CUISINART or BREVILLE SMART GRILL...What Food Do You Grill/Cook most often?

AZ Jan · ‎03-17-2010

I'm thinking about purchasing a Breville Smart Grill, but they are very expensive. I want to cook more healthy foods to try and lose some weight.

If you own one, what do you Grill or cook most often? I was thinking Chicken Breasts, Pork Chops mainly. Do you marinate the meat you cook or just use herbs?

How about veggies. Anyone have any recommended recipes?

TIA❣

Kachina624 · ‎03-10-2010

I own a George Foreman grill but haven't used in over 5-6 years. I hate cleaning it and there are a million easier ways of cooking a boneless, skinless chicken breast. Typically, I'll cook several pounds of them in my 6qt pressure cooker, then I have a lot of chicken meat I can use for salads, in casseroles, soups, just about any chicken recipe. I remove any trace of fat before I cook them. I dont especially like to cook so it's helpful to have all the meat cooked and ready.

I also have a Rangemate, sold here at QVC, I use when I'm in a hurry and just need 2-3 breasts. It's done in the microwave. As a rule, dieters don't eat pork chops.

Here are some recipes poster @momtochloe posted recently.

Click Chicken Recipes

New Mexico☀️Land Of Enchantment

quick cooking mom · ‎05-27-2015

We have the Cuisinart Griddler GR-4N. There's newer griddlers out there, but they don't have the optional griddle plates that are available for this one. The reversable grill/griddle plates have held up nicely with hand washing, and they are very stick-free. We do sandwiches with the grill plates, occasionally hamburgers, and grilled cheese with the griddle plates. It also opens flat, and I've used the griddle for pancakes and eggs. One thing to note though.... one time my husband didn't have the griddle hot enough, and his egg went "right down the drain" (drain hole) before he could catch it (wished I could have been there to see that!). I made french toast with the waffel plates last weekend. Best to use smaller bread, like sandwich loaf size, and it was way better than doing it on a griddle or frying pan. The family loved it! We've also done the cinnamon rolls with the waffel plates like was shown on the george foreman presentation. You can due 4 at a time, and only takes about 3 minutes at 375 griddle setting. The drip pan works well, is easy to access, and the rest of the grill cleans nicely. If there is stuck on crud around the edge of the lid, I use my magic erraser as it takes it off the brushed stainless nicely.

So, I do variety. The griddler is nice for that. But if you are going to use mostly a grill function, you may want to go with a model that's bigger perhaps, or maybe that has ceramic plates? I guess just look at all the features, and decide what feature means the most to you. Hope this helps!

hookedonq · ‎06-10-2015

I purchased the Cuisinart for my parents (in their late 80s) as my mother was becoming fearful of the gas stove. They use it almost every day for burgers, sandwiches, paninis, fish, and probably other things I don't know about. She says the cleanup is easy.

quick cooking mom · ‎05-27-2015

I erred in my post. The griddler GR-4N has optional WAFFEL plates, not griddle plates. The plates that come with it are grill/griddle plates. Sorry for that!

AZ Jan · ‎03-17-2010

@Kachina624 wrote:
I own a George Foreman grill but haven't used in over 5-6 years. I hate cleaning it and there are a million easier ways of cooking a boneless, skinless chicken breast. Typically, I'll cook several pounds of them in my 6qt pressure cooker, then I have a lot of chicken meat I can use for salads, in casseroles, soups, just about any chicken recipe. I remove any trace of fat before I cook them. I dont especially like to cook so it's helpful to have all the meat cooked and ready.

I also have a Rangemate, sold here at QVC, I use when I'm in a hurry and just need 2-3 breasts. It's done in the microwave. As a rule, dieters don't eat pork chops.

Here are some recipes poster @momtochloe posted recently.

Click Chicken Recipes

Kachina624, WOW 134 Chicken Recipes...Bless your heart!

