How to Use a Kettle Grill

Kettle grills are multifunctional barbeque grills that cook, grill and even smoke food. Although gas grills remain popular, nothing adds flavor to food quite the way charcoal does. A kettle grill cooks even a turkey to perfection over a bed of hot coals. With the addition of hardwood, the kettle grill easily transforms into a smoker that will slowly cook your food while avoiding burning it on the outside.

Things You'll Need

• Kettle grill
• Meat
• Charcoal briquettes
• Charcoal lighter fluid
• Matches

Instructions

1. Open the air vents located on the bottom of the kettle grill. This ensures that enough air will get under the charcoal, allowing for even burning.

2. Place the charcoal briquettes into the kettle grill. Arrange the briquettes into a pyramid shape in the center of the grill. Add the charcoal lighter fluid evenly, ensuring that you cover each briquette. Allow the fluid sufficient time to absorb into the charcoal.

3. Light the charcoal and let it burn to the point of white ash to prevent leaving the flavor of the lighter fluid on the food. It can take 45 minutes to an hour for the charcoal to be ready for cooking.

Tips & Warnings

• Wood chips added to the charcoal will provide additional flavoring. To prevent food from sticking, use a non-stick cooking spray or lightly oil the grill rack.

• Long-handled matches allow the cook to stay far enough away from the grill while lighting it to ensure safety.

References

• Arizona Cooperative Extension: Additional Turkey Cooking Methods
• BBQ Page: How to Use a Weber Kettle Grill with These 6 Tips