GoSun Grill Tips:
After years of work the GoSun Grill is finally a reality and we’re here to help you make full use of it! Surprisingly intuitive to use, with some guidance and a bit of practice, you’ll be a master in no time. Before your first use we encourage you to take a look at the following guide.
The Basics
Do Your Homework
We recommend reading the User's Manual. This product is different from anything you've ever owned.
Pre-Heating
Unlike the GoSun Sport, the Grill was designed to allow for a certain amount of pre-heating. Not only is preheating acceptable, it’s highly encouraged to cut down on cooking times, especially when weather is questionable. Preheating in full Sun to the optimal temperature of #3 (~250F°,110°C) will take about 30 minutes. (For a full explanation of the GoSun Thermometer readings see below)
The maximum recommended temperature for preheating is #3 to reduce thermal stress, thus providing the greatest longevity for your Grill. Uncooked food should not be inserted until the tube has cooled to the safe level of #3. If preheating has run above #3, vent by opening the Lid of the Grill for several minutes to let off excess heat. Recheck the temperature, first allowing the gauge about 20 seconds to re-adjust.
Picking a Recipe
While the stove is heating, extrapolate how many hours of Sun are left in the day. Though most dishes will finish within an hour, a dense meal, such as two Pans of bean soup, will take longer and should be planned accordingly. For more on recipes see the Recipe section below.
Inserting Food
First, load uncooked food into the Pans and slide open the Grill’s Lid, stopping at the red markings on the Sliding Tray. Load the Pan with the longest cooking time first and slide it to the back since the tube has a tendency to cook slightly hotter towards the back. Place the second Pan in front and close gently. Lubricate with cooking oil if the Tray slides poorly.
Checking Progress
In general, every GoSun Grill recipe will have some variation in cook time, given the varying intensity of Sun and ambient air temperature year round. The Grill’s thermometer can be a handy guide for understanding the air temperature within the Grill, but will not give an indication of the internal temperature of your food.
Given that opening the Grill may extend cooking time, it’s often best to wait until the thermometer returns to #3 (~250F°,110°C) before checking to see if your food is finished. This typically indicates that your food has heated to a temperature that causes water to boil. A meal starting with raw meat is typically finished cooking when the temperature gauge reaches #4, though many meals will be fully cooked at #3.
Eating and Cleanup
For ease, food can be served directly from the Grill’s Pans. When finished, they are completely dishwasher safe and withstand a stainless steel scouring pad.
Cooking Tips and Techniques
Place Larger Dishes in the Back: Heat is distributed evenly to food in the tube, but food at the end of the Sliding Tray (away from the handle) tends to cook faster than food near the tube’s opening.
Expanding Foods: Baked foods typically expand considerably (often more than twice the uncooked volume), so start with small quantities and work your way up.
Crisping Food: For a crispier meal (i.e. bacon), allow the steam to escape by keeping the Lid slightly open and drain the fluids periodically.
Preheat for Faster Cooking: Preheat to Temp #3 (~250F°,110°C) to expedite cooking process.
Preheat While Away: To make full use of the Sun when away, leave the Grill's Reflectors facing the path of the Sun. For example, leave it facing the afternoon Sun if intending to cook when arriving home from work.
Adapting Recipes: Cook the part of the dish requiring the most heat first, before loading in the rest of the ingredients. This will allow you to develop flavor profiles similar to a skillet before loading in food that will cook at a lower temperature. For example, if cooking an Indian Curry, heat the oil and add spices to temper for a couple minutes before adding the rest of the ingredients.
Use Fewer Steps for Faster Cooking: Reduce unnecessary steps in the recipe that require opening the Grill. For example, when cooking a mushroom risotto, mix all ingredients in the tray before heating, with exception to any leafy greens. Not only will this reduce cook time, but it will make cooking easier.
Keep Food Hot and Ready: Cooked food can be left in the GoSun Grill to be kept hot and juicy for when you’re ready to eat.
