Indoor Grilling When grilling outside just isn’t an option, don’t wait until next year. You can still enjoy the great taste of the grill all year long. Always remember - you can’t use your outdoor grill inside, even in your garage! Charcoal and gas grills produce large amounts of carbon monoxide and even small amounts can kill you. I know this might seem obvious to you, but every year a dozen people or more are killed using an outdoor grill inside. Indoor grilling must be done on a grill designed for indoor grilling. Types of Indoor Grills – There are basically two types, the open grill and the folding contact grill. The open grill is much like you would think of an outdoor grill. These electric appliances have a heating element and a grill-like cooking surface. While you have to flip foods to cook evenly, the experience of grilling is much more authentic and the flavor is closer to the real thing. On the other side is a contact grill which is basically a panini press. These have been popular in Europe for decades and are great for making sandwiches. Of course they are really using a grill (picture in your mind a "real" grilled cheese sandwich). The advantage of this style of grill is that they cook on both sides simultaneously and require less attention from the cook. This is my favorite way to prepare our sandwich steaks. Season them up, stick 'em on the pre-heated grill, wait 2 minutes and they are done! Burgers are also delicious on the panini grill.  Indoor Grilling – Just like outdoor grilling, indoor grilling requires attention from the cook. Don’t walk away from the grill. Remember you are indoors now; all smoke made from a fire or burning food isn’t going to get carried away on the wind. To reduce fat and to reduce the smoke generated by your indoor grill, trim excess fats from meats. The less fat the less burning, smoke, and of course, the less fat in you. Some open grills can let fat drippings get to heating elements. This can cause a fire, though the risk is very small. Keep a fire extinguisher in your kitchen. Not because indoor grilling is dangerous, but because it is always a good idea to have a fire extinguisher in your kitchen. It is also a good idea to have your grill near a kitchen vent or window. What to Grill – So what can you grill on your indoor grill? Most anything you would outside! Indoor grills don’t have the ability to drain liquids as well as outdoor grills, and you don’t want marinades running over your counter. So when grilling marinated meats, allow them to drain first on a cooking rack. While you can baste on an indoor grill you need to do so sparingly. Lightly brush basting solutions on foods, careful not to spill. Other than that you really can cook most anything that will fit on your grill so good luck to you and enjoy. For more great tips or to see more indoor grills visit The Grill Showroom.