Build the two zones
On a charcoal grill, light the coals in a chimney starter, which needs only newspaper and about fifteen or twenty minutes. The coals are ready when they are mostly covered in gray ash. Pour them over one half of the grate below, leave the other half empty, and set the cooking grate on top. On a gas grill, turn one or two burners to high and leave the remaining burner off or low. Either way, close the lid and let the grates heat for ten to fifteen minutes before any food goes on. A hot grate releases food, and a cold one grips it.
Cook with the lid down
A closed grill works like an oven with a very hot floor, and the lid keeps flare-ups short by limiting air. Sear over the hot side for a few minutes a side, then move thick cuts, bone-in chicken and sausages to the cool side to finish gently with the lid closed. Thin foods such as burgers, shrimp, asparagus and half-inch chops can stay over the heat the whole time.
Food releases from the grate on its own once the surface has browned. Do not press burgers with the spatula, which squeezes the juice into the fire. When dripping fat flares up, slide the food to the cool side until the flames die. Spraying water only throws ash onto dinner.
The numbers that matter
- Burgers and other ground meat are done at 160 degrees.
- Chicken and turkey, including ground poultry, are done at 165 degrees.
- Steaks, chops and roasts of beef, pork and lamb are safe at 145 degrees, followed by a three-minute rest.
- Fish is done at 145 degrees, or when it turns opaque and flakes easily.
Push the thermometer into the thickest part, away from bone. Brush on sweet sauces only in the last few minutes, because sugar burns long before meat is cooked.
Safety around the fire
Set the grill at least ten feet from the house, railings and overhanging branches, and never use it in a garage or under a covered porch. Carry cooked meat inside on a clean plate, not the one that held it raw. Let charcoal ash cool for forty-eight hours before you throw it out, or douse it thoroughly and store it in a metal can.
Tip Check a propane connection each spring by brushing soapy water over the hose and fittings with the tank valve open. Growing bubbles mean a leak, and the grill stays off until the part is replaced.