I'm not really a fan of pressure cooking...I have 3 of them and I guess I just don't get it (the infused flavor thing) just hasn't worked for me😔 On the other hand, both hubby n I like to grill...thus the Breville for grilling inside seemed like a great idea for us! Salmon the the grill is scrumptious!

You are right about pork chops and dieting, but I'm not a big fan of meat and for some reason, I do like pork chops.

Thanks for all of your help👏👏👏

AZ Jan · ‎03-17-2010

@quick cooking mom wrote:
We have the Cuisinart Griddler GR-4N. There's newer griddlers out there, but they don't have the optional griddle plates that are available for this one. The reversable grill/griddle plates have held up nicely with hand washing, and they are very stick-free. We do sandwiches with the grill plates, occasionally hamburgers, and grilled cheese with the griddle plates. It also opens flat, and I've used the griddle for pancakes and eggs. One thing to note though.... one time my husband didn't have the griddle hot enough, and his egg went "right down the drain" (drain hole) before he could catch it (wished I could have been there to see that!). I made french toast with the waffel plates last weekend. Best to use smaller bread, like sandwich loaf size, and it was way better than doing it on a griddle or frying pan. The family loved it! We've also done the cinnamon rolls with the waffel plates like was shown on the george foreman presentation. You can due 4 at a time, and only takes about 3 minutes at 375 griddle setting. The drip pan works well, is easy to access, and the rest of the grill cleans nicely. If there is stuck on crud around the edge of the lid, I use my magic erraser as it takes it off the brushed stainless nicely.

So, I do variety. The griddler is nice for that. But if you are going to use mostly a grill function, you may want to go with a model that's bigger perhaps, or maybe that has ceramic plates? I guess just look at all the features, and decide what feature means the most to you. Hope this helps!

Quick cooking mom, I think I actually drooled when you mentioned the cinnamon rolls LOL. Not dietary, but sound great!

Thanks for your hints on what features I should look for.

Blessings

beach-mom · ‎03-09-2010

@AZ Jan - We have the Breville. I've used it for everything - from steak to chicken to paninis. I do boneless chicken breasts a lot. Sometimes I marinate them, and sometimes I don't. I can't use anything really saucy on the one I have, but light marinades are OK. Steak is great - almost like grilling outside! Around this time of year I do German sausages. I make panini sandwiches all of the time; my children like those. They are so easy and they turn out well. Believe it or not, I've never done fish, and we have that a lot. I guess I stay mostly to my regular recipes and do them in the regular oven!

AZ Jan · ‎03-17-2010

@hookedonq wrote:
I purchased the Cuisinart for my parents (in their late 80s) as my mother was becoming fearful of the gas stove. They use it almost every day for burgers, sandwiches, paninis, fish, and probably other things I don't know about. She says the cleanup is easy.

Thanks, hookefonq! I am trying to downsize the amount of kitchen appliances I have and actually use. The Breville grill seems like something both my husband and I would use.

How sweet of you to purchase a Cuisinart for your parents! My mom just passed this last February, 97 years. I tried to do special things for her also. She lived in Michigan and I live in AZ. On days when I miss her so v much, I try n think of something I did or said that made her life a little easier or her voice a little more "joyful"🌹 It makes me feel better. I'm sure your parents appreciate you❣

Blessings

AZ Jan · ‎03-17-2010

@beach-mom wrote:
@AZ Jan - We have the Breville. I've used it for everything - from steak to chicken to paninis. I do boneless chicken breasts a lot. Sometimes I marinate them, and sometimes I don't. I can't use anything really saucy on the one I have, but light marinades are OK. Steak is great - almost like grilling outside! Around this time of year I do German sausages. I make panini sandwiches all of the time; my children like those. They are so easy and they turn out well. Believe it or not, I've never done fish, and we have that a lot. I guess I stay mostly to my regular recipes and do them in the regular oven!

Thanks, beach-mom. I think the Breville grill is the way I'm going! The more I think about it, the more I like the idea of being able to grill in the house.

Hope you have a Blessed weekend!