Charcoal Grilling Tips for Beginners

Hello, my name is Miguel and today I will be giving you 10 tips on how to Charcoal Grill like a pro. You don’t have to know everything need before starting though because today we’ll be going over some basics in order to get started quickly.

The number one tip for lighting charcoal is not to use lighter fluid. So, you want to start your own charcoal-burning fireplace? It’s easy! Just follow these steps and in no time at all, there’ll be a chimney of glowing coals ready for use. All it takes are two sheets of newspaper and less than 15 minutes. Charcoal is the key to a great charcoal taste, but don’t waste your money on some fancy stuff. No need to pay extra money on unnecessary accessories and such when we’ve got something that will work just as well in a pinch.

Number two, make sure to clean your grill grate and also oil it up before you’re going to barbecue. If you want the best grill cleaning experience possible, look no further than this brush. Put your great on top of the charcoal and start scrubbing with those flames. It’ll help clean it! I have here Kurt land cooking spray, just pour some into that surface when you are done cleaning.

Number three tip: never use the same tongs for your raw meat and cook meats because they can carry a foreign flavor. When I am cooking, there are two pairs of tongs that I use. One set is for pulling in raw meat and another larger pair while cooking. I sometimes use longer ones because the flames can get really hot. I only use the long ones to start moving around and cooking meat, cause I don’t want to burn my hands. Don’t mix up your tongues with a fiery blast from those little guys.

Tip number four. The key to getting the most out of your meal is using a two-zone method. This will ensure that you don’t overcook whatever it may be-chicken, fish, or even steak!

So, here’s what I do. On one side of my grill is a layer filled with charcoal and on the other end, there’s always some clean space. Once the meat is in the place where I want it, I will move over to the other position. So I like to cover up your grill or whatever and let things cook themselves for a while before they’re done. If we want our steaks and roasts to be cooked perfectly, then it is important that they are left under the cover, not on the top of the coals. This will allow for higher temperatures which means you won’t have any undercooked or overcooked meat. To prevent overcooking your meat, don’t put it on the top.

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I know a lot of people will say that searing your meat is important because it’ll seal in all those juices

But I’m here with some news. Furthermore, some of the internet’s most reliable sources have confirmed that searing actually has no impact on juiciness. Well, it turns out that the weight of your food is about equal whether you sear or not.

So does it have the ceiling juices? No, but its texture is nice. The outside should be crispy, while the inside is still tender. A good way to get this texture? Throw on both sides.

Tip and number five, learn how to control the temperatures using the vents. One of the most important things to do when you’re cooking is to know how much heat each area needs. And vents are one of the most important parts when you’re cooking, cause they will allow you to control how warm or cool is inside. In general, I always keep this one totally open. And as I promised, here is a detailed explanation of the vents at the bottom. The oxygen goes through these and then moves up towards the top vent. The three blades on the inside are large ones and as you move it closed or open, they cut a hole for more oxygen to enter.

Generally speaking, if you’re doing low and slow with about a half-closed vent this is what will work best for that purpose. The general cooking method for most dishes is to have it full open on the bottom and about fully open on top.

I’m going to give you a tip, too. I put the meat underneath where this vent is at so it can get all nice and crispy with some heat on top. The heat from the fire will travel this way and it’ll get distributed throughout your meat, so you can expect a nice sear on all sides. When I put the vent out here, my meat’s going to be sitting in this area and it won’t get cooked as fast because all of that heat just goes straight up. I always put the vent over here, next to where we’re cooking meat. Got it!

Charcoal on one side and meat is the other. I use the two-zone method all the time. Charcoal on this side, your meat is now ready to be cooked. The heat will likely go this way, or at least that’s what we’re predicting.

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So, while we’re on the top of vents don’t keep opening and closing your grill, man. Just put it in there and be confident. Look at your temp here, which is really high by the way. I mean let the grill do most of the work for you.

Hey, stop opening up all the time. You know it’s like if you use a timer eventually your confidence will grow with how long things take to cook.

