subject: 4 Quick Steps To Using Indirect Heat With A Charcoal Grill [print this page] The success of all charcoal grilling is to have control of both the time and temperature. The way to do this is with a 2-zone fire. Mastering this method will definitely get you in the rank of a CharMaster. For hamburgers and steaks you want the heat high, but for barbeque ribs, brisket, and pulled pork, it is most important to
* keep the temp down to about 225F
* cook with indirect heat, the meat is not directly over the flame
* add moisture with the smoke
* create smoke by placing wood close to the hot side of the grill
This is what makes your meats tender, smokey, and juicy. Your setup may be different than CharMasterUSA's but if you follow the this way of grilling, the most flavorful meats are about to be yours.
Before you do anything you will need to check the temperature of your grill, so start your grill and setup at least an a couple of hours before you actually need to start cooking the first time you try to use this method. Once you have checked your grill operating temperature, it will take only a few moments to get setup the next time. Purchase yourself a good digital thermometer. You need to be accurate. Those thermometers that are built into all grills are worthless and inaccurate.
1) Start a charcoal fire with a chimney the #1 charcoal grilling accessory. If you don't have a charcoal chimney starter you can buy one here. The charcoal chimney starter will have your charcoal ready in about 15 minutes. When the coals are light grey they are ready to cook with. I have read of people drizzling some cooking oil on the paper to make it burn longer but I've never found this any better . Dry charcoal never seems to be a problem lighting for me. The advantages of a charcoal chimney are no chemical aftertaste, no solvent smell in the air, and it's a lot safer and cheaper than using lighter fluid.
Most charcoal brands recommend the method of placing the coals on two sides with a pan of water in the center, underneath the food. This concept is called 2-zone indirect grilling and it is an essential concept in good outdoor cooking. However CharMasterUSA recommends a better way of doing this.
2-A) Place the briquettes against only one side, not both. You can start your steaks on the low temperature side, and when they are ready move them to the high temperature side to bring the inside up to close to your desired finish temperature, and then quickly crisp the exterior over the high heat.
2-B) When you are preparing tougher cuts of meat like ribs, pork butt, or beef brisket, use the indirect method as well but place a pan of water inside the grill as well. Place the aluminum pan of water beside the bank of charcoals.
For ribs, if you use sauce on your ribs be sure to add it at the end so it won't burn, then move your ribs direct heat to crisp it quickly. The water pan will add moisture to the atmosphere inside barbeque grill. The moisture mixes with the smoke to penetrate the meat and vastly adds to the flavor. The added moisture also stops the food from becoming dry. Use heated water when filling the pan, you don't want the coals to burn down while heating the water in your pan. If you have enough space place another pan of hot water above the coals. It will add more moisture.
3) Place the grate with the handle over the coals. This makes adding additional briquettes and wood chips very easy. Crack open the bottom vents until they are half way open. When cooking ribs, use rib racks to hold the ribs on their end. You will be able to get 3 to 4 slabs of baby backs ribs on the your charcoal barbeque grill. However beware of all rib racks, the ribs can be close to touching each other. Measure the space between and if space between the ribs, if it is less than an inch, you should add 30 to 60 minutes to the original cooking time. Close the lid and make sure that the vent holes are set over the ribs and adjust them to half way open. This will make the smoke and moisture flow across the ribs to escape. Put a thermometer into a vent hole on the lid to read your temperature. The temperature you want is about 225F. Leave the top vents open half way. You control the temperature with the bottom vents not the top.
4) Stay busy doing something but DO NOT open the lid unless the temperature climbs to high. If the temperature gets too hot just add more hot water to the top pan to drop the temperature of the charcoal barbeque grill. You can close the bottom vents if the temperature gets too high. Don't shut our bottom vents all the way though. That will cause the coals to die and the wood will smolder. This generates a bitter tasting creosote and will get absorbed into your food. If the charcoal grill temperature drops, add coals and open the the bottom vents wider. You most likely need to add eight charcoal briquettes every 30-60 minutes anyway depending on the temperature and wind. When possible add hot coals, but cold coals will catch pretty quickly.
That's all there is to it. Just 4 quick steps to using indirect heat when charcoal grilling. When you get this method down pat you are on the path to becoming a CharMaster of the charcoal barbeque grill.
So get the grill out and start experimenting with some indirect heat cooking on your charcoal barbeque grill and be sure to leave a comment let me know how this works for you.
