How To Cook On A Charcoal Grill

Grilled food has the best flavor, no matter what, but the most flavorful grilled foods can be had if you know how to cook on a charcoal grill. Gas is fine in winter, but a charcoal grill will give a smokey flavor that is not available on a gas grill. Even if you're not the Bobby Flay of the grilling world, you can easily learn how to cook on a charcoal grill and build a reputation for making the best hamburgers or ribs around.

To cook on a charcoal grill, you will need:

• A charcoal grill chimney starter
• Matches
• A charcoal grill, cleaned of any ash
• A freshly oiled grill

1. Start the charcoal by loading the top half of a charcoal grill chimney starter to the top. Loosely pile the charcoal in so that there is enough air around the charcoal pieces. A chimney starter requires only charcoal and one piece of paper to start the coals. No need to use charcoal lighter fluid.
2. Place just one piece of newspaper in the bottom of the chimney starter and light it with a match. Don't get frustrated if you think the paper has gone out—it hasn't. In about twenty short minutes, you'll have charcoal ready to go. Once the top charcoal pieces are white on the edges, pour the charcoal into the bottom of the grill.
3. Place a freshly oiled grill on top. Use a balled-up piece of aluminum foil to remove any old food particles on the grill before oiling.
4. For grilling steaks or meats, such as pork chops or ribs, place the meat on the grill directly over the coals. For grilling more delicate items, such as vegetables or fish, push the coals to one side and put the food items on the cool side of the grill (not over the coals).
5. Try to flip each item only once when grilling, as items may stick when cooking and you could lose some of your dinner. Also, if you're grilling hamburgers, resist the urge to smash them down on the grill as you'll only squish out the juice and make them stick to the grill.