How To Charcoal Grill

Learn how to charcoal grill and have some of the best grilled food you have ever tasted. It may take a little longer to charcoal grill, but in the long run, the taste is well worth it. Charcoal grilling is more than just turning the knob. You need to watch the fire and know how to use it to your benefit.

Things you'll need:

• Charcoal pieces
• Lighter fuel
• Oven thermometer

1. Place the charcoal pieces inside the grill. Make sure to place them directly above the vents and spread them evenly around so oxygen can reach them to maintain the fire. Depending on the size of your grill, you will use anywhere from 30 pieces of charcoal for smaller grills to 150 pieces for larger grills. Place a cooking grate over the coals.
2. Start the fire. Nontoxic lighter cubes are a great substitution for liquid fuel. They light easily and they don't have the chemical taste or smell that liquid fuel gives off. The coals are ready when they have a light coating of gray ash. You now may place the food you want to grill on the cooking grate.
3. Adjust the vents to control the speed and intensity of the fire. Make sure to keep the top vent of the charcoal grill open at all times. Only lift the lid of the charcoal grill when necessary, so you can keep a consistent temperature. The best way to keep track of the temperature is to use an oven thermometer on the cooking grate.
4. When your food is completely cooked, close all the vents and place the lid on the charcoal grill to put out the fire. Leave the cooking grate in the grill ten minutes prior to putting out the fire to make sure you have burned off any leftover cooking residue. Remove the ashes after they have cooled to prevent them from collecting moisture and making the charcoal grill rust.