Abstract: Food products are characterized by grill markings, wherein the grill markings are generated by a simulated grilling process. The simulated grilling process includes maintaining a food item on a grill rack, the grill rack including a plurality of substantially solid rods, each of the plurality of rods being substantially parallel to, and laterally spaced from, an adjacent rod to define a plurality of spaces between the plurality of rods. The plurality of rods each define a substantially flat top surface and include a non-stick coating over the substantially flat top surfaces. The process also includes disposing the food product as maintained on the plurality of rods in a convection oven. The oven is convectively heated at or above about 400 degrees F such that the plurality of rods impart the grill markings on the food product, the grill markings being substantially darker than surrounding portions of the food item.