For a basic cooking technique, broiling is surprisingly complicated. Maybe you get your melted-golden-crispy on on the regular, but for every broiling expert, there's another seriously bewildered home cook asking the big questions: How long does a broiler need to pre-heat? How close should the rack be situated to the broiler? Will there be carryover cooking time? Can I cook an entire steak in there from raw, or is it just for adding a finishing crust? Stop stressing—broiling should be FUN. Here's the BA guide to broiling.
Confession: I've never actually known what a broiler is.
Deep breaths. The broiler is a direct heat source—like a grill—that cooks, melts, and crisps food extremely fast. It will be either a heated rod that gets blasting hot or direct flame, based on whether your oven is powered by electric or gas.
Where…is it? Is it that drawer I use to store all my mismatched pot lids?
Your broiler will either be located in the top of your oven or in the pull-out drawer underneath the main chamber (this is typical of gas). If you're not sure where yours is, take a minute now to look—make sure the oven is, uh, off before you go poking around. The trays in pull-out units located underneath the oven are situated a maximum of five inches from the direct heat source. They may or may not contain a slatted plate or tray for use, depending whether or not you have tossed it in a manic spring cleaning binge. Drawer units have the benefit of getting hotter than top-of-the-oven broilers, because they're enclosed in a smaller space that better holds heat. On the flip side, the top-of-the-oven unit has the benefit of being able to be adjusted; how close the food gets to the broiler is dictate by where you position the oven racks. Generally speaking, you'll want to place the rack in the uppermost position possible, placing it two-to-four inches from the broiling rod.
A microwave won't give you that golden-brown gooeyness. Photo: Danny Kim
How hot does a broiler actually get?
We're not talking wood-fired pizza oven temps here. Most broilers max out at about 550 degrees, though the direct flames make it hard to measure exactly. The temperature is less important than the method: Remember, you're cooking with direct, rather than indirect, heat.
How long will that baby take to heat up?
Give the broiler at least five minutes to reach full-strength. Broilers typically contain just two settings: on and off. Does yours have "high" and "low" options? Associate food editor at BA Rick Martinez says you can ignore the low setting. If you're going to broil, go big—otherwise, you're just roasting.
Can any pan or tray be put into a broiler? Like my casserole dish?
Do not put glass under the broiler, even if it's strong and enforced, like Pyrex. It could break and that is just a mess you do not want to deal with. Instead, use a sturdy metal pan that can stand the heat. These $6 sizzle platters are prized in restaurant kitchens for their durability and versatility. A rimmed sheet pan will also do the trick. Line the pan with foil, so the hot grease doesn't stain the metal. It's impossible to scrub off once it's burnt on there. If you have a drawer unit and are lucky enough to still have the tray that came with it, good for you! The broiler tray is typically two-tiered, with holes in the top and a bottom for catching the grease that drips through. Martinez also lines broiler trays with foil so they don't stain. You’ll want to cut a few slats in the foil before broiling (only do this if you have a broiling tray with a removable bottom to catch the drips!), or else the fat will pool around the food and could potentially catch on fire.
