Using a George Foreman grill on Keto * Low-Carb

Let’s face it: the George Foreman table-top grill is pushing a dietary approach that is the opposite of ours: reduce fat, reduce fat, reduce fat, and ignore the harm done by carbs. But I love my George Foreman grill and use it often— to make low-carb, high-fat food!

MY GEORGE FOREMAN GRILL

There are different models of George Foreman grill. Mine is called ‘The Next Grilleration G5’ and has removable grilling plates. It also has a lever so you can change the position of the grill from tilted (so the fat drains off) to level (to keep the healthy fat you paid money for.)

It has a top plate called the Steak Plate and a bottom plate called the Grilling Plate. But you can also use a different plate called the Baking Pan to cook steaks, chops and the like without draining off the fat. Keep the Plate Position Lock Lever in the back position. 

I DIDN’T KNOW HOW TO COOK MEAT

I could do a lot of cooking things— from making cookies to baking bread— but I never learned to cook steaks or chops or any kind of meat before I got my George Foreman grill. The grill’s instructions has a list of the kinds of meat, poultry, fish and other foods it can cook, the temperature (high, medium, low), and the number of minutes to cook. I always set the timer for this, so I don’t under- or overcook.  The grill cooks on both sides at the same time, so it cooks more quickly. The food is tasty, as well. 

I also use the instruction booklet when I am cooking steaks or chops in a frying pan— I use the time indicated as the time to cook on each side. 

ADDING FAT

When you are using the Baking Pan for the bottom plate, you can use avocado oil or other healthy oil on the plate to keep food from sticking and to add fat. Also you can use a fat-containing sauce or add a bit of sour cream to the finished food. 

RIBEYE STEAKS

I got some decent ribeye steaks and I marinaded it in a plastic bag with low-carb vinaigrette dressing (from 500 Low-Carb Recipes by Dana Carpender.) I cooked them on the grill, set to High, with the Baking Pan and the Plate Position Lock Lever  in the back position. I used EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil) on the grill to prevent sticking and add fat. It turned out really tasty.  I intend to cook some boneless pork chops in the same way (except the booklet recommends the Medium setting and a shorter cooking time.)

BACON

I like my bacon crisp. Not quite as crisp as my mom does, who tends to like hers a bit cremated, but still…. Bacon cooked in a pan in its own fat isn’t quick to get crisp, so I use the grill with the Grilling Plate and with the Plate Position Lock Lever to the front position and a clean drip tray in place. 

After cooking the bacon, I pour the hot or warm fat through a coffee filter into a canning jar and save the fat for various cooking uses. I’ve even made mayonnaise with bacon fat!

GRILLED ONIONS

A yellow or white onion of 2.5 inch diameter is 10 grams of carbs and 2 grams of fiber, so plan your portions accordingly. I slice mine about 1/4 inch thick, sprinkle it with Himalayan pink salt and/or Spike or Vegesal, Use the Baking Plate and the Plate Position Lock Lever set to the back position, and use EVOO or other healthy fat on the plate. Cook for the recommended time of 2-3 minutes on High, or go as much as 4 minutes. I used to be a big eater of onion rings, mainly because of the high carb batter, but I like these plain grilled onions very well. 

CHICKEN THIGHS

I used bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, and actually cooked it 2 minutes beyond the 7 minutes recommended, and it still was a bit under-done. I ate it with a tablespoon of low-carb Hoisin Sauce (recipe from 500 Low-Carb Recipes by Dana Carpender.) Heavenly, and the bone went in the freezer bag for chicken bones, to become part of some chicken bone broth some day. 

I did some searching online about cooking bone-in chicken, and the only useful suggestion I read was to beat the chicken thigh down a bit with a meat mallet. I don’t own a meat mallet, but will cover a heavy aluminum ice crusher in a plastic bag and smash the chicken with that next time.

CLEAN UP

The grill needs to be unplugged and cool down before you remove the removable plates for washing. Sadly, these plates have to be washed by hand. I use my biggest dishwashing pan and fill it with soapy water. I use the gentle sponge that came with the grill— never use scouring pads on the non-stick finish. I understand, from doing some research, that the dishwasher-safe plates meant for a newer model also fit my current grill. When I get a working dishwasher in the house, the new plates are a planned purchase.

The base of the grill must never be immersed in water. Wipe it with a soft cloth or sponge, and dry with a dry cloth. 

If you hate kitchen clean-up as much as I do, get in the habit of cleaning your grill promptly instead of letting it sit there dirty, getting harder to clean. 

Do you have a George Foreman or similar indoor grill? Have you used it for Keto * Low-Carb cooking yet? What have you cooked on it so far?