How to Use Charcoal Grills

Although many people now use a gas grill, others still favor the time-honored use of charcoal. With a charcoal grill, however, you can't just turn on the gas, press the igniter and begin grilling. There is a best practice for using a charcoal grill. Although it is not difficult, it does take slightly more preparation. Follow these simple steps and you'll be matching the gas grillers hot dog for hot dog.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Charcoal Grill
• Bag of Charcoal Briquettes
• Lighter Fluid
• Grilling Matches

Grilling with Charcoal

1. Choose a safe place to position your grill, away from combustible materials and allowing proper ventilation from smoke and flame. Avoid an overly windy area or where debris may fall into the grill.

2. 
    

   Pour out enough amount of briquettes to cook. Knowing the right amount can be difficult, but more is definitely better than less. Spread the briquettes evenly across the bottom and touching the sides of the neighbor coal. This will ensure that the meat is evenly cooked edge to edge.

3. 
    

   Arrange the briquettes into a pyramid-like tower, trying to keep it compact, but not too high. You shouldn't stack the briquette tower higher than the width of the base.

4. Douse with lighter fluid, being sure to cover all of the briquettes. Spray in a circle from the top down so that enough to drip into the interior of the tower.

5. Light the tower with a long grill match or other match stick at various points around the base. Ignite at even intervals, about one briquette layer up, and let the rising flame ignite the higher ones.

6. 
    

   When the briquettes have heated and are about 75% gray, take a long stick and push the briquette tower until it falls to pieces. Arrange the coals evenly across the bottom of the grill.

7. 
    

   Place the grilling surface over the coals and adjust it to the proper height so as to not cook the meat too quickly. Place the meat in a circle around the grill surface, keeping in mind to rotate the meat periodically as the hottest cook area is in the very center.

Tips & Warnings

• You can also use briquettes pre-soaked in lighter fluid. There are several commercial brands. You can buy a charcoal starter that holds the heating charcoal in a bunch as an alternative to making a tower. The briquettes will not flame continuously after they burn off all the lighter fluid. They will continue to heat even without flame.
• Do not apply more lighter fluid after lighting the briquettes. Once the flame burns out do not try to reignite - heating will continue without flame. Never touch a briquette after lighting the charcoal, even if it appears black and untouched by flame. Coals will stay hot for some time after cooking. Douse them with water or allow them to burn out before disposing.

Resources

• Helpful videos for grilling and grill maintenance