Charcoals are not as easy to use as gas grills but you can easily learn the basics and use it to make tasty meals. Grilling is a fun way to prepare any meal all year round and it gives your food a more tasty flavor but it requires a lot more effort to cook with it and also maintain it.
A charcoal grill is an outdoor grill or cooker that uses charcoal as a fuel source and operating this is quite different from a gas grill, from controlling the heat to cleaning up afterward requires effort but it will reward you with a more tasty smoke food that is incomparable to the one gotten from a gas cooker.
If you love the whole grilling process then a charcoal grill is the one for you. When it comes to a charcoal grill, there are three main different types and each of it will give you the flavor you are aiming for provided you learn the techniques and basics to get the best cooking experience out of your charcoal grill.
The way to make things easier with a charcoal grill is by staring with a charcoal chimney then lay your prepared grills in your coal, you can easily make quick-cooking foods like hot dogs, hamburgers, and many vegetables over an open grill but when working with slow-cooking foods such as bone-in chicken or roast then cover them up and check on them from time to time.
Table of Contents
How To Use A Charcoal Grill
Great things do not occur easily which is what perfectly describes the use of a charcoal grill, using this grill type is not as easy as gas grills but the food is more rewarding. The efficient use of charcoal grill be achieved and with a little or no technical know-how, a charcoal grill can be operated easily.
Here are a few guides to help you use a charcoal grill efficiently:
- Getting charcoal ready- A dry and quality charcoal should be gotten from a reputable place. It can be gathered in a charcoal chimney and then spread evenly. It is then light up efficiently and carefully. Lighter fluid might be dangerous and is not necessarily used in lightning charcoal in a chimney.
- A good medium of fire conduction should be created; a piece of newspaper can be wadded up in vegetable oil and place at the base of the chimney.
- Light up the charcoal and wait for the heat to be transferred to all parts all with full heat. Spread an even layer of charcoal evenly throughout the grill for fast cooking foods like hot dogs, vegetables, and hamburgers. Two layers of heat should be created for slower cooking foods alternatively as this will help create a zone of indirect heat so the food will be done evenly without burning. Foods such as pork loin and similar foods take a long time to cook.
- Preparing the grill- This is the healthy duty that should be done to have a clean and free grill. A grill can be cleaned with a stiff wire before heating up but might cause a metal filling to be found in food.
- Cleaning with a rag is the safest as debris comes off the grill grate easily when the coal has heated it. Small wood chips might be added to coal making them have the most contact time with smoke and thereby helping it get the rich charcoal flavor you wished for.
- The medium is set for the grill, happy grilling!!!
Do you close the grill after lightning charcoal?
Yes, you should close the lid after lightning as most charcoal grills are hotter when the lid is covered. The grill needs to be hot and good before any food is added hence the lid should be open while you arrange and light your charcoal, after lightening the grill then cover it with the lid and let the charcoal heat up, you will know when it’s ready when it looks ashy and gray.
Can I use a charcoal grill as a smoker?
Yes, a charcoal grill is very easy to use as a smoker as the only difference between a charcoal grill and a smoker is that a smoker contains the fire in a separate space which keeps the heat low enough to cook meat. If you are already comfortable grilling with indirect heat then a charcoal grill can be used as a smoker.
A charcoal grill can produce a barbecue similar to that of a smoker and all you have to do is place your food on top of the cooking grate over the water pan and cover your grill, expect to add more coals every hour or so to enable it to maintain the heat.
Taking care of the charcoal grill
Cleaning and maintaining a charcoal grill is just as important as knowing how to use it hence here are simple tips to help you take care of your charcoal grill and keep it clean.
- Clean the grate after every use, this is best done when the grill is still warm, it prevents build-up and a simple scrubbing with a stiff brush will do just fine.
- Get a grill cover to hold in moisture and prevent your grill from rusting
- Dump the ashes after each use of the grill and it’s best to let it cool completely before getting rid of them. Leaving them at the bottom of the grill can cause corrosion.
- Get a deeper cleaning once or twice a year if you are an all season’s griller.
