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Daily news and analysis about the food tech revolution

Grill

The Guide to Grilling & BBQ Tech at CES 2024

While grilled food may not be ranked as highly as ice cream in our best-things-in-life lists , it’s not far behind. So it’s no surprise that we’re finding lots of technology to help us make us better backyard BBQ maestros at CES.

CES is starting today, and we’ve already stumbled across a number of cool grill and BBQ tech products at the press events we’ve attended.

Here’s what we’ve found so far:

Seer Grill

Seer Grills is not your typical-looking grill, as it holds the proteins (or veggies or whatever you’re grilling) vertically and cooks at a really high temperature using infrared heat. According to SEERGRILLS CEO Suraj Sudera, the AI works through a combination of sensor data, cook preferences inputted by the user, and intelligence built into the software around different food types.

“The device will capture the starting temperature of, say, chicken breast and adjust the cooking in line with the preferences you’ve inputted in the device,” said Sudera. “Whether it’s a three-inch or five-inch chicken breast, it doesn’t matter. It will be whatever adjustments it needs, just like your cruise control on your car will adjust to keep you at the preferred speed.”

The hardware itself is somewhat unique compared to other infrared grills on the market in that it cooks meat vertically. The user puts the meat in a holder, which will sense the temperature and thickness of the meat. Once inserted, both sides are cooked simultaneously using infrared heat, powered by propane, which SEERGRILLS says can reach 1652ºF. According to the company, the grill can cook three ribeyes in one minute and fifty seconds, six burgers in a minute and thirty seconds, and four chicken breasts in two minutes and thirty seconds.

A Look at the Perfecta AI-Powered Grill at CES 2024

GE Profile Smart Indoor Smoker

The GE Profile Smart Indoor Smoker makes its debut at CES this year. For those who follow GE closely, you’ll probably know this is the grown-up, ready-for-mass-market version of the Arden smoker developed by GE Appliances’ incubation factory, FirstBuild. It’s not all that surprising this GE Appliances wanted to graduate this baby to the big time since, well, it’s a pretty great idea. I mean, an indoor smoker just kind of speaks for itself, doesn’t it?

The device has impressive specs, including its active smoke filtration technology, five adjustable smoke settings that let you control the smoke levels to dial in preferred flavors, and six preset food settings that turnkey smoking for brisket, pork ribs, pork butt, chicken wings, chicken breast and salmon.

The device has a fairly small footprint, but doesn’t sacrifice on cavity size as it can handle three racks of baby back ribs, a brisket, up to 40 chicken wings or a 14-pound pork butt.

GE Profile Indoor Smoker at CES 2024

Current Backyard Electric Grill

Startup Current Backyard debuted its first product at CES, the Current Backyard Electric Grill. The product, which they claim is the world’s largest consumer backyard grill, will be available in early February at the company’s website and this spring at retailers such as Best Buy, Ace Hardware and Williams Sonoma, with the base model going for $899.

The specs are impressive:

  • Company claims 150 degrees hotter than the leading gas grill brand
  • 700 max temperature for the ultimate searing experience
  • Full Wi-Fi connectivity & proprietary app
  • Dual-zone control
  • SmartClean auto-clean feature
  • 4x more energy efficient than the standard gas grill

Current Backyard Electric Grill CES 2024

Weber Summit Smart Grill

The newest entrant from the one of the biggest names of outdoor grilling is the Weber Smart Grill. The Smart Grill is the BBQ brand’s first with an infrared broiler for searing, and includes a big touch screen all sorts of digital controls to help make cooking easier. Not surprisingly, the grill is pricey, starting at $3,800.

Weber Grills Summit & Searwood first look at CES 2024

SEERGRILLS Unveils the Perfecta, an ‘AI-Powered’ Grill That Cooks the ‘Perfect Steak’ in Two Minutes

AI is seemingly everywhere nowadays, so it was only a matter of time before it would show up at the backyard BBQ to help us cook the perfect steak.

That’s the vision of a UK startup named SEERGRILLS, which debuted the Perfecta this week, which the company describes as the world’s first AI-powered grill. The grill combines high-temperature infrared cooking with its AI system called NeuralFire, which automates the cooking process.

According to SEERGRILLS CEO Suraj Sudera, the AI works through a combination of sensor data, cook preferences inputted by the user, and intelligence built into the software around different food types.

“The device will capture the starting temperature of, say, chicken breast and adjust the cooking in line with the preferences you’ve inputted in the device,” said Sudera. “Whether it’s a three-inch or five-inch chicken breast, it doesn’t matter. It will be whatever adjustments it needs, just like your cruise control on your car will adjust to keep you at the preferred speed.”

When a cook is done, users can rate the quality of the cook, which informs and optimizes the NeuralFire algorithm for the next cook. Suraj says that SEERGRILLS is also constantly updating its food database, so if, say, a new type of steak from Japan becomes popular, the AI engine will be updated to optimize the cook for that meat type. The company says its AI will also optimize to reach each type of meat’s sear and doneness, as well as help to perfect the Maillard reaction.

