Charcoal Grilling

Even though there are a number of different types of gas grills on the market today, many people, including myself, still prefer using a charcoal grill. It takes a bit more time, but there is just nothing that can compare to the great taste of food grilled on a charcoal grill.

Call me a traditionalist or whatever you like, but I prefer to grill with charcoal. If I want to cook with gas, I'll use the kitchen!

One thing to keep in mind is that there are two main different charcoal grilling techniques. These charcoal grilling techniques are direct grilling and indirect grilling.

Direct grilling is a technique that involves cooking the food directly over the coals. This charcoal grilling technique is best used for foods that require less than 30 minutes or so to grill. Such foods include fish, boneless chicken, hot dogs, steaks and hamburgers (although many of these foods are great grilled with the indirect method as well).

The indirect charcoal grilling technique is kind of like a cross between roasting and smoking. This method is best for foods that will take longer than a half hour to cook, including those that have a high fat content. Some examples for these types of foods include turkeys, chickens, ribs, bone-in chicken and your larger cuts of beef. Using this charcoal grilling technique can help to prevent the foods from burning and drying out due to the way the heat will circulate around the food.

Regardless of which charcoal grilling technique you decide to use, it is important to know how to build the charcoal before you get going. Make sure you start before you need to put the food on the grill. The charcoal should be lit and then allowed to burn until it forms a thin white ash. With the direct charcoal grilling method you will need to place the food directly over the coals. If using the indirect grilling method, the food will need to be placed to the side of the coals.

I like to use indirect grilling baskets. These are metal baskets that sit down with the coals. They are shaped to sit inside a weber grill, and keep the coals on either side of the food, so you can cook the food in the middle of the grill. This is also helpful if you have a grill with hinged sides, as you can easily add more charcoal if you are grilling your food for a long period of time.

Regarless of your method, you should always oil the grate of the grill in order to prevent the food from sticking while cooking. It is also a good idea to keep a can of water or a spray bottle of water near the grill while cooking. This will help to put out small flames and ensure the moisture is retained in the food.

Always make sure that you cook the food to the proper temperature. You can use a meat thermometer in order to be certain. Ground beef should be cooked to a minimum of 160 degrees, steaks to at least 145 degrees and chicken should be cooked to 170 degrees F.

Choosing the right charcoal grilling techniques can help to you to prepare food that is tasty and delicious right from your own backyard grill. If you are like me, charcoal grilling is the only way to go!

You can check out some barbeque recipes of mine online, or learn more about barbeque in general.