Charcoal Barbecue Grills - Better Than Propane

If you want to learn how to make a meal on a charcoal grill, it can take a lot of practice to master. Most new grillers use propane, but charcoal has been making a comeback lately. If you have decent palate, you can certainly tell the difference between the two cooking methods. Most bbq lovers like charcoal due to the extra flavors absorbed by the meat.

The most difficult step in cooking with charcoal is preparing the coals. The majority of grillers are experienced with the classic method of using charcoal starter fluid. However, this practice has been replaced with a new one that is much better: using a charcoal chimney. The charcoal chimney is a facile and trustworthy means of starting your coals. The charcoal chimney is a steel cylinder with a radius of around four inches. You simply place a bit of newspaper in the receptacle, fill it up with coals, then light the newspaper. In about fifteen minutes your coals will be all hot and ready to cook.

There's a surefire way to know when the coals are ready. The best way to do it is to wait patiently until all the coals are white on the exterior. This indicates the bricks are producing heat at their maximal capacity. If you pour the coals onto your barbecue grill too early, they will still be going up in temperature at the same time you are cooking. This not ideal, because you would like total control of the heat capacity.

Control of the temp on a charcoal barbecue comes down to two things. First of all, you ought to be familiar with how to operate the vents properly. Vents that are closed will hold in the heat, while open ones will let let the heat out. Secondly, you can move the briquettes around to make it hotter on one part of the grill. This can be ideal if you have meats of various thickness. Certain grill surfaces, like the one that comes on the the Weber Q320, have hinged openings on the side. This allows access to the coals even while you are grilling. If you don't have the hinged grate, then you must remove the entire grill in order to access the coals. That's not an ideal option with food on the grill, so make sure you have your coals arranged properly before you start cooking.

In conclusion, the most necessary part of grilling with charcoal is preparing your coals correctly. If you let your briquettes heat up to their maximum temperature prior to adding your food, you will have better control over the heat. When done correctly, cooking with charcoal can make some delicious meals that are better-tasting than meals produced by a gas grill.