Learn How to Use a Grill – 6 Steps to Becoming a Grill Master



It is too hot to cook inside. So, pack up the food and move it outdoors!

Our grill of choice is charcoal with a chimney starter. We do not like our BBQ to taste like lighter fluid, so we don’t use it (who knows what’s in that stuff).

When I first got a grill – I felt like I was in over my head. But I was determined to learn how to use the grill without any help, so I could become a backyard chef.

After hours of researching and trial and error – I have a system set up and I thought I would share it with you.

Here is my method:

1. Make sure the grill grates are clean and the old ash is dumped.

2. Load charcoal into the chimney on top of the grill, add newspaper and light.

When you start seeing flames at the top, pour the coals over the bottom of your grill and wait until they turn an ashy gray.

3. Once the coals are a gray color, arrange them equally on the bottom of the grill base. Tip: leave an area of the grill with no coals – this really helps when you have a flare up (flare ups happen when the juices from your meat hit the fire) No matter how tempting it is – DON’T use water to tame flare ups – it will cause ash to get all over you food – DON’T ask me how I know this.

4. Put some oil on those grates to keep your food from sticking. I wad up some paper towels, dip them in olive oil and use a pair of tongs to grease the grates.

5. Learn how to control the temp. This takes some

getting used to… But once you get the hang of it – it isn’t that bad.  There are vents and dampers on the top and bottom of the grill. The wider you open the vents – the more oxygen – the HOTTER the grill gets. To lower the

temperature cut off some of the oxygen flow by closing the vents – just don’t close them all the way or your fire will go out. Which is no fun – because you will have start all over…

6. Now you are ready to cook!

Grilling the Food:

Now that you are cooking with fire here are a couple of tips for cooking straight from the garden!

It just so happens that our garden is not far from our grill. So a lot of times we will just pick the vegetables, wash them off, cut them up and put them right on the grill.

Our favorite vegetables to Grill:[

Cabbage
Asparagus
Corn
Eggplant
Mushrooms
Peppers
Onions
Squash

Grilling Vegetables is pretty easy.

All I do is cut the vegetables up (always make sure to cut them large enough so they don’t fall through the grates – don’t ask me how I know this).

Make a marinade of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Coat the vegetables with the marinade and lay the vegetables directly on the grill (medium heat).

Depending on the vegetables – grill time is 10-15 minutes. Just grill until the vegetables reach your desired tenderness.

How to Grill Chicken:

Grilling chicken on a charcoal grill can be tricky. If you don’t do it right – it will be bone dry.

Following these tips will help you grill chicken you are proud of serving!

1. Tenderize the chicken. Go to town on the chicken with a meat tenderizer tool.

2. Marinate the chicken. This is my favorite marinade.

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Marinate the chicken for a couple of hours before grilling.
Place the boneless chicken breasts on the hottest part of the grill.
Let grill for 3 minutes.
Rotate chicken 45 degrees and place back on the grill.
Cook for 4 minutes.
Use tongs to flip the chicken breast.
Grill for 2 more minutes.
Rotate 45 degrees and place back on the grill.
Cook for additional 2-4 minutes.
Use meat thermometer to make sure meat is 165 degrees in center.
Let meat rest for 7-10 minutes before serving.

See Also: internal temp for smoking brisket