Pulled pork, brisket, short ribs or a slow cooked tri-tip are US American cultural assets which have found their way to Germany in the last few years. The foundation for all of these barbecue classics that are absolutely brimming with flavour is an extremely long and gentle cooking process. In many cases smoke also plays a role, but regardless of whether it is prepared in the smoker or in a gas barbecue: the common feature is the extended cooking time at a low temperature. The Americans call it “Low & Slow”, in Germany we know this method as “low temperature cooking” – for example a whole roast beef or large roasting joints.

 

The advantages of a lower temperature

Meat needs a specific temperature to become easily digestible and tender. The temperature range between approximately 45 and 65 degrees denatures the proteins and collagen so that the meat becomes chewable – especially in pieces that contain a lot of connective tissue. This temperature must penetrate into the core of the meat so that all parts of the roast or steak reach the desired cooking level. A specific core temperature can be achieved in a number of ways: by means of a lot of heat in a short space of time or a little heat in a longer period of time. The second option has a key advantage here.

 

The background: At temperatures of 130 degrees and higher, there is a strong difference in temperatures between the inside and the outer edge layers of the meat. Due to the heat exposure from the outside across the air transferred by the heat transfer medium the surface layers reach the optimum cooking level significantly faster. The higher the temperature in the oven or the grill the quicker the large part of the meat will exceed the ideal cooking level before the core even approaches this temperature. What happens when the meat exceeds the ideal cooking level? The muscles contract, pushing liquid out of the cells and the meat becomes dry – visible from the grey edge. The bigger this grey edge becomes, the less enjoyable taste experience you will have.

 


Less grey edge and more juiciness

Conversely this means that: low temperatures bring the meat more slowly to a temperature, so significantly less areas around the edge of the food are overcooked. The desired ideal temperature is exceeded to a much lower extent which means the liquid largely remains absorbed in the tissue. Another key advantage of cooking at lower temperatures is the full transformation of collagen into gelatine. The tough, collagen-rich connective tissues – especially in roasting meats, needs at least 3-4 hours in order to transform into creamy gelatine – the longer the better. These durations are only possible if you maintain the temperature at a correspondingly low level throughout the cooking process.

 

80 degrees on the grill - the Outdoorchef makes it possible

Low temperature cooking has been practiced in the oven for a long time – because this means a stable low heat can be maintained, which you can rely on. For this reason, the oven seemed to be the only reliable device for years. The problem: your oven is full for hours and you don’t have space to prepare side dishes like potato gratin. The Outdoorchef Arosa solves this problem – it maintains low temperatures of up to 80 degrees for hours or even days, offering completely new options for preparing meat on a gas barbecue.

 

 

Innovative systems make it possible

The basis for ensuring long barbecuing times at a low heat on the Outdoorchef Arosa are the Gas Safety System and the Gourmet Burner Technology. They ensure that the temperature remains stable even at low temperatures and it is evident at first glance whether gas is flowing or not. The Gas Safety System shows whether gas is flowing at that current time and whether the valve is open by means of a red light – the “Safety Light” on the gas control knobs. The Flame Guard consists of well protected flames that always reignite. This is how the Outdoorchef Arosa ensures that the supply of heat is never extinguished even when it is windy or rainy – so that the barbecue experience isn’t compromised.

 

Gourmet Burner Technology

The Gourmet Burner Technology, which is what is behind the design of the flames and the whole structure of the barbecue is what makes it possible for temperatures to be permanently maintained at 80 degrees even when the lid is closed. This is due to the patented funnel technology, which ensures in the Outdoorchef that the heat of the burner – with the funnel in the standard position – is distributed around the whole area of the gas kettle barbecue and no areas are subjected to higher heat levels. Should strong heat be required for a crisp finish or during initial hot searing, this is made possible by the volcano position of the funnel – which achieves the opposite effect: it concentrates the heat of the burner into one place and ensures excellent branding of the meat.

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