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Grill like a Master

Joey B’s Classic Italian Spinach Bread
August 14, 2015

Are you grilling like a master?

According to Stephen Raichel of the Barbecue Bible, the first step to master grilling is to know the difference between direct and indirect grilling.

As the name implies, direct grilling is when you place the food directly over the fire to be cooked. This is what most people think of when they hear the terms “grilling”, “barbecuing” or even “cook out.” Typically, direct grilling is used to cook small pieces of meat, fish or vegetables. .

To get the best heat control when direct grilling, it’s best to set up three zones, each with different heating temperatures – hot, medium, and cool (sometimes called “safety” zone). To do this with a charcoal grill, arrange the briquettes into double layer (hot), a single layer (medium) and leave a third of the grill bottom empty for the cool zone. The hot zone can be used for searing, the medium for cooking and the cool zone is the place for keeping cooked pieces warm.

To do this with your propane grill, set one burner to high and the other to medium and use the warming rack as your safety zone. If you have three or more burners, you can adjust them as necessary, two for cooking (medium) one for searing (hot) and leave one off for the safety zone. Always leave the lid open when lighting burners.

The Napoleon series of grills, charcoal and propane, offers a wide range of features to meet your direct grilling needs. An 18,000 BTU infrared rear burner with a heavy duty rotisserie locks in the juices for incredible roasted meats. The P500RB from Napoleon can do more than just rotisserie. You can sear things quickly over one burner or all of them. And with superior heat retention and sealed lid construction, you can also roast or even bake cookies and cakes!

Indirect grilling is for cooking thicker cuts of meat that would burn on the outside before the inside was cooked through if direct heat was used. Using this method, food is placed next to, instead of directly over the fire. This is a good way to cook whole chickens, briskets and ribs that need to be slow cooked at low temperatures.

When using a charcoal grill for indirect grilling, place the glowing coals into two piles on opposite sides of the grill basin. A chimney starter can be helpful here. Then put an aluminum foil roasting pan in the center between the two piles. Put the grill back on and set your meat in the center above the pan and close the lid. Be sure to check the progress periodically, adding fresh coals as need. This is also a good way to smoke your meat by adding dampened wood chips to the pile of burning coals.

The oval-shaped Primo ceramic grill is perfect for indirect grilling with its highly efficient heating and moisture retention qualities. With a simple adjustment to the air flow and cooking configuration, you can use it as a grill, an oven, a roaster, or even a smoker. 

When using your propane grill for indirect cooking, adjust one burner to high and cook your food over the opposite burner. With three or more burners, put the food over the unlit burner(s) and adjust the others as necessary. Then close the lid and check in frequently.

Check out the Napoleon and Primos line of grills at the Tevis Home tore located at 1616 Hanover Pike Hampstead, MD 21074.

Be a Legend in Your Backyard!

Direct vs Indirect cooking, Napoleon, Primo

https://www.napoleongrills.com/grills/product-details/productid/8/ccd/en-ca/prestige-500-with-infrared-rear-burner

https://www.primogrill.com/index.php/explore/new-to-primo

https://barbecuebible.com/recipe/direct-vs-indirect-grilling/