The hardware itself is somewhat unique compared to other infrared grills on the market in that it cooks meat vertically. The user puts the meat in a holder, which will sense the temperature and thickness of the meat. Once inserted, both sides are cooked simultaneously using infrared heat, powered by propane, which SEERGRILLS says can reach 1652ºF. According to the company, the grill can cook three ribeyes in one minute and fifty seconds, six burgers in a minute and thirty seconds, and four chicken breasts in two minutes and thirty seconds.

In addition to the grill itself, the company is also building accessories such as a rotisserie module, a pizza module, and a grill station. The company will start taking preorders in July and plans to begin shipping the Perfecta by the end of this year. Pricing for the grill and its accessories has not yet been disclosed.

🚀 Introducing Perfecta™ - The World’s First AI Powered Grill. 🚀

Spark Grill Wants to Improve Charcoal Grilling. Will Grillers Go For Its Proprietary Charcoal System?

Memorial Day often marks the start of grilling season, and, like most Americans, I’m ready to fire up the barbie after being stuck inside for most of the past two months.

I’m currently using a standard gas grill but lately have been thinking about adding charcoal to my backyard cooking arsenal, which is why I was intrigued when I heard about the Spark Grill. The Spark, which just opened up for preorders this week, looks to essentially add the precision heating capability and ease-of-use of gas to a charcoal grill.

Here’s what Chris wrote about the Spark after the Boulder-based company announced its eponymously-named first product:

The stylish grill ditches the lumps of briquets for a single, flat charcoal “Briq,” and uses a series of stoking and cooling fans for precision temperature control.

The Spark is capable of getting temperatures between a low 200 degrees all the way up to a ripping hot 900 degrees. The grill also has an accompanying mobile app that lets you monitor the temperatures of your cooking cavity and the food you’re cooking.

Anyone who’s tasted food grilled over charcoal would agree the flavor is generally better, but I’ve stayed away mostly because charcoal is more work and I’m pretty lazy when it comes to my backyard cooking.

But from the looks of it, the Spark makes charcoal grilling as easy as gas. This ease-of-use is made possible by the grill’s unique charcoal “Briqs”, which are single-use sheets of charcoal made for the Spark. A standard Briq lasts for about an hour, though the company has indicated they will also have “Quick Briqs”, which go for 30 minutes for the mid-week quick grill, and are working on “slow and low” Briqs, which will go for a couple hours at smoking temperatures.

In short, the Spark presents a tradeoff: gas-like ease and precision with charcoal, but you have to use what is a proprietary charcoal system. I’ve become mostly resistant to hardware that is captive to a single-source for its consumables, but I think I’d be ok with the Spark and its Briq system for a couple of reasons.

First, the company’s FAQ says, technically, one can use regular charcoal with the Spark. This gives me some comfort that my grill wouldn’t be (ahem) “bricked” if the Spark stopped making Briqs for some reason.

The second reason is the company seems well-positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for home grills in a market slightly underserved with innovative new products. As we’ve learned recently with PicoBrew, startups tend to go out business, but it appears there’s strong early demand for the Spark, which helps alleviate (at least for the time being) concerns I would have about going all-in with a startup selling a proprietary consumable.

So while some traditional charcoal devotees might bristle at the idea of a proprietary system, I think there will be enough folks like myself interested in what looks to be an easier way to grill with charcoal to take at least take a look at the Spark.

The product isn’t cheap with a $949 sticker price, but if you hurry you can get in on the third drop (the first two sold out) and snap one up for $799.

New Weber Connect Hub Turns any Grill into a Smart Grill

Barbeque brand Weber and June, maker of the June smart oven, today introduced the Weber Connect Smart Grilling Hub, a connected device that allows users to bring smart functionality to the grill they already have.

The Hub is a small device that sits outside any grill. There are four inputs on the Hub which you can use for food probes and to monitor the internal temperature of what you’re cooking. There’s also an external thermometer to measure the ambient cooking temperature inside the grill.

The Hub wirelessly displays these readings and communicates them back to the Weber Connect mobile app, powered by the June OS, which provides guidance on grill set up, when to flip food and when to take it off the grill.

This is the second public product collaboration between Weber and June. Back in November the two companies announced the SmokeFire connected wood pellet grill that also uses the Weber Connect app to guide your grilling. The Smokefire costs roughly a thousand bucks and ships early this year.

If it works as advertised, the Weber Smart Grilling Hub will be able to turn your existing grill into a smart one for $130 when it comes out in “early 2020.” While that’s less expensive than a Smokefire grill, the Hub won’t be able to do all the things the Smokefire does, like automatically adjusting the temperature or keeping itself at a precise temperature.

I’ve been using the Traeger WiFi connected Pro pellet grill over the holidays and I can say firsthand that having the ability to monitor and control the grill remotely from a phone is a game-changer for novice grillers like myself. The one thing lacking in the Traeger, however, is the app design, which can be a bit clunky. As a happy June Oven owner, I’m excited to see what kind of design sensibilities June will bring to Weber’s grilling experience.

