Grill

In British kitchens the grill is the element at the top of the oven, or in a separate compartment above it, that cooks food with strong heat from above. To grill is to cook under it.

American English splits the word. The heating element is the broiler and the action is broiling, while grilling means cooking over heat from below, on a barbecue or a ridged grill pan. So a US recipe that says "grill the chicken" usually means a barbecue, and one that says "broil" means the UK grill.

A grill cooks fast and browns the top, which suits thin cuts, sausages, halloumi, sliced aubergine and toast, and it finishes dishes such as a gratin or cheese on toast. Most grills have a rack that you can raise or lower: closer to the element for quick colour, further away so thicker food cooks through before the outside burns. Preheat it for a few minutes, use a tray that can take the heat, and stay nearby, because food under a grill can go from golden to burnt in under a minute.

No grill? For browning a topping, put the dish on the highest shelf of a very hot oven; it takes longer, so watch the edges. For sausages, halloumi or sliced vegetables, a hot ridged griddle pan or heavy frying pan on the hob works, turning the food so each side colours.