All About Charcoal Grills

ALL ABOUT CHARCOAL GRILLS

Faster Way To Learn How To Use Grill Starters BUILD A CHARCOAL FIRE TO SUIT YOUR GRILL AND COOKING STYLE

CONTENTS 1.

Grilling For Dummies

1

2.

How To Build Charcoal Grill - First Things First

3

3.

Learn How To Use Charcoal Grill Fast

5

4.

Pros And Cons Of Different Grill Starters

7

5.

Build A Charcoal Fire To Fit Your Grill And Cooking Style

10

6.

How To Start A Grill?

13

7.

Recommendations

16

1

GRILLING FOR DUMMIES

E

VER WONDER WHY YOUR BURGERS ARE BLACK ON THE OUTSIDE AND RAW IN

the middle?

Or why does the chicken have that black soot like glaze?

Are your hot dogs coming off the grill with bits and chunks of black charred crunchy stuff?

Well my friend, this article will solve those simple grilling problems.

Simple techniques and basic cleaning procedures can help you create the most amazing grilled dishes to keep folks asking for more.

Just as in life, the main idea here is to become inspired to be better.

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ALL ABOUT CHARCOAL GRILLS

Trying harder only takes you so far, but also having the tools and the knowledge will eventually get you to your intended goal.

In this case, that is cooking better on the barbecue grill.

A. First Point Start with a clean grill.

Removing any previous bits and pieces of charred remains will keep them from getting onto the food you want to cook now.

Those bits and pieces are not harmful, but they are definitely not that appetizing.

They get into the gaps of your teeth, mess up your taste buds and create those unwanted flicking motions your guests have to do to just eat a freakin' hot dog!

B. Second Point Cooking with charcoal and lighter fluid will change the flavor of your food, and usually not for the better.

Lighter fluid lingers even after it has supposedly burned off. It will also cause a plume of soot to float around your grill and coat the food with a beautiful black slim glaze.

Just what you want on your dinner right?

Nope C. Third Point Grilling is easy once you learn; the hotspots of your grill, how fast your meat will normally cook and when to add the sauces or cheese.

Just follow these 3 simple lessons: clean your grill, stop using lighter fluid and pay attention to the thickness of the meat and sauces while grilling.

2

HOW TO BUILD CHARCOAL GRILL FIRST THINGS FIRST

W

ITH SUMMER RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER, NOW IS THE TIME TO REALLY

research out how you want to improve on your outdoor experiences.

Or perhaps think about building that barbecue pit or charcoal grill that you have always dreamed of.

Truth is, it is not as hard as you think and with a little bit of effort you can reward yourself, your family and friends with a lifetime of outdoor grilling fun.

So the question might arise.

How To Build Your Own Charcoal Grill?

Some of the most basic instruction also would be the once that use the most common sense.

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ALL ABOUT CHARCOAL GRILLS

For instance before starting any project, make sure to choose a spot that is level and far enough away from already existing structures and vegetation so that there is no danger of fire from sparks or intense heat combustion.

While there are many people who are enjoying the easy of propane grills there is nothing that matches the great taste of food that is cooked over the open flames of a charcoal grill so you need to plan out your cooking height and surface area carefully.

When deciding how to build your own charcoal grill, take into consideration that if your cooking area is too small for the amount of people you generally feed, then not everyone will be able to eat at the same time and the food will not be able to cook correctly.

It is nice to be able to adjust the surface area in an up and down motion for direct as well as indirect heating.

If you construct your barbecue grill out of bricks you need to understand that the mortar will have to have time to set and cure before any cooking can be done, usually this is about a 10 to 12 day waiting period.

Do not get discouraged though because a properly constructed grill is well worth the wait.

A key to a great grilling experience is to make sure that as you learn how to build your own charcoal grill you incorporate a clean out system so that you can easily remove the ash build up.

3

LEARN HOW TO USE CHARCOAL GRILL FAST

First, you need to know understand what the 2 types of charcoal grills which are available in the market.

There is the traditional looking one with the rectangular top and one which requires lighter fluid and is less combustible.

The traditional rectangular top charcoal grill is much bigger than the one that requires lighter fluid but it has more firepower literally that will smear the heat evenly and much strongly across the meat.

Now, let’s get down to the main topic so as you can learn to use a charcoal grill fast and efficiently.

Basically, there are 2 techniques of grilling. You have the technique of using direct heat and the technique of using indirect heat.

What exactly is direct grilling?

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ALL ABOUT CHARCOAL GRILLS

This is best used with the traditional rectangular top charcoal grill because the secret of this technique is the high temperature of heat required.

How to attain high temperature of heat then?

You have to place a high amount charcoal evenly across the cooking area which you would like to grill your meat.

For instance, you have to estimate the heat level. You can either use age old method of estimating is to place your hand about 3-5 inches above the grill to test the heat.

This is not really a good method because it is impossible to judge the exact temperature of the heat which will directly affect the quality of the food produced.

