You don’t need to be an expert to practice great grilling. The type of grill, cooking method and how the grill is maintained can all affect the flavor of the food. Whether you’re far into your grilling journey or it’s your first time stepping up to the grates, here’s some basic knowledge that can help you become a grilling guru.

Grill It Right

No matter what type of rill you use, ensure your meats are thoroughly cooked and reach the proper internal temperature every time. Once the proper temperature is reached, transfer the meat to a cutting board and tent under a piece of aluminum foil, allowing the internal temperature to rise 5 to 10°. Final cooking temperatures should be 145° for fish, 145° for beef and pork (steaks, chops and roasts), 160° for ground beef, pork, veal and lamb and 165° for poultry (ground, whole bird and parts).

Your choice of grill depends on waht you value most. Do you want to impart that super smoky, charbroiled flavor into the food or do you want a grilling experience without the need for charcoal? Here’s an overview of commonly used grills and their attributes.

Gas Grill:

  • Heats up in about 10 to 15 minutes and usually contains a temperature gauge
  • Features a metal box with a propane tank underneath the grill with burners and a grill grate on top. Accessories can be used to distribute heat and reduce fuel consumption such as lava rocks or ceramic briquettes.
  • The propane tanks allow gas grills to burn longer – one 20-pound tank burns 12 to 14 hours. Always make sure the lid is open before lighting and never leave unattended.
  • Requires maintenance on the gas connections; check them each time you connect and disconnect the tank for leaks, cracks or holes.
  • Requires maintenance on the gas connections; check them each time you connect and disconnect the tank for leaks, cracks or holes.

Charcoal Grill:

  • Gives food an impressive charbroiled flavor, but can be more time-consuming than gas grills – they take about 25 to 30 minutes to reach cooking temperature and can reach up to 700°.
  • The type of charcoal used can affect the temperature. Lump charcoal, made from hardwoods such as maple or oak, burn at high temperatures, light quickly and produce minimal ashed. Briquettes, made from pulverized lump charcoal, burn consistently and longer than lump charcoal and maintain a consistent temperature.
  • Requires emptying the ash catcher every time you grill.

Offset Smoker:

  • Contains two horizontal chambers: a cooking chamber and a firebox that fuels the smoker with coals, briquettes or woodchips to maintain the temperature.
  • Requires about 15 minutes to reach desired temperature after lighting; keep the firebox and cooking chamber lids closed while preheating.
  • Most prefer to smoke food low and slow between 225° and 275°.
  • Make sure to rotate the food in the smoker every hour to ensure even cooking.
  • Imparts a distinctive smoked flavor into your food using flavored woodchips such as oak, hickory, maple or apple.

Direct and Indirect Grilling

Direct grilling cooks the food directly over the fire to retain natural juices and develop flavor, texture and delicious caramelization. Direct grilling is best for quick-cooking foods (less than 25 minutes) such as steak, pork, chicken breasts or burgers.

Indirect grilling traps the heat inside the grill so the heat accumulates then circulates and cooks the food on all sides. Position teh food away from the heat source, cover the grill and resist the urge to peek. Indirect grilling is best for larger cuts of meats or delicate pieces of fish, as it helps them to cook through without burning. When using this method, you can place a drip pan under the food to collect drippings and use them to enhance sauces.

Cleaning

Taking care of and maintaining your grill regularly before and after each use is essential to make sure it’s always ready to fire up another sizzlin’ meal. Allowing the grill to reach high temperatures will help burn off any food remaining on the grates. Then, use a stiff-bristled brush and a little elbow grease to take care of the rest. Once the grill is cool, do a final wipe down of the grates and dispose of any ashed. Once or twice per grilling season, scrub the interior walls of the grill and lid with warm, soapy water.