Almost time-——5 Tips for Grilling Over Charcoal Like a Pro
techniques for the next time you host a barbecue or cookout.
Food grilled over charcoal tastes better. Yes, gas grilling is quicker and more convenient, but when it’s the weekend, charcoal is the way to go. With that said, grilling over charcoal can take some getting used to and a little trial and error. Here are five tips for grilling over charcoal like a pro.
Use a “chimney starter” to light the coals; lighter fluid will end up flavoring food. Just pack the bottom of the starter with newspaper; fill the rest with charcoal. Then light the newspaper at the bottom and let science do the rest. Depending on how much charcoal you’re using, make sure to allow 15 to 20 minutes to let your charcoal properly heat up before pouring it into the base of your grill. Pour the coals into your grill only when they’re ready Resist the urge to rush this step. It’s important to wait until the coals are fully gray before pouring them out of the chimney and into the grill base.
Create temperature zones in your grill. With gas grills, you have the option to customize the temperature on each side with the simple twist of a dial. The way with charcoal is by distributing 75 percent of the coals to one side, creating two different temperature zones. This allows you to cook different foods at different speeds and gives you more options for letting your food rest over little to no heat while you get everything else set up prior to eating.
Preheat the grill before you start cooking. Just like your oven, you should preheat your grill before throwing any food onto the grates (also, make sure those racks are clean before you place anything on them). Once your coals are distributed in your grill, throw the lid on and let it sit for five to 10 minutes before placing food over coals. You want to hear a light sizzle when the protein, fruit, or vegetables hit the grates.
Use grill vents to adjust the temperature. You can manipulate your grill’s temperature by using the top and bottom grill vents. Located on the lid itself and on the very bottom of the base, the vents control the airflow through the grill, and the wider open they are, the hotter it’s going to get.
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BBQ Grilled Vegetables / The best dressed vegetables in town,
Some vegetables, potatoes and carrots, take longer to cook, so give them a head start by boiling a few minutes before grilling.
Once veggies are prepped and ready to go, aim for a nice, even char
to get a delicious smoky flavor that pairs perfectly with natural sweetness of the veggies.
Drizzling cooked veggies w/ dressing takes them to a new level. A little
bit of ol/oil and balsamic, or get creative w/ homemade pesto or aioli.
Ing Asparagus waxy Potatoes Red bell peppers Zucchini
Carrots Red onions Mushrooms Egg plant Bunch of fresh thyme
Dressing for Eggplant
2 x garlic cloves
1 cup olive oil
½ tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp oregano
2 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
6 tbsp Olive oil
pepper
salt
Dressings for all other veges
1 tsp Dijon mustard
⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves
Salt and pepper
Steps
Step 1
Simmer tender whole peeled potatoes, remove when just tender; cooked, not firm.
Repeat with cut carrots. Refresh with cold water, drain and set aside.
Step 2
Dressing whisk til it thickens a bit mustard, salt and pepper,
⅓ cup balsamic, 1 cup extra virgin olive oil, 2 grated garlic cloves.
Step 3
Eggplant dressing, blender 2 garlic cloves, olive oil, smoked paprika, s/p very smooth.
Step 4
For the BBQ, set the temperature quite high so you get the charred marks.
For potatoes, coat in olive oil and s/p before cooking.
Step 5
Cook eggplant dry then coat each side w/ dressing, then back on grill.
Step 6
For the other veges, coat w/ dressing; baste using thyme as
a brush. Or use kitchen brush; add dried thyme to dressing.
Step 7
Once cooked put them on the top level to stay warm, brush w/ dressing and a bit s/p,
Hubby is a charcoal type but we add pecan wood chips to give the most amazing smoky flavor. We have a gas grill, too, but don’t often use it. The smoker is the way to go. I LOVE everything over pecan wood. Have never had one bad meal from that.
Now, that’s all due to Mr. FF’s skills. I do the inside cooking. I’m not looking forward to having no smoked meals for the next few weeks while he’s recovering from eye surgery. We are gearing up for it. Going out of town today but will return tonight. Tomorrow I’ll be in food prep mode. Maybe I can get him to smoke a few things and then I stick it in the freezer for later? He makes great ribs!