Or you can use a specialized charcoal grill thermometer to measure exactly the temperature of the coal which will then be interpreted as the temperature of the heat.

Direct grilling is best used for meat that has thick bones in them or ribs.

The next technique is indirect grilling. That is best used in charcoal grill with lighter fluid as it will not produce extremely high temperature but rather a radiantly warm temperature.

This is crucial because the whole idea is to just grill a meatier food that requires to be soft on the inside but hard on the outside.

The method is to place one side of the meat on the grill, close the lid and let the radiant heat to warm it for a number of minutes.

Indirect grilling is best used for meat that are usually meaty and with lesser bones or chicken.

Charcoal grills are usually harder to use compared to gas grills because of the unpredictable temperature control.

But with the above 2 techniques and the right charcoal grill and equipment, you can be sure that the next grilling party will be one that will impress the others of your new found knowledge.

4

PROS AND CONS OF DIFFERENT GRILL STARTERS

Charcoal grills have an entirely different flavor from gas grills.

Not only is the flavor of the food much richer - the charcoal imparts a natural smokiness to the meat but it also lends a certain old-timey feel to the entire experience of grilling.

Truly, for any BBQ enthusiast, nothing can beat a summer evening spent with a charcoal BBQ grill, the company of friends and family, and a favorite drink.

Truth being said from experience, charcoal grills are not meant for newbies.

So if you are new to grilling, you are better off working with a gas grill.

Even something as simple as controlling the temperature of the grill can take months to years of trial and error before you get the hang of it.

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ALL ABOUT CHARCOAL GRILLS

This is also the reason that gas grills have become so common these days.

But charcoal imparts its own flavor to the meat which gas simply can't match, and I dare say that despite the steep learning curve, any BBQ enthusiast should try his hand at working with a charcoal grill.

The basics first: how to actually start a charcoal grill?

Unlike gas BBQ which needs just a turning of the knob, charcoal requires some sort of starter to get going.

Your choice of starter will vary depending on what is available, as well as what you are comfortable with.

Traditionally, the starter of choice has been lighter fluid. It's nothing special, just the ordinary lighter fluid that you would put in your Zippos.

Start off by building a flat topped pyramid of the charcoal then dousing the top with lighter fluid for a few seconds (a maximum of 5 seconds).

Next, light up the charcoal with a long fireplace matchstick.

Or if you are feeling macho, a long piece of wood.

The charcoal will immediately set on fire.

Charcoal requires oxygen to remain ignited.

At the same time, a fledgling fire needs to be protected from the wind.

Try to cover the charcoal until it is hot enough to catch fire by itself, but make sure that you allow enough room for oxygen to get through.

If you feel that the fire is burning out, then add some more fluid.

If you are new to charcoal grills, you will find that it takes a few tries before you actually get the grill started.

But don't jump to conclusions and start doubting your technique or ability to get a charcoal grill started.

More often than not, the fault may lie with your choice of starter itself – lighter fluid is notorious for being difficult to work with.

You can always turn to other options.

A visit to your local grill or home store will reveal several other choices.

Some of these include an electric charcoal starter and a charcoal chimney starter.

The former works on electricity and generates a tremendous amount of heat that sets the charcoal off.

Pros And Cons Of Different Grill Starters

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The latter works by placing the charcoal in a cylindrical chimney, which is then lighted by using newspapers or matchsticks.

The heat is distributed throughout the charcoal pieces, making it tremendously easy to use. This method is often called the traditional way of lighting charcoal.

For those new to BBQ and grilling, I recommend using a chimney starter.

It can make short work of getting the grill started and is ideal for newbies as well as experienced users.

Lighter fluid, while more popular, has a lot of shortcomings as a starter and I would advise you against using it.

5

BUILD A CHARCOAL FIRE TO FIT YOUR GRILL AND COOKING STYLE

1.

TO START WITH, IF YOU DO NOT CLEAN YOUR GRILL AFTER THE LAST SESSION,

then clean out the grate or pan and set aside the grill wire to clean it while the fire is starting.

2. Whether you are using hardwood charcoal chunks or charcoal briquettes, the procedures are very similar for starting a good fire in a Portable Charcoal Grill or Built-in Charcoal Grill.

3. Selecting the right amount of charcoal is very important for a successful cooking experience.

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Build A Charcoal Fire To Fit Your Grill And Cooking Style

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Pour out enough charcoal on the grate or pan to build the type of fire you will need for cooking the food you have selected for the day.

A – If you have a smaller round or square grill, then you may build an even cooking area or possibly multi-level searing and slow cooking sections.

B – On larger rectangular grills, you could build a searing section on one end, a slow cooking section on the other end and an indirect cooking section in the middle of the grill.

4. After selecting and arranging charcoal in the desired pattern, move it all to one side to clear an area to build the fire.

A – Start by crumpling up 2-3 sheets of old newspaper of the type that have a fold-over, not the tabloid type paper.

Shape it into a square that fits on the open end of the grate or across the pan of a smaller grill.

