The Microwave Grilling Hack We're Not Too Sure About (But Won't Judge)

Let's say you have a perfectly ordinary steak. You have two options to prepare it. The first method has you putting the steak on a propane grill and grilling until it develops a dark crust on the exterior, and the second method has you pan-fry the outside and put it in the oven after. No matter how novice they are, any chef would most likely never dare to use a microwave to try and grill something. It feels wrong, and microwaves use a different kind of heat than a grill. But what if it were possible to "grill" something like a piece of chicken or steak using your microwave?

According to one method documented by eHow, it may be possible. This particular method first has you spray a grill pan with non-stick spray, "preheat" the pan in the microwave for two to ten minutes, and then cook your choice of meat on the grill pan for five to nine minutes or until the steak is at your preferred level of doneness. 

But how exactly does this method even work? How could something that you ordinally use to pop popcorn or reheat leftovers somehow give you a medium-rare steak without undercooking it?

You may have noticed that this particular "grill-less grilling" method requires a grill pan. What makes a grill pan so special that you can't use an ordinary plate?

A grill pan, as the name implies, is a pan that is styled after a grill. One of the most notable features showcasing this is the addition of raised grill lines along the pan's interior, which gives the item that's cooked on it those distinctive grill marks. The unique design allows you to "grill" a piece of meat or vegetables as you would cook on the grill. But how can you use it in the microwave?

Microwave-safe grill pans attempt to change the microwave's radiant heat into something more like conductive heat. Some grill pans even have lids that close down on top of the food, giving them not only even grill marks on top and bottom without flipping them but ensuring that everything gets cooked evenly throughout. This way, your food is "grilled" as evenly as possible and isn't "reheated" like you microwave leftovers or cold meat. 

While it's possible to "grill" a steak using your microwave, this doesn't necessarily mean grilling everything in the microwave is possible. Certain foods are much more appropriate to use in this method than others.

For example, you could be able to "grill" a thin or small steak without much trouble, considering the size of the steak allows for much more even heating. If you were trying to "grill" a larger or thicker steak, you would likely be better off grilling the steak anyway. Smaller pieces of meat are better suited for this method, while others are geared more toward the traditional way of grilling.

Now is this a good method to replace grilling altogether? Not exactly. It's still a very good shortcut to grill fish, meat, or vegetables if you don't have a grill, but it doesn't fully replace grilling. This is more like a quick and easy method for when you have something small and don't want to fire up the grill than a full-on replacement for your gas or charcoal grill. Use it at your discretion, and feel free to experiment to your tastes.