Do you even broil bro? Ok, that is probably not something you would hear in real life, but now we have you thinking, don’t we? Do you know what a broiler is and how to use it? We wanted to share some info about this classic cooking technique and a few easy entry-level recipes to try so you can get more comfortable selecting that “Broil” setting on your oven from Village Home Stores every now and then. If you are near your oven or even a counter toaster oven, go open the door and peek up top in the cavity. See that heating element? That’s your broiler. Didn’t spot it? If you have a broiler button or setting on your range and didn’t spot it in the oven cavity, check the drawer below. Some ranges/stoves from Village have the broiler located in the bottom drawer.
What is a Broiler and How Do I Use It?
So, what is a broiler even and how do you use it? A broiler is an added element and setting in your oven. It gives you a high heat directly focused on a single side of your food (like grilling). You can use it to prep entire dishes or finish them off with an added char, crust, or caramelization. Instead of surrounding your dish with dry hot air like a conventional oven setting, you get direct heat aimed at one side at a time. Most of the stove/oven options available from Village Home Stores include a broiler. Options and accessories may vary depending on what model you choose. Are you a serious home chef? We even have electric infrared broilers available from our Viking Range line to give you a patented at-home restaurant performing broiler.
For most recipes, you will want a broiler pan. This is just a 2-piece pan that includes a shallow pan with a drip tray that fits inside of it. If you use a baking sheet, just be sure that your pan can handle the high heat of the broiler without warping during use. Before you turn on the broiler, move your oven rack up to the position you would like it to be. Test out the height of the rack and your broiler pan to make sure it will not be too close to the broiler itself when everything is on.
What Can I Broil?
Can someone tell George Foreman to cover his ears because you can basically use your oven’s broiler for “grilling” indoors. Look into recipes for broiling proteins like steak, chicken, and fish. Just make sure your rack, pan, and meat has plenty of clearance from the broiler itself. As we near the frigid Midwest months, you can also use your broiler for preparing other sides you love like veggies (see recipe below). Even fruits can be broiled for desserts, sides, or perhaps cocktails. Have you ever grilled peaches, nectarines, grapefruit, or pineapple? Yum! Check out this awesome link from Whirlpool that includes lots of tips for broiling.
Try This Broiler Green Salsa Recipe
Now that you know what it is and how to use it, let’s try it out! A great way to use that focused high heat from your broiler is to quick-char some vegetables. Using your broiler, you can essentially grill a pan of vegetables in just a few minutes. Use this technique to add a layer of flavor to your homemade salsas. Here is a quick and easy green salsa recipe to try:
INGREDIENTS:
- 10-12 Tomatillos (washed, remove outside casing)
- 1 Jalapeno (or pepper of your heat preference) halved, cored
- 1 Clove Garlic
- ½ Onion, large sliced
- Juice of ½ a Lime
- Salt and Pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
While your oven is cool, move your top rack to the desired position below your broiler unit. Wash and prepare your produce setting the lime juice and S+P aside. Place everything spaced out on a baking sheet or broiler pan leaving tomatillos whole. Broil for 6-8 minutes monitoring progress closely and turning the items over once halfway. Remove the skin from the garlic and then place everything into a food processer with a healthy pinch of salt and the juice of ½ a lime. TIP: if you want to eat your salsa right away and are blending hot veggies from the broiler, toss in some ice cubes to cool things off fast.
Use Your Broiler to Make Smores Indoors!
If that recipe wasn’t enough how about one “s’more” idea? Want a crowd-pleasing campfire snack without having to build the campfire? Use your broiler to make smores indoors!
While your oven is cool, move your top rack to the desired position below your broiler unit. Preheat your broiler. Arrange your smores stacks spaced out on a baking sheet or broiler pan (leave off the top graham cracker layer). Place sheet of smores under broiler to toast monitoring progress closely and keeping an eye on the very tops of the marshmallows. Remove and top with cracker to enjoy!
Watch a Quick Video with Both of These Easy Recipes
< EMBED YOUTUBE RECIPE VIDEO: https://youtu.be/qQ0-67Eqw7s >
How to Use Your Broiler Safely
Every broiler and recipe that uses it will require your full attention in the kitchen. Because you are using such a high heat, you need to be available to keep a close eye on what you are broiling. NOTE: items can go from charred to burning quickly. Don’t pop something in the broiler and walk out of the kitchen. Use the time to find a task that keeps you near the oven. If you are wanting to just check the progress, don’t forget that flipping your oven light on and peeking through the door can help keep the heat inside the oven where you want it. At Village Home Stores we love kitchens (ok fine we are obsessed with them) so we want you to always feel safe in yours. Be sure that anyone using your kitchen has access to and knows where the vent hood controls are and where you keep a fire extinguisher. You can purchase small can extinguishers perfect for your home at any hardware store. Need a new oven or perhaps service for your broiler? You know we can help! Connect with us using the chat feature on this page or complete the short appliance repair and service request form here online. You can also give us a call at (309) 944-1344.