Cook by Anticipating the Movement of the Sun: Anticipate the Sun's movement - both East to West (aka Azimuth) and Height (aka Altitude) - as it relates to the intended cook time and serving time. An experienced chef in a reliable climate can make dinner, before leaving for work in the morning, by loading the stove in advance and properly orienting the reflectors.
Use Your Nose: Cooked food will typically smell different and release steam, informing you that it’s time to eat.
Adjustment while Cooking: The GoSun Grill only has to be readjusted every hour or so as the Sun moves through the sky. Use the GoSun Dial to stay on target.
Maximize Food’s Surface Area: Cutting food into smaller pieces can make a significant reduction in cook time. In short, the more surface contact the food has with the Pans, the faster it will cook. For example, a chicken cut into its individual parts will cook much faster than a whole chicken.
Use Aluminum Foil as a Lid: Some dishes benefit from the higher moisture environment created by a simple foil lid. Using a lid, particularly with liquids, will also substantially decrease cooking time.
Use Caution when Cooking Liquids: If heating liquids, we strongly recommend using aluminum foil as a splash guard for the cooking pan and take caution to not abruptly move the Grill’s sliding tray when loaded. Spilled water can cause burns and stress the glass.
Converting the Grill Thermometer to C°/F°: The Grill’s thermometer measures air temperature inside the oven and cannot be compared directly to a normal oven. For example, you may cook cornbread at 350°F, yet the internal temperature of the bread is to be likely around 190°F. For reference the thermometer can be converted as follows: #1: 100F°/25C°, #2: 150F°/50C° ,#3: 250F°/110C°, #4: 300F°/135C°, #5: 350F°/160C°, #6: 400F°/190C°, #7: 450F°/220C°, #8: 500F°/260C°, #9: 550F°/275C°
Use the Drip Trays for Meats: Use the Drip Trays with meats to eliminate excess fat and moisture. Retained juices can be used for stocks.
Expect a Small Delay with Drip and Steam Trays: Drip and Steam Trays can be helpful for rendering off liquids, particularly with meats, but this comes at the cost of thermal conduction. When using these trays add an additional 10-15 minutes to allow the heat to transfer.
Understanding the Heat Bank
The Grill’s tubular oven chamber is designed with a highly conductive aluminum chassis. When set in the Sun, this channels heat into a thermal mass sitting underneath the Sliding Tray. When charged, the Heat Bank can be used to cook small meals without additional sunlight.
The Heat Bank without sunlight is best used for small dishes such as:
- Reheating leftovers
- Small loaf of cornbread (i.e. a quick break)
- 4-6 eggs
- Dehydrated and Freeze-Dried Meals (up to two servings)
Charging Techniques
Place the stove in the Sun, allowing the stove's Heat Bank to charge. Though food should not be placed in the stove when above #3, it is not a problem to pre-heat the stove well beyond that temperature. Once removed from the Sun, a closed Grill will slowly loose its charge over time, thus providing heat into the evening hours.
While the stove is heating, prepare your food and spread the meal into both Cooking Pans, maximizing the food’s surface area for better conduction. When fully heated to #3, open the stove and quickly place the food inside. Close and wait about 15 minutes for previously cooked foods and 30 minutes for uncooked food to ensure that the heat available fully penetrates the food.
If cooking a dish that requires water, you can let the stove charge with the water inside, acting as its own thermal battery. For example, leave for work in the morning having inserted a tray with 150% of the water needed for your recipe. Come home to boiling hot water ready to cook whenever you are!
You're Invited to Share & Innovate
We still have plenty to learn with the GoSun Grill and your feedback is crucial for helping us make this technology a success in backyards everywhere.
If you have additional Grill Tips or would like to suggest a design change for the Grill, send us a message at: support@gosunstove.com with the subject line “GoSun Grill Feedback.”
To stay engaged, share your culinary creations on the GoSun Community Kitchen Facebook group.