How to Grill Food in the Oven

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Getting those delicious grill marks... without a grill

Co-authored by Sasha Reyes

Last Updated: January 3, 2024

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Using Your Broiler

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Using a Grill Pan

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Creating a Smoky Flavor

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Video

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Q&A

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Tips

Grilling shouldn't be confined just to those warm summer months or homes that have outdoor space to accommodate a grill! By learning to use your oven to grill, you can enjoy smoky, charred dishes all year long.

Things You Should Know

Preheat your oven to the highest temperature possible and turn on the broiler.
Remove the broiling pan with oven mitts, and place your food on it. Then, place it back in the oven for 8-10 minutes.
Use a meat thermometer to check that your food has reached 160 °F (71 °C). Then let it settle on the stove top for 5-10 minutes before cutting it.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using Your Broiler to Grill

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1
Arrange your cooking racks if your broiler is in the oven. Many broilers are in a drawer under the stove, but some are in the oven itself. If this is the case, adjust your cooking rack so that the top of the broiling dish will be 4–8 inches (10–20 cm) from the top. ^{[1]
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- The closer to the heat, the quicker the cook. For example, if you want a steak that is more well-done, put it closer to the broiler. For a medium to medium-rare steak, put it further from the heat.
- If your broiler is in the drawer below the stove, you won't need to make any adjustments.
2
Preheat your oven to the highest temperature and turn on your broiler. Most ovens will reach 550 °F (288 °C). Let your oven preheat for about 10 minutes with your broiler pan inside it. This will mimic the inside of an outdoor grill. ^{[2]
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- The broiler is essentially an upside down grill, but the heat is coming from the top rather than the bottom.
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Put it on top of your stove and put your seasoned meat (and veggies!) into it. The broiling pan has grooves that will let the fat drip down so the meat doesn't cook in it. ^{[3]
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4
Place the broiling pan back in the oven for 8-10 minutes. Leave the door to your oven slightly ajar. Most ovens will turn off the heating element once it reaches a certain temperature, which would interrupt your cooking cycle. Leaving the door cracked helps keep the hot air flowing the entire cooking time. ^{[4]
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- Like on a grill, check on your meat and turn it once while it is cooking. Most dishes cook in 8-10 minutes, so flipping the meat at the 4-5 minute mark will help ensure that both sides cook evenly. ^{[5]
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- If you are cooking vegetables, this is a good time to flip them, too.
5
Use a meat thermometer to check the meat's temperature. Chicken and medium-well to well cooked steaks should be at 160 °F (71 °C). A medium-rare to rare steak can be anywhere in the 135 °F (57 °C) range. ^{[6]
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- Insert the meat thermometer so the tip is resting in the middle of your piece of meat. Let it stay there until the monitor registers the heat and stays at the same temperature for a few seconds. If the meat isn't done yet, put it back in the oven for another 2-3 minutes.
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Let your meat sit for 5-10 minutes on the stovetop before cutting into it. This lets it keep cooking for a few minutes and will help it retain its juices. If you take the temperature again, you may notice it has increased. This is called “carry-over cooking” and is normal. ^{[7]
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- Make sure to turn off your oven and broiler once your dish has grilled in the oven!

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using a Grill Pan in the Oven

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1
Use a grill pan like a cast iron skillet that has ridges on the bottom. The ridges will give you those grill marks that are so desirable on grilled meats. If you don't have one already, you can find good quality cast iron skillets for $30 or less at your local department store. Make sure to buy one with the ridges—in addition to the grill marks, this gives the fat and juices somewhere to go. ^{[8]
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- Cast iron skillets retain heat really well, which is why they are ideal for grilling in the oven.
2
Place an oven rack on the lowest rung and preheat your oven. Let the oven and cast iron skillet preheat for about 10 minutes at the highest temperature your oven will allow, which should be about 550 °F (288 °C). ^{[9]
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- Putting the oven rack near the bottom of the stove creates more space for the hot air to move around the dish while it cooks.
3
Put your prepared meat into the cast iron skillet once it has preheated. Taking the skillet out of the oven for this step will help you avoid potentially burning your arms in the hot stove. Use fire resistant oven mitts to remove it from the the oven and arrange your dish using kitchen tongs.
- If you are cooking vegetables, consider putting them beneath the meat in the skillet to help all the flavors combine together.
Check it after 4-5 minutes and flip the meat over. If you are cooking vegetables, take this time to flip them over, too. Flipping helps everything to cook evenly and in the shortest time possible. ^{[10]
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5
Use a meat thermometer to check your meat's temperature. A safe temperature for chicken and well-done steaks is 160 °F (71 °C). For medium-rare to rare steaks, you will be safe with temperatures in the 135 °F (57 °C) range. ^{[11]
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- Place the tip of your meat thermometer into the middle of the cooking meat. Leave it there until the temperature stops increasing. This shouldn't take more than 1 minute.
Let the dish cool for 5-10 minutes before cutting into the meat to give it time to rest. This will help the meat retain all its juices! Remove the meat from the skillet to a cutting board before cutting it. ^{[12]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Creating a Smoky Flavor

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1
Prepare your dish using smoked seasonings. The oven will give your meat a good char, but because you aren't actually using the smoke from a charcoal or gas grill to cook your meat, you will want to compensate by making sure to season your dishes well! ^{[13]
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- Dry your meat before applying seasonings to keep it from burning when it goes in the oven.
- Try smoked salt, smoked paprika, or a barbecue rub from your favorite restaurant! ^{[14]
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- Sprinkle the seasoning on each side of your meat and rub into the surface using your fingers.
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Sprinkle smoked olive oil over veggies you want to grill. Rinse vegetables and cut them into the size you want, and drizzle the smoked olive oil over them. Give the veggies a good shake! Don't forget to add some salt and pepper to your veggies, too. ^{[15]
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- Bell peppers, onions, asparagus, tomatoes, portobello mushrooms, zucchini, and eggplants all stand up to the heat of the oven and are delicious when grilled. ^{[16]
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- Layering the bottom of your broiling dish or cast iron skillet with the vegetables will incorporate the flavor of the meat in with the veggies.
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Use chipotle chilies in sauces to bump up the smoky element! You can use whole chilies, canned chilies, or chili powder. The chipotle chili is a smoke-dried jalapeño, so it is a great ingredient to incorporate in your faux-grilling! You can also rub dried chili powder directly onto your meat. ^{[17]
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- You can sear the steak before cooking it in the oven.
- Searing is important for two reasons, a crispy exterior, and flavor.
- When you sear something, you create a Maillard reaction. You get a dark color on the outside and a lot of flavor.

Community Q&A

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Question

When grilling in an oven, do I close the door of the oven?

Community Answer

Leave the oven door ajar slightly. This way the heating element runs continually.

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Tips

If you are using herbs on your meat, brush it over with olive oil before cooking. This will keep the herbs from crisping up and burning while in the oven. ^{[18]
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