Gas Grill for Direct and Indirect Grilling
Most people think that zone cooking can only be done on a charcoal kettle grill, but you can easily set up heat zones on your gas grill as well.
Setting up your gas grill for direct and/or indirect grilling is simpler than setting up a charcoal grill.
Grilling Tip: It’s always a good idea to preheat the entire grill so it burns off any remaining residue from when you grilled last.
Preheat your grill to 500°F (260°C), close the lid, and turn all burners to “high”.
Then, using a brass-bristle grill brush, thoroughly brush your cooking grates until they are free from any build-up.
If you don’t have a brass-bristle grill brush, you can try cleaning your grill’s cooking grates with an onion.
Direct Heat Grilling
Turn the burner “on” using the control panel located right underneath the food you are grilling. Grill your food directly over the hot burner.
Gas Burner State – Indirect Heat
Indirect
Two-Zone — Turn the burner “on” using the control panel that’s furthest from the food you are grilling.
Leave the burner that’s right underneath your food set to “off” so the heat from the adjacent burner can reflect off the lid and slowly cook your meal.
Three-Zone — Turn on the two side burners and leave the burner in the middle.
You can also use your warming rack for indirect heat. The warming rack helps keep any cooked food warm and also allows it to absorb extra smoke. It’s also great for heating buns!
Grilling Tip: Place an aluminum drip pan with water right underneath your food when using the indirect grilling method. The aluminum drip pan serves two purposes:
The water helps keep the food moist during indirect cooking as prolonged cooking can dry out the meat.
You can also experiment with beer, wine, or cider mixtures or any marinades to add smoke flavoring to your meat.
The drip pan also collects all the fat and grease from your meat and prevents it from dripping onto your grill as grease buildup can damage your grill’s parts.
It can also help you clean up faster.
Alternative Indirect Grilling Methods
You can also provide indirect heat to your food by using barbecue grilling accessories that create a barrier between your cooking grates and the food, such as a wood grilling plank or a pizza stone.
To use your wood plank or pizza stone, set up your grill with the three-zone setup, then place your food in the middle section (away from the fire).
Alternative Indirect Grilling Methods Plank
Plank Cooking (Planking) — The plank wood infuses your food with the wood’s natural oils and moisture.
Different types of wood will create different flavors.
Before putting it on your grill, submerge the wood plank in a water pan and soak it for at least 30 minutes.
Otherwise, it will leave a strong burnt taste or may even catch on fire.
Planks are typically used for salmon and wild meats, but they can also be used for other types of food as well.
Alternative Indirect Grilling Methods Pizza Stone
Pizza Stone (Baking Stone) — Pizza stones are typically made out of ceramic or fired clay.
They can withstand high temperatures, and they recreate the conditions of a brick oven on your grill.
The stone absorbs the heat from below and transfers it to your food to cook it evenly. The stone also pulls in moisture from your pizza or bread, leaving it with a crackling gourmet-style crust.
Using different grilling methods can add another dimension to your grilling technique.
