Best Charcoal Grilling Techniques | Self Improvement Articles and Tips

If you can think of grilling as an art, then you are on your way to cooking the perfect meal. You know that it takes preparation, planning, time and the right tools. When you use a charcoal grill, which is certainly one of the more popular methods of grilling, you will learn over time how to prepare the meal just right. It takes time and patience to do the job right. Knowing how to prepare the meat, which temperature to use and when to turn the food over are the keys to great charcoal grilling.

The first thing you will want to do when you start to grill is to choose a grill. There are so many out there on the market and you can buy a very small and inexpensive grill, or you can shell out hundreds. It all depends on what you want and how much you want to spend. After that you should remember to do the following:

? Make sure you have a clean grill. Having a clean grill is the first step to cooking a delicious meal. Old ash left over from a previous grilling can cause your grill to rust and burn.

? Make sure your grill is in the right spot. Avoid placing your grill under brushes, trees and overhangs. It should be out in the open and well-ventilated before you start to use it.

? Understand how to safely light your grill. Follow the instructions that came with your grill to ensure that you are using it according to specifications.

? Allow your charcoal grill to burn at least 30 minutes before using. It does take some time for charcoal to reach to correct temperature, so give it the proper time. Charcoal that is ready to use turns an ashy-gray color.

? It is recommended that when you use a charcoal grill, you always coat your cooking grate with spray cooking oil or similar. This will prevent your foods from sticking.

? Never leave your grill unattended.

? Resist the urge to spray water when you have a fire flair. Most of the time, flair ups are caused by too much fat and heat. If you have a flare up, move your meat to another part of the grill, or try trimming the meat of any fat before cooking.

? Add sauces to your meat after cooking. Many sauces and marinades will cause the food to burn.

? Season the food and refrigerator for at least one hour before cooking.

When you are ready to use your charcoal grill, you should learn how to properly prepare the grill before you start to cook. One way to do this is to know how many charcoal briquettes you will need to use. As a general rule of thumb, the number of briquettes you will need will depend on the size of your grill as well as the cooking time your food requires. You will need about thirty small briquettes per one pound of meat. Remember that a normal five pound bag of charcoal has between 75-90 briquettes. That will help you know how many bags you will need before you start to cook. If the weather is windy or cold, you may need more briquettes in order to reach the right temperature.

When you are ready to light your briquettes, you will stack them in a pyramid shape and soak in about a ? cup of lighter fluid. Wait a few minutes before lighting. As the briquettes begin to burn and turn to ash, rearrange them in a single layer. You may also choose to build different heating zones on your grill using more or fewer briquettes. This will give you different cooking temperatures on the same grill for different types of foods. Never pour light fluid onto hot coal. Make sure you are using long stick matches so that you do not burn your hand. You can also check into a chimney starter, which looks like a coffee can with a handle. This will help you get a fire started without using lighter fluids. You can also start your grill by using an electric starter. These are plug in heating elements that will get your coals burning without using lighter fluid. These are a lot safer than matches.

Many people who use a charcoal grill prefer to use lump coal instead of briquettes. These contain no additives or fillers and can be found at grill speciality stores and natural food stores. Remember that charcoal briquettes do contain all sorts of filler, some not so healthy for you such as coal dust, petroleum, borax and even furniture scraps. While most people do not have a problem using them, many people prefer lump coal because it is more natural.

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