Prestige Napoleon Prestige Series 500 Series 66 Inch Freestanding Grill Owner's Guide - Manual (Page 11)

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www.napoleongrills.com N415-0518 JAN 02.19
Infrared Heat
Most people don’t realize that the heat source we are most familiar with, our sun, warms the earth using
mainly infrared energy. This is a form of electro-magnetic energy with a wavelength just greater than
the red end of the visible light spectrum but less than a radio wave. This energy was discovered in 1800
by Sir William Herschel who dispersed sunlight into its component colors using a prism. He showed that
most of the heat in the beam fell into the spectral region just beyond the red end of the spectrum, where
no visible light existed. Most materials readily absorb infrared energy in a wide range of wavelengths,
causing an increase in its temperature. The same phenomenon causes us to feel warmth when we are
exposed to sunlight. The infrared rays from the sun travel through the vacuum of space, through the
atmosphere, and penetrate our skin. This causes increased molecular activity in the skin, which creates
internal friction and generates heat, allowing us to feel warmth.
Foods cooked over infrared heat sources are heated by the same principle. Charcoal grilling is our most
familiar choice for infrared cooking. The glowing briquettes emit infrared energy to the food being
cooked with very little drying effect. Any juices or oils that escape from the food drip onto the charcoal
and vaporize into smoke giving the food its delicious grilled taste. The Napoleon infrared burner cooks
in the same way. In each burner, 10,000 ports – each with its own tiny flame – cause the surface of the
ceramic tile to glow red. This glow emits the same type of infrared heat to the food as charcoal, without
its hassle or mess. Infrared burners also provide a more consistently heated area that is far easier to
regulate than a charcoal fire. For instant searing, the burners can be set to high, yet they can also be
turned down for slower cooking. We all know how difficult that is on a charcoal fire. Traditional gas
burners heat the food in a different way. The air surrounding the burner is heated by the combustion
process and then rises to the food being cooked. This generates lower grill temperatures that are ideal
for more delicate cuisine such as seafood or vegetables, whereas Napoleon’s infrared burners produce
searing heat for juicier, tastier steaks, hamburgers and other meats. For cooking times and tips refer to
the Infrared Grilling Chart.
INFRARED SIDEBURNER
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