If you’re the master of the grill in your steak, burger, or chicken restaurant, the chances are that you’re using a charbroiler to get those signature grill marks on your meat.
Charbroilers work in place of a grill, cooking meat, fish, poultry, or veggies using infrared or electric heat to give you the succulent, juicy food you’d be proud to serve your customers.
A commercial charbroiler will help you to create that delicious signature taste associated with the traditional BBQ. It will give you that desired finish to steaks, chicken, fish, and vegetables. However, how do you go about finding the right charbroiler for your restaurant?
The Best Size of Charbroiler for Your Restaurant
When considering what size of charbroiler to choose for your restaurant, you will need to consider choosing the equipment that will suit the space available, as well as the amount of food you will be preparing.
Similarly to an outdoor grill, these indoor cooking appliances create the all important ‘grill lines’ on your finished dishes. Unlike outdoor grills, charbroilers’ heating elements are usually closer together and work to emit more heat—up to 16 burners in total. Sizes range between 24 and 72 inches.
You will need to consider how much floor or countertop space you have to work with before you choose your charbroiler. Charbroilers typically have one burner for every 12” of width, but they are not much wider than their grates.
For smaller restaurant kitchens, countertop charbroilers are available, versus larger units for larger kitchens with a higher demand for grilled meats. Larger charbroilers will help you to cook multiple orders at once.
Safety Requirements for Commercial Kitchens
Most charbroilers will need to be installed at least six inches away from any flammable and combustible materials on each side of the grill. This will include walls, other cooking equipment, and any loose parts close by to the charbroiler.
The heat generated by a gas burner is measured using BTUs (British Thermal Units) and the higher the rating, the more heat it will generate over time. Make sure to use heat proof equipment to keep yourself and others safe while operating the charbroilers. You will need a BTU rating that will cope with the demand from your customers.
Types of Fuel for Charbroilers
These types of cooking equipment are highly energy intensive. They are fuelled either by natural gases, propane, lava rocks, or charcoal. The latter offer a higher heart while bringing a cleaner burn than that which wood offers.
Lava rocks and charcoal usually come in briquettes which are typically better at distributing the heat across the grill. They also self clean, and add flavor to food by vaporizing the drippings from meat.
Considering these factors of size, space and energy will help you find the right charbroiler for your restaurant.