prepared on an open flame. The process is mesmerizing and increases appetite.

Thanks to the grill, kebabs are easily prepared and sausages are heated, pizza is fried and shawarma is baked. The lava grill offers juicy beef, lamb or fish steaks, and the lava-style mini grills can also be installed in the backyard of your country house.

Using the device is quite easy, as well as cleaning it, but in order for a new device to work smoothly for many years, certain rules must be followed.

1. The arrangement of the lava grill must be carried out by a competent person, otherwise the warranty for the unit may be void.
2. The room where the lava stone grill will be installed should be spacious.
3. The hood must be installed.
4. It is forbidden to pour water on a hot grill, there is a high probability of damaging the heating elements. Water can be replaced with marinade, but only in small quantities.
5. The stones have a limited lifespan, but can be extended by regular calcination.

The process looks like this:

• the grate is removed and the burner turns on at full power;
• it is necessary to wait until the smoke from the stones completely dies out;
• the burner turns off and cools down;
• the grill is put in place;
• the stones and grate can be washed only after they have completely cooled down.

When choosing a lava grill, you should pay attention to important criteria that guarantee maximum convenience in the operation of the unit and its productivity.

• Device type. Before starting the search for equipment, you need to decide which power source is allocated for it. Electric grills are easier to install and less dangerous, so devices that are powered from a regular electrical outlet are more often chosen.
• The choice of the work surface. If the device is to be installed in a restaurant / cafe / bar, the choice of surface will largely depend on the restaurant's menu.If funds allow, several units with different surfaces can be installed at once. Thus, the assortment of the provided dishes can be supplemented with delicious delicacies. If the room is small, it is better to give preference to a combined device.
• Manufacturer. Large chains of catering establishments, as a rule, choose well-known manufacturers, fully trusting their products. Although in this case, part of the funds is spent "for the brand", but the costs are quickly recouped by high-quality service. The domestic market for lava grills is represented mainly by European brands. Among them: Bertos, Ewt Inox, Fimar.

Useful tips for using a lava grill below.