5 Tips for Grilling Over Charcoal Like a Pro

Most people will agree that food grilled over charcoal tastes better than food grilled over gas. Yes, gas grilling is quicker and more convenient, but when it's the weekend and you have all the time you need, charcoal is truly the way to go. With that said, grilling over charcoal can take some getting used to and a little trial and error. Here are five tips for grilling over charcoal like a pro.

Grilling various meats and vegetables — Getty Images

Use a chimney starter to light the coals

The single most important part of charcoal grilling is the charcoal itself and the lengthiest part of the charcoal grilling process is readying the coals. You may be tempted to use lighter fluid, but just keep in mind that any lighter fluid you use will end up flavoring your food, which no one wants. Instead, use a chimney starter to the light coals. It's simple: Just pack the bottom of the starter with newspaper and then fill the rest with charcoal. Then light the newspaper at the bottom and let science do the rest. Depending on how much charcoal you're using, make sure to allow 15 to 20 minutes to let your charcoal properly heat up before pouring it into the base of your grill.

The best charcoal grills, according to our tests

Pour the coals into your grill only when they’re ready

Resist the urge to rush this step. It's important that you wait until the coals are fully gray before pouring them out of the chimney and into the grill base. Your patience here will pay off in the end. If you don't wait and you add the charcoal to the grill while some of it is still black, you'll have way more difficulty controlling the temperature while cooking. The black charcoal will continue heating and the way you've distributed your charcoal in the grill will no longer match the temperature. Let your chimney do its thing and let those coals get nice and gray before you do anything foolish.

Create temperature zones in your grill

With gas grills, you have the option to customize the temperature on each side with the simple twist of a dial. The way you do this with charcoal is by distributing at least 75 percent of the coals to one side, creating two different temperature zones. This allows you to cook different foods at different speeds and gives you more options for letting your food rest over little to no heat while you get everything else set up prior to eating.

Preheat the grill before you start cooking

Just like your oven, you should preheat your grill before throwing any food onto the grates (also, make sure those racks are clean before you place anything on them). Once your coals are distributed in your grill, throw the lid on and let it sit for five to 10 minutes before placing any food over the coals. You want to hear a light sizzle when the protein, fruit, or vegetables hit the grates.

Use your grill vents to adjust the temperature

You can manipulate your grill's temperature by simply using the top and bottom grill vents. Located on the lid itself and on the very bottom of the base, the vents control the airflow through the grill, and the wider open they are, the hotter it's going to get. If you find yourself short on time as your friends and family become impatient, crank up the heat by opening up the vents. Just make sure to keep an eye on the food so it doesn't burn. While people will complain when they're hungry, they'll complain even more when the food they are served is inedible. (If you're using a portable charcoal grill, it may or may not have grill vents—just a heads up.)

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