The Napoleon Stainless Steel Baking Hood (Basting) – Napoleon is a cloche designed to cover food on griddles and grills, creating a micro-oven that concentrates heat and steam for fast, even finishes. Ideal for melting cheese, finishing off cooking and maintaining temperature when serving, it incorporates a large top handle for a secure grip even when wearing gloves.
🔧 Materials and construction
Made entirely of stainless steel, it offers high heat resistance and an easy-to-clean surface, suitable for intensive use. The bell-shaped body distributes and retains heat energy efficiently, while the riveted handle makes it easy to lift firmly when it’s time to reveal the dish.
🚀 Outstanding features
Its main function is to retain heat and generate an oven-like environment on the griddle, shortening finishing times and favouring perfect textures. It allows you to add a touch of steam to gently finish vegetables, meats or eggs; and it is the ultimate tool for melting cheese on burgers and grilled sandwiches.
⚙️ Performance and efficiency
The domed geometry creates a stable heat chamber that surrounds the food on all sides, ensuring an even finish. By working with steam under the hood, you improve heat transfer and preserve juices, achieving fast cooking without drying out the food.
🎨 Design and aesthetics
The hood shape is not only functional: it adds that theatrical moment of “uncovering” at the table or at showcookings, while maintaining the heat until plating. The metallic finish matches modern grills and griddles and conveys a professional look in outdoor and indoor kitchens.
🧩 Compatibilities and accessories
Designed for griddles and flat cooking surfaces; works great on cast iron or steel griddles and is complemented by spatulas, double hoods and water jars for steam generation. On griddles with a griddle or solid zone, its performance is especially remarkable.
🍖 Benefits according to cooking style
In barbecue it allows to finish meats, fish and vegetables with quick gratins and impeccable melted cheeses. In outdoor cooking it speeds up service by maintaining heat between batches. In domestic cooking with a worktop griddle, it helps to control splatter and achieve juicier cooking with less oil.
🛡️ Safety and ease of use
The large top handle improves control when the hood is removed. As heat and steam builds up inside, heat resistant gloves are recommended when handling. Cleaning is easy thanks to the stainless steel, which allows for quick maintenance between services.
🌍 Non-barbecue applications
Beyond the barbecue, it is useful in kitchen griddles, street food trolleys, tapas bars and buffets to keep the pass warm. Its versatility makes it a basic piece for professional finishes in compact formats.
Use and maintenance
To get the most out of your hood and ensure it lasts for years, it is a good idea to follow a simple routine:
preheat correctly, handle safely and clean with care. These practices improve cooking results and preserve the shine of the stainless steel.
Basic use (step by step)
- Preheat the griddle or solid area of the grill to a stable temperature.
- Place the food on the grill; if you want a soft finish or quick melting, add a few drops of water around it.
- Cover with the hood and check every few seconds to avoid overcooking.
- Always remove with heat-resistant gloves and direct the steam outlet away from you.
Maintenance and cleaning
- Allow the lid to cool partially before washing to avoid thermal shock.
- Wash with warm water and mild detergent using a soft sponge; rinse and dry immediately with a cloth to minimise marks.
- Avoid highly abrasive scouring pads or harsh chemicals that can tarnish the stainless steel.
- For light fingerprints, a slightly damp microfibre cloth works very well.
- Store in a dry place; if used outdoors, protect it from dust between uses.
Safety and best practices
- Use gloves or tongs to lift it; the metal and steam can burn.
- Do not pour cold liquids onto the hot hood.
- Check that the handle is secure periodically; tighten it if you notice any looseness.
Recipe for Smash burger with cheese ‘sealed’ under a cloche
The cloche turns your griddle into a micro-oven with controlled steam. By covering the burger with cheese and a few drops of water around it, the steam accelerates the melting process, prevents heat from escaping and preserves juiciness, creating that ‘enveloping’ effect of a professional burger joint.
Serves: 2 burgers |
Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 balls of 100–120 g of well-chilled beef
- 2 burger buns
- 2 slices of cheese (cheddar, American or your favourite)
- Salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon oil or clarified butter
- Optional: chopped onion, gherkins, sauce
Steps:
- Preheat the griddle to medium-high heat until hot. Lightly toast the buns on one side and set aside.
- Flatten and brown: place a ball of meat on the greased griddle and flatten it with a spatula to a thickness of 5–7 mm. Do not move for 60–90 seconds to allow a crust to form. Repeat with the second patty.
- Flip and cover: season the cooked side with salt and pepper, flip and place a slice of cheese on top of each patty.
- Controlled steam: pour a few drops of water around each burger (not on top) and cover with the lid immediately. The trapped steam will melt the cheese and heat the whole thing evenly.
- Perfect point: in 20–40 seconds the cheese will be bubbling; remove the lid with gloves, assemble on the bun and add your toppings.
- Serve hot: if you're making several at once, use the lid to keep the first one warm while you finish the rest.
Pro tips:
- For extra creamy melting, mix two cheeses.
- If you're doing a ‘double smash’, cover both burgers under the same lid to even out the cooking times.
Vegetarian variation: Portobello and cheese smash with sweet onion
Portobellos release moisture and aroma; trapping them under the dome allows the steam to enhance their meaty texture and melt the cheese perfectly without drying it out.
Yield: 2 burgers |
Time: 15–18 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 large portobellos, stems removed
- 2 buns
- 2 slices of cheese (provolone or gouda)
- 1 onion, sliced into strips
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt, pepper, dash of vinegar or balsamic sauce
Steps:
- Sweet onion: sauté the onion in oil over medium heat until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
- Portobellos: grease the griddle, place the portobellos hollow side down and press gently. Cook for 2–3 minutes, season with salt and pepper and turn over.
- Melt under a lid: add the cheese to each portobello, sprinkle a few drops of water around and cover with the lid for 30–60 seconds until melted.
- Assembly: spread the bread, add the sweet onion, the portobello with cheese and a touch of balsamic. Serve immediately.
