The Barbecue Hotplate

The barbecue hotplate is the first cousin of the barbecue grill. It allows for almost the same cooking styles as the grill, with the exception of that much sought-after touch of smokiness and char.

The major advantage of the hotplate is that it offers the possibility of cooking several items at the same time with only a little fat—get thee behind me, cholesterol! You take a recipe, combine the ingredients and cook everything together. Sauces and marinades can be added directly without disappearing through a barbecue grill. A hotplate can be bought as a stand-alone appliance or as a barbecue attachment. Like barbecues, both electric and gas hotplates are available. The most important thing is to check how much power the hotplate has so that you can get a good sear on the food. It needs to heat to at least 250°C (500°F), or else forget it!