The grill

The grill

Direct cooking for searing, indirect for slow cooking without burning

What it is

Direct heat places the food right above the embers or flame: quick searing, distinct grill marks, for thin cuts. Indirect heat shifts the food to the side, away from the heat source, with the lid closed: it cooks like an oven, gently, for large cuts that need time.

When to use it

Direct heat for steaks, sausages, thin vegetables, and anything that cooks in a few minutes per side. Indirect heat for a whole chicken, a pork shoulder, or racks of ribs, sometimes combining the two: sear first over direct heat, then finish over indirect heat to cook through without burning the outside.

How to choose

• Charcoal for the smoky flavor and high temperatures, gas for instant ignition and consistency
• Check for a lid: essential for indirect cooking
• A cast-iron grate retains heat better than a thin chrome grate
• Plan for a lid thermometer to control slow cooking

Maintenance

Brush the still-warm grate with a wire brush to loosen residue before it hardens. Empty the cold ashes after each use; they retain moisture and cause the firebox to rust. For a gas grill, check the hose and burner once a season, before the first cook.

The common mistake

Cooking everything over direct heat for convenience: the outside burns before the inside reaches the right temperature, especially on large cuts. Remember to shift the embers to create a cool zone as soon as the cut is more than two or three centimeters thick. Second trap: cooking without the lid closed, the heat escapes and nothing really cooks all the way through.