It will allow me to better estimate how long certain things actually take, rather than just guessing which can lead you into making mistakes and wasting time. After a certain of time using the grill, you’ll have a feeling about how long should the meat be cooked. I have a good sense of how long certain things will take. So, hotdogs will be ready in 15 minutes.

Tip number six – If you want to get the most out of your food, rubs are a must. You can’t go wrong with a rub. They’re the key to flavor and there’s no such thing as too much spice when it comes down right here. I’m sure you know that rubs are the foundation of any good barbecue. You can even make your own, but why not grab some pre-made?

Marinades. You can make your own marinade from scratch or buy one that is already made. I like to use a ziplock bag for storing my meat, then drop it into the refrigerator after getting all of the ingredients together so it’s ready whenever we want some grilled meats. It is important to use a new marinade after you remove the meat. The old one would not be good at all.

Tip number seven – a meat thermometer. A meat thermometer is a great way to make sure your meats are cooked at the right temperature. It takes out any guesswork and ensures that you’re getting safe, delicious food.

Two different types of meat thermometers are available now, you can choose whatever you like. So now that we know how important it is to use a thermometer, let me show you one. This device has your safe temperatures for meats: beef, chicken, and pork. Know your safe temperatures with the help of the meat thermometer. The last thing you want to do is feed people raw or undercooked meats which are absolutely disgusting. They will never forget that experience for the rest of their lives- trust me on this one.

Tip number eight – the last thing you want is for your food to hold the temperature, so always have heavy-duty aluminum foil on hand. The only thing better than a perfectly cooked chicken is one that’s been coated with Reynolds wrap. I’m not being sponsored or anything like that by Reynolds wrap, but this is the only product I use. The heavy-duty foil is a must-have for any serious grill master. You’ll notice the difference in quality after just one use! After cooking your meat to perfection, after your food has cooked, use this wrap so that it doesn’t get too tough or rubbery. Heavy-duty aluminum foil has so many uses and one of them is to keep your food warm after you’re done grilling. It will maintain the temperature for up to four degrees Fahrenheit which makes this great if it’s chilly outside or even in.

Tip number nine. What’s the difference between a briquette and lump cold? Okay, here are some things to think about when you’re deciding which type of coal is best for you. Both of these are colds. For those who like to work fast and in high heat, there is a difference between the two. The lump charcoal will give you better results than briquettes because it can reach higher temperatures faster. The best way to get a nice, even heat is with the briquettes. They’ll give you the consistency and length that you’re looking for.

With the lumpy poles of your grill, you can easily reach 500 degrees Fahrenheit. But with this more stable base made from briquettes that will only peak at around 400 on top. So you can choose between longer cook times or hotter temperatures with this. The high heat will get your food ready faster, but the shorter cooking time is great if you want a long-time lasting.

Tip number 10. Get yourself a Weber. You know, it’s not really an advertisement for anything but just buy one and enjoy! Number 10, you really need to get a Weber. I’ve used cheap ones from Home Depot and they just don’t compare – it’s not the same engineering as with other smokers out there; no offense meant! The design is different which makes all of your hard work worthwhile in terms of flavor satisfaction (and stomach comfort).

You know what? Feel free if you want to save some money on the cheap ones but you should get yourself a Weber. I mean, this is the 22-inch grill and it’ll be perfect for your needs. It may cost about 150 dollars, but you’ll be glad that was the only investment needed for such an incredible machine. I’ve had my current one for four years and it still runs like new.

And I love that it comes with a UN thermometer here on the side of my grill. If you don’t have a temperature indicator, just put one in through vents and track what’s going inside your smoker without any knowledge about how hot things really are getting. This is especially helpful when grilling for large groups and not sure what setting works best on each device!

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About Author

Thomas Francis

Hi there – I’m Thomas. I love cooking barbecue grills.. To me, there’s nothing like the joy of cooking up a delicious dinner on an outdoor grill. From searing steaks to sizzling sausages and succulent chicken wings, I’ve been making mostly everything under the sun at my humble home in Springfield.

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