So recently I started grilling basically from the memory of my dads grilling and my neighbours but last time i undercooked the wings and got the flame too hot charring them they ended well after a good 10 minutes in the oven but still I want to learn how to grill well. So what would you want your beginner griller self to know?
by ilovemustardwitheggs
16 Comments
Put charcoal and chimney and a paper bag underneath and light it. When the coals are gray/white dump on the grill. You don’t have to cook directly over the fire, create zones.
Don’t use matchlite coals. Get rid of that brush and get something without bristles.
Play around with fire management and temp control before you cook anything. Use an internal probe for your smoker area temp and separate for meat. Also a hand held thermometer for the meat. Get creative and have fun. Pays to have a fire extinguisher too, even the most experienced pit-master can have an emergency.
let the coals burn in the chimney starter until they’re gray/white on the edges. if you take them out too early it’ll cause flareups. if you do get a flareup, close the lid for a few minutes. when you cook on charcoal, it’s all about air circulation: closing the lid will lower the temp, and opening it will raise temp
https://www.reddit.com/r/grilling/s/aY2eaAr5QL
Have fun. Learn to use a two zone fire. Grill something every weekend if you can. Switch it up from cooking something hot and n fast over direct heat like a steak, or low and slow in direct like ribs. The fire box on the side allows you to smoke but grills like this tend to be much harder to smoke on than a traditional offset. So maybe ignore the firebox for a little while. Keep it clean. Stay away from lighter fluid ( see you got a chimney, very nice). Avoid cheap lump charcoal brands as the size variance is borderline comical and you usually find a bunch of junk in there from rocks to even old electrical parts. Fogo and B&B are good brands. Can’t go wrong with classic kingsford briquettes for everyday needs.
Invest in a Thermapen. Pricey for a thermometer but 1000% worth it.
Also unless you’re doing steaks, low and slow is the way to go. Or medium heat. But the biggest mistake I see new grillers make is too much heat. A nice steady sizzle is good. Screaming hot with lots of flames is usually not.
I have that grill. For chicken wings buy a slab of aluminum sheet to put on the lower cast-iron that has a 2 inch gap around the periphery. Start your fire with coals clear across the bottom. Slap down the aluminum sheet, put your wings on the top shelf, and crack the lid with the chimney open. I throw a cherry log on the coals. There’s not enough oxygen for it to light and it does not need to be wet. Smoke the wings for 45 minutes. I never even look. after 45 minutes. Take the aluminum sheet off, drop the wings down and crisp them. Take them off the grill. Toss them in buffalo sauce. Put them back on again for three minutes each side.
I also recommend making a 1/3 buttermilk 1/3 sour cream 1/3 mayonnaise, splash of Worcestershire sauce, some garlic powder and fresh blue cheese for your blue cheese dunking sauce for your wings.
You’re not gonna get it right the first time, or the second time, or the third time, or the fourth, or the fifth, or the tenth time. You never give up. It’s a learning experience. But once it all starts coming together, that’s when all the blood sweat and tears payoff for a lifetime. Keep cookin’
I’ve always been a gas griller, but started charcoal grilling about a year ago with a portable little grill to take to the beach. It’s been my backyard workhorse and wish I had a larger one, but working with what I got right now because the gas grill is a lot bigger.
Do not use pre-soaked (match light) coals.
As others have stated, you have to let the charcoal turn grey/white all the way around before you dump. [CharGriller has an XL chimney](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ZR17U5U?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_1) that I use that the bottom hinges for a bottom dump. Super useful.
I use tumbleweeds. I put 5-6 under a full chimney and light. I also let hit the middle section from a few access points with the tip of my torch down in the chimney to start to get more heat starting from the middle. Coals are ready in about an 40-60 minutes with a giant stack in the chimney as dense as I can get it pouring slowly from the bag, usually about 5-6 lbs of briquettes.
Briquettes last way longer and have more even heat. Lump coal burns a lot hotter, thus having a shorter life. If you are using lump, this may be why you have burns and unfinished meat in the middle.
Make sure your temps are good. Hold your hand about 4-6 inches over the coals. 2-4 seconds indicates high heat (450°F+), 5-7 seconds is medium (350°–450°F), and 8-10 seconds is low (250°–350°F).
Be careful with the brush, the bristles can break off and stick to the grill and contaminate your food. Not a fun thing to get poked with as you chew.
Trial and error, don’t get discouraged. You’ll get it. I cook my best steaks on charcoal now and really enjoy cooking beef on charcoal. I still use gas for wings because I have more real estate and can create zones and dial in the temp.
It’s a small thing but you’ll save a little money using cotton balls and rubbing alcohol to start that chimney over those fire starters and the cotton balls and alcohol probably work better anyway.
Where are your grates?
You got a great starter setup fyi, follow the advice here on that brush.
I have that same set up except I didn’t put a fire box on the side. First I’d take off the smaller rack. It gets in the way and isn’t useful.
That’s a smoker.
Start with chicken thighs, they have so much fat I don’t know if it’s possible to overcook them. This should help you figure out your grill.
Are you grilling/smoking indoors?