Common Ways to Grill

First, you must select the type of grill you want to use. There are basically two options to choose from gas or charcoal.

Gas grills are the most commonly used grill today. Many find them more convenient than charcoal as they start instantly and fuel purchases are needed less often.

When selecting a gas grill, check the heat output (BTUs), and construction.

Look for heat control, construction, and style.

There are two main styles of non-portable charcoal grill: Kettle and traditional.

Kettle grills are great for straightforward grilling and small smoking applications.

More traditional, rectangular charcoal grills are more versatile when it comes to setting up different zones of heat and smoking of larger products, but also typically take up more space.

Consider heat output. Heat output is what defines a proper grill. You want a grill that can put enough heat out to quickly sear a piece of fillet mignon, or keep a low heat to thoroughly roast a piece of meat.

Heat output in gas grills: Since most grills allow for fine adjustment of gas flow, it’s best to get the highest output you can afford.

Heat output in charcoal grills: Heat control is achieved by charcoal amount, placement, air flow, and level.

It’s best to find a grill that allows for adjustment of the height of the charcoal tray.

Crank mechanisms are the best option, but hook and lever methods also work fine.

Look for at least two adjustable vents, as well.

Opening them for more oxygen makes for a hotter fire, closing them cools the fire somewhat, and also deprives flames of oxygen, helping to stop flare-ups.

Consider the size of the grill you want. Will you be cooking “for an army” or just for a family of 2 or 4?

Having more cooking space is always better since you can always add more items to be cooked.

It’s relatively easy to cook a small meal on a large grill, but the opposite is not true.

Look for how much “cooking area” your prospective grill has.

The average grill has around 600 square inches of cooking space, and will serve a small party fairly well.

If you host big cookouts, shoot for 800 square inches or more.

Consider the materials used to make the grill. In particular, look closely at the grill grates.

Most grill grates are made from either cast iron, porcelain, or stainless steel.

Cast Iron is the best for conducting heat, but it requires care to keep it from rusting.

Porcelain-coated metal (steel or cast-iron) grates do well at conducting heat, but must be cleaned with something other than steel (typically, a brass brush is used) to avoid damaging the porcelain and leaving the metal underneath vulnerable to rust.

Stainless steel grates are easy to clean, without the worries of cast iron or porcelain, but can wear out faster than well-maintained cast iron or porcelain.

Pay attention to additional features that might be available.

Do you want a rotisserie? A smoker box? An external side burner? Infrared cooking?

Pay close attention to the number of burners a grill has. More burners equal more versatility.

Look for good wheels, preferably larger (not tiny casters), if you’re going to be moving your grill around at all.

Features found on gas grills: Most gas grills have a built-in thermometer, while charcoal grills do not.

Thermometers are quite useful for smoking and roasting applications.

They can, however, be purchased separately and installed if your grill does not come with one.

Do not just rely on the thermometer that is part of the grill.

You need to have some type of portable thermometer to get an accurate reading of whatever you are cooking.

Features found on charcoal grills: Helpful features in the construction of charcoal grills include easy access to ashes, be it through a drawer or a dumping mechanism.

Determine your grill’s location. There should be a couple of feet of clearance between the hot box and anything flammable.

Your grill should not be directly underneath low-hanging trees or a low roof, and it should not be against the deck rail.

These things could potentially catch fire.

Place a fire extinguisher or hose near your grill in case of emergency.

Keep flammable materials far from the fire and never leave your grill unattended.

Start your fire ahead of time. You don’t want to have to wait for the grill to heat up when everyone else is ready to eat and all the side dishes are prepared.

Keep in mind that charcoal takes longer than gas to heat up.

Shoot for 10 minutes of preheating with gas, and 20-25 with charcoal.

Turn your grill on or light your charcoal. If you have a charcoal grill, there are several different ways you can start your fire.

When the charcoal is lightly ashed over and gray, you can begin cooking.

Popular lighter fluid works, but you must let it all burn off before cooking unless you like the taste of petroleum.

Electric starters are also available.

Chimney starters use a metal cylinder with perforations to hold the charcoal on top, and a couple of sheets of newspaper on the bottom. They work quickly and are inexpensive.

Light the newspaper and the heat flows upward, igniting the coals. Have a place to put the chimney after use, as it will be red-hot.

Chimney starters can be used to prepare extra charcoal if you need to refresh your pile.

Just be sure to do it on top of a very heat-resistant surface, such as a cinder block or the bottom of an upturned galvanized steel bucket.

Close the grill. Allow the bars to heat for a minute or so to be able to make nice grill marks on whatever you are grilling.

Brine or marinate your meats before cooking. This is optional but brining or marinating meat and then placing the meat on the grill will result in a whole lot of flavor.

Brining will especially make for more juicy pork, chicken, or turkey.

A basic brine is about 1/8 cup of table salt to 1 US-quart (950 ml) of water. Make sure you have enough to cover the meat.

If marinating, be sure your marinade does not have too much sugar, or else it will burn on the grill.

Add the food to the grill. Placement is key when grilling, particularly if you are feeding a large party.

If you’re cooking for a lot of people, try to be deliberate in your placement of food, so that you can maximize the amount of cooking all at once.

Do not crowd the food together, as it needs some space both for better cooking and for you to be able to move it or turn it.

Pay attention to hot spots. Some grills will have sections that get hotter than others.

Keep that in mind when grilling, particularly if someone you are cooking for has a special preference regarding how they like their food.

If someone likes their burger rarer than the rest, put theirs on the cooler side.

If your grill is pretty evenly heated, just put the food on slightly later than the rest to make it rare.

Flame-ups are caused by fatty foods dripping onto the fire.

You can stop flame-ups by removing the meat from the grill once the oil has risen to the surface of the meat.

Shake the meat off its grease then put it back on the grill at a lower heat.

Turn the food when it is halfway done. Try to limit turning the food as much as possible.

Frequent turning can lead to uneven cooking, ugly food, or losing a piece of food to the flames below.

Ensure that your food is cooked all the way through. A thermometer plunged into the center of the food is the best method.

Use an instant-read thermometer for small items, use a probe-style thermometer if you’re grilling a large item.

If you don’t have a thermometer, you can cut into the food, but keep in mind that slicing, piercing, or breaking a piece of food in half will make it dry out very quickly, as all the juices will run out of it.