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Help!  I bought a Foreman grill in the  hope of cooking meat and poultry with less fat.  The problem - the bottom half of the grill doesn't heat up as much as the top half.  Does anyone else have one - and is this normal?  When I did steak there were no grill marks on the bottom of the meat - I finished the bacon in a pan on the stove after 15 minutes - eggs and tomatoes took 8 minutes to cook.
I need to know soon so I can exchange the grill or return it if this is usual with this appliance.
I hope it is ok to post this here - you are all such good cooks and knowledgeable so I thought you would know.

Kay I think you need to take it back and get a replacement  , this is not normal.

Take it back!  It isn't right.   If anything the top half should be less heat.  I can do a whole package of bacon in less than a half hour.  Steaks an inch thick maybe 15 minutes.  

Take it back!!!

 thanks ladies!  I took it back - got a new one and today  tried boneless, skinless chicken breasts in the new grill.  When they should have been done they only registered 160 internally on the thermometer.  I butterflied them and cooked them some more and of course they turned out tough and dry.  they say in the instruction book to cook to 170 to 180.  How can I know when they are done to a safe temp?

Also, what else do you cook in the grill - besides steak and chicken?  We aren't into hamburgers or hot dogs.  Well - maybe when the kids and grandkids are here  

Kay: in my training in food preparation classes, we are taught that 165 degrees F,  internal temperatureis safe, any thing below that is asking for sickness. You are also supposed to refridgerate with in two hours. never leave anything out longer than that. Always defrost in the fridge.

thanks Marilyn - I also am very fussy about food preparation - I always measure the internal temperature for safety and I try to get things into the fridge in less than the two hours.  When my DIL puts her meat or chicken on the kitchen shelf to thaw I shudder - I always thaw in the fridge.  I don't think I will cook chicken on the grill if I can't be sure it will be well done without cooking to the point of toughness.  It is just as easy to throw it in a pot with a tin of soup and stuff and let it simmer.

Hi Kay...

I do salmon steaks in my GF grill.  Love them.  I put thinly sliced lime on top and they are tasty for sure.

After Thanksgiving dinner, Ivalou and I talked about the old days when you just left everything on the table and covered it with a tablecloth.  When someone wanted to eat again...they just got a plate and filled it up.  We would die if we did that today!!!!!  Also, I don't remember of ever refrigerating fried chicken.  That made the grease on it yucky!  We always left it out and ate chicken all day long.  And bacon grease...it was always handy sitting on the stove in a container.  Never put into the fridge!!!  

My, how times have changed!!!

Etta Sue - You really took me down memory lane.  I remember when we only had a space with a screen open to the outside for cooling.  One time we had pop in there and all the bottles burst during a hard freeze - what a mess.  But I also remember guests having food poisoning from eating meat that had been kept in this cooler - that is why I am so careful - the only time I have seen people actually turn green.

I think that what has changed are the methods of production of our foodstuffs - so much salmonella, e coli, botulism. listeria etc.  Imagine, you can't even lick the batter from the beaters if you use eggs in your recipe as they are nearly all contaminated with salmonella now.  I was talking to a man who produced most of the poultry for sale in that area and I asked him if he ate his own product.  He replied "no way, we raise our own free range chickens for eating"  I then asked him if that bothered him and he said that if he didn't do it the modern way he coudn't stay in business.

I buy organic or free range when I can - though yesterday I saw that organic chickens were $20 - that really is a lot for a small bird.  I am thankful for space to grow organic produce - I believe that a lot of our ills are a direct result of eating, breathing in and drinking harmful substances.

AMEN Kay. I too believe the very same thing. someitmes I even worry about what the big supermarkets claim is Organic. I have purchased Organic eggs that the yolk was a light yellow color showing that they were older than they claimed they were.

I have a G>F> grill., and have hardly used it.  Would someone please tell me what all you do on it?

Salmon steaks I have done... and they are good.  Salmon fillets I like better....no bones.

I have tried green pepper, wasn't that fond of it.  Mine is the small size.

What size is yours?  Did a recipe bok come with yours?  Mine didn't.

Hi Judy - sorry to be so long in answering but it has been a busy time for me.

I did get a small cook book with my grill but it wasn't that helpful so I have been experimenting.  It makes wonderful pancakes - I have the larger size and can make 8 pancakes at a time - great for when the grandkids are here.  Also I can make enough at the same time so hubby and I can eat together instead of him eating while I am still flipping.

Bacon and eggs - yes,  it takes too long for the bacon so I cook it until most of the fat has run out then finish it in a pan while the eggs and potato patties cook.  Yes, you can do eggs in your grill - I just prop up the front legs so the eggs won't run out, crack the egg into a saucer and slowly pour onto the grill.

steak -yes - I cooked enough steak for 8 people at one time - it took a bit longer because you are supposed to have the meat with 1 inch clearance all around - but it was excellent,juicy and tender.
I plan on trying ginger beef next - that is cook the sliced steak and then throw in the wok with the ginger to finish.  Serve that on a bed of rice - it is wonderful.  I marinate the sliced steak overnight in Italian salad dressing - that way you can use the cheaper cuts of meat.

You can also precook your cut up chicken breast while cooking the vegies in the wok and then add for the last few minutes - shortens the prep time.

Oh yes, it makes wonderful grilled sandwiches - any type.  I know one lady who makes toast in hers.
Someone gave me the tip to put wet paper towels on the grill after cooking and close the lid to steam off the residue - works like a charm - no more scraping with that plastic thing.  Just wipe with more damp paper towels.

Thanks Kay.  sounds like you are very happy with yours.  Doing pancakes is easy enough.  You must be good at experimenting....I'm not.  I used to be, now that its just Norm and I here, the less cookin I do, the better.  Neer thought I'd say that, as I always loved to cook.

Hi there "cousins"...

I have the Junior one of these and love it...Use it all the time, especially for Chris' when he has a brunch at weekends or needs a bit of something extra in the morning...Sausage and bacon etc.,  I did myself some fish fingers in it the otherday...Pancakes....well that's an idea!

Jenny

Jenny - did the sausage cook thoroughly?

hmmm...interesting discussion.  I heard that pork has to be above 180, chicken is 170-175 and beef is 165-170.  I perfer chicken and pork to be almost black.  We don't eat much of that anyway.  It grosses me out to clean it and know there is germs everywhere.  <soni is afraid of germs>  

I worked on a chicken farm when I was a teen and it pretty much cured me of eating it.  Ewww....

I would love to try the grill.  I know the kids would love grilled cheese and grilled peanutbutter and jelly sandwiches.  

I wonder if you can grill tortillas and cheese? mmmm...with jalapeno's