B – Spritz some lighter fluid on the newspaper until it is thoroughly wetted. (A few puddles are OK).

C – Now arrange the charcoal in a square or round pattern to build a pyramid with a small hole in the center.

Leave the corners of the paper exposed for lighting.

D – With a long nosed candle lighter or long fireplace matches, light all four corners of the exposed paper.

E – The coals will be ready to arrange in your cooking pattern when they take on an ashen appearance.

About 10-15 minutes, allowing time to clean the grill wires.

5. Using a long handle metal spatula or tongs, arrange the coals to fit your cooking style for the day.

Tongs make it easy to stack up coals for the multi-level searing section or the slow cooking section.

6. An alternative method for starting a charcoal fire is to use a charcoal chimney starter.

This will hold enough charcoal for the smaller round and square Table Top grills.

Use the same procedure to measure out the amount of coals needed by arranging them on the grate or pan.

A – Transfer the coals to the chimney starter after you have placed some crumpled up newspaper in the base of the starter.

To ensure a quicker start, you may want to spritz some lighter fluid on the paper.

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ALL ABOUT CHARCOAL GRILLS

B – Place the chimney starter on the grate and light the paper in several places.

C – When the coals have a good start, they will appear ashen.

Very carefully turn over the chimney starter to distribute the coals on the grate or pan.

D – Then arrange the coals according to the cooking style you will be using for this session and enjoy the experience.

7. Some additional tips and cautions to enhance your cooking experience.

A – If you like to use charcoal that is impregnated with a lighting fluid, you can still use the crumpled up paper to get a quick and uniform start.

B – Flavored hardwood chips can be added to the coals when they are ready to start cooking.

Hickory chips are popular for grilling steaks and burgers. Mesquite chips will add a whole new grilling experience.

C – Prepare the wood chips by soaking them in water for 4-6 hours or overnight.

When the chips are added to a hot charcoal fire, there will be a very nicely flavored smoke that will penetrate the food.

Enjoy.

Okay.

You now have the steps and procedures to build a charcoal fire to fit your Portable Charcoal Grill or Built-in Charcoal Grill that will match your cooking style for the day.

It may take a few sessions to perfect the procedures for your size grill, cooking style and charcoal selection.

You may want to try the various charcoal types to find the one which is best for you on any given occasion.

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HOW TO START A GRILL?

F

OR TRUE BBQ AFICIONADOS, NOTHING BEATS A CHARCOAL GRILL WHEN IT

comes to delivering maximum flavor and taste.

Sure, gas grills might be more convenient and easier to use, but a charcoal grill just has that old world charm and burnt, smoky flavor that even the best gas grills seem to lack.

Of course, charcoal grills aren't meant for everybody. For one, they are much harder to use than your standard Weber gas grill.

Novices especially struggle with getting the temperature right.

Too few charcoals, and you will end up with a cold heat. Too many, and you will just burn the meat. Working a grill is an art learned only through experience.

1. Starting A Charcoal Grill The biggest hurdle most beginners face when working with charcoal grills is starting it.

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ALL ABOUT CHARCOAL GRILLS

Unlike a gas grill which comes with an electronic ignition, a charcoal grill needs to be very carefully lit.

I recommend that you use a chimney starter.

This little contraption piles your charcoal up into a cylinder.

You only have to light a fire on top, and within a few minutes, the coal catches fire and your grill is ready to use.

If you don't have a chimney starter, you will have to go the old fashioned route and use lighter fluid and a torn newspaper to get your grill started.

This is a time consuming process and may not always work.

To save yourself the frustration, I recommend that you invest in a chimney starter.

Before starting the grill, you, of course, have to select the right charcoal briquettes first.

Nowadays, you can buy instant lighting briquettes.

But somehow, I have found that their performance leaves much to be desired.

Instead, I prefer light charcoal briquettes. These light up fairly easily, and still give off enough smoke and flavor to make the meat moist, tender and juicy.

2. Indirect Grilling The main advantage of a charcoal grill is that you can use it for indirect grilling.

For indirect grilling, you will need the grill to have a cover. Kettle shaped or suitcase shaped grills typically have this feature.

The kettle shape is my favorite one as it combines portability with an old world charm effortlessly.

The ability to use it for indirect grilling is an added, obvious bonus.

Direct grilling involves keeping the food directly over the heat source.

This is great for thin meat slices or smaller cuts of meat.

To use this method, use a set of tongs to spread the charcoal on an even layer directly beneath the food.

Indirect grilling is the method of choice for grilling larger cuts of meat.

Use it for cooking whole chicken, ribs, tri tip roasts, etc.

For this method, use a set of tongs to spread the charcoal around a drip pan (which catches all fat drippings and prevents flare ups).

How To Start A Grill?

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Place the meat above the charcoal so that the coals are all around the meat and cover with a lid.

Charcoal grills are great because you can carry them around with you.

They impart a particular smoky flavor to the meat, and you can use techniques like indirect grilling far more effectively with a charcoal grill.

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