Celebrate a FoodTech Fourth of July

It’s weird when a major holiday falls on a Wenesday, right? Do you take just the day off? The first half of the week? The last half? The whole week? Regardless of how much time you take off, we can help make your time at the grill a great one with these FoodTech finds.

FOOD
The Fourth–and most summertime grillin’–is all about the meat. Normally, we’d suggest you purchase your steaks and burgers through CrowdCow, which meticulously sources all of its meat from small ranches. But your guests will be hungry tomorrow, so here’s a twist, maybe try a meatless option this year?

I know! I know! “Heresy!” you cry! But really, we love the Beyond Meat burger patties available at many local grocers. The company says it wants their plant-based meat that “bleeds” in the supermarket butcher section, but I’ve only ever found it frozen with the other alterna-meats.

Personally, I think the Beyond Meat patty is a delicious replacement for the traditional meat burger, so much so that I stock up on extra when I’m at the store just to have it around when I crave it. Beyond Meat won’t fool any carnivores, but it’s a tasty substitute and perfect if you’re trying to cut back on your red meat intake.

BRING THE (CONTROLLED) HEAT
Everyone has an opinion about the best way to grill, we won’t waste your time with some obscure technique. We will however, recommend a pair of devices that can help make your steaks and other proteins turn out great.

Photo: Anova

Sous vide-ing your steak is a fantastic way to get juicy meat with no overcooking. There are a ton of sous vide wands out there that will turn any pot of water into a precision-heated circulating bath. We like the ChefSteps Joule and the new Anova Nano (review forthcoming). They are small, well built, and work with an accompanying mobile phone app to bring your meat to a desired internal temperature. Sure it takes a little longer, but it also helps remove the risks of over- or undercooking your precious steaks.

Stylish holder/charger.

Regardless of whether you sous vide or not, you can use the Meater thermometer to get just about any type of meat to the proper temperature. The Meater is kinda big (like a beefy nail) that sits in your protein while you cook it. Using the Meater app on your phone, you can keep track of both ambient and internal temperatures, and Meater will even tell you when to pull out and rest your meat to achieve optimal results.

If you’re going camping and want a greener experience, you could grab a GoSun portable grill that cooks food by simply harnessing the power of the sun.

BEER
The good news is, if you live in the right location, you can still run out and buy your own PicoBrew to make homebrewing much easier. The bad news is that even if you bought one today, there isn’t enough time to brew and ferment your beer before tomorrow. (Maybe just pop by Spoon founder Mike Wolf’s house for a bottle of his.)

PLAN FOR NEXT YEAR
It’s never too early to start planning for an epic Independence Day celebration next year. Here are some items to put a pin in and revisit next summer:

  • If it makes its crowdfunding goal, the Ambassador 5-in-1 grill features rotating cooktop that spins through flattop and grate surfaces.
  • The Bartesian cocktail robot (due out by the end of this year) can whip up delicious boozy concoctions on demand.
  • And for the truly adventurous, you can throw a slice of ketchup, yes, a “slice” of ketchup on next year’s burger.

No matter how much time you’re taking off, have a Happy Fourth of July, everybody! Be safe.

The No 1 Grill Rotates Between Gas, Charcoal, and Flat Top Cooking

While not official, summer is basically here. Time to break out the grill and throw on your favorite animal or plant-based burger patty. But what if you wanted to top that burger with some cut vegetables or fried eggs? Those things slip through the grates!

If you were using the No 1 Grill Ambassador 5-in-1, all you’d have to do is grab the crank and rotate the cooking surface from the grates to the flat top and BOOM! Now you can heat anything you want.

That, at least, is the pitch from Emilliano Marra, inventor of the No 1 grill, who just launched an Indiegogo campaign this past weekend to raise $150,000 and bring his 5-in-1 cooking appliance to market.

The No 1 looks a lot like any other backyard grill, except for the crank on the front. Give the crank a whirl and the cooking surface rotates, going from a charcoal grill, to a gas grill to a flat top to a grate/flat top combo.

photo four-surfaces-no-transparency-40_zpst5ukxk7v.gif

The grill is gas powered, but has a mode that uses charcoal, for that brand of purist. There is a single burner underneath the rotating cooktop, which means that there’s no multi-zone, variable heating when using the gas. There is also an infrared burner above the cooktop for broiling and browning. When both burners are on, Marra told me that the grill can reach 800 degrees F. The No 1 is also on wheels in case you want to move it around your patio.

Over the past five years, Marra has put $470,000 of his own money into his grill, which includes money spent getting a patent for the rotating cooktop. Super early bird backers can pick up a No 1 Grill for $1,2999 with an estimated delivery of October of this year. Should the grill make it to retail, it will cost $2,695.

While I like the idea of easy rotation through different cooktops, I shared the campaign with a hardcore grilling friend of mine to get his thoughts. While he thought it was neat, he said he’d prefer to just swap out the grill for a griddle plate over the heater. I guess I’m lazier than he is, because the idea of just turning a crank sounds so much easier/fun to me.

With a month left to go on the campaign, we’ll see if the No 1 Grill’s all-in-one rotating capabilities is a number one draw with potential backers.