How to cook on a charcoal grill

Ten thousand years ago —- I think it was on a Tuesday — our collective ancestors had a great hunt. A huge hunt.

For days, the tribe carried their spears and bows and moved along with a herd of antelope. They would follow the herd and then thin off a few of them — forcing them to run from the group and create a smaller herd. Then they would follow that smaller herd and thin that off making yet another smaller group. And then a few more off from that one.

Eventually, the tribe had a single antelope — a large one — trapped in a cavern. They faced the animal. They surrounded it. And they brought the great beast down.

The tribe was very happy.

They carried the prize back to their camp. They sang songs and butchered the game and began to cook the meat on the fire and as they rejoiced and enjoyed the thrill of the hunt — as they talked and joked and listened to the meat sizzle on the open flame — one of the hunters began to think. He pondered and worried until he eventually spoke.

“You know,” he turned to his friends. “If we ever start living inside,” he paused. “If we ever start wearing clothes and cooking in metal boxes and sleeping in beds. If they ever invent jobs and bills and stress.”

His friends watched as he pointed to the meat sizzling over the flame.

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“If that ever happens,” he stated. “Then I’m going to miss this.”

There was a silence for a moment as they all thought. Then they consoled their friend. They explained that he was simply tired. Exhausted from the hunt and that there was nothing to worry about. This would never happen.

And they cooked and talked and ate.

HOW TO COOK ON A CHARCOAL GRILL

Cooking on a charcoal grill is amazing. Its part cooking, part camping. It not only creates a cooking surface of high and steady heat but it seals in juices and adds that great smoky flavor.

And it’s a great way to tap into that hard wired need we males have for the tribal outside campfire.

Gas grills are great for convenience — and I use ours at least twice a week, year round — but nothing compares to cooking on a charcoal grill — unless it’s cooking over a campfire.

Charcoal grills come in all shapes in sizes. There are inexpensive, portable grills that are great for tailgating and picnics. Then there are the mid sized grills that you roll out when needed — we have a twenty dollar charcoal grill I bought for my mom six years ago that we use every time we go to her house that works great. And then there are the great permanent charcoal grills such as Weber and Char-Griller.

But no matter what grill you use, here are the basics.

Choose good charcoal. For the small amount of money you’ll save, it’s not worth buying a no brand charcoal. I have tried all of them — in grills and in smokers — and I buy name brand every time and just watch for sales — Kingsford charcoal is the brand I like. But experiment and find the one that works for you.

Place your charcoal on one side of the grill. This is important because it will give you a hot side and a cold side of your grill. By placing charcoal on one side you’ll be able to control the heat. You can move what you’re grilling around the grill and monitor it.

Light the charcoal. Many charcoal-purists object to using lighter fluid; preferring a wax charcoal brick or some other device. But the truth is, as long as you allow the charcoal to get to get to heat, any lighter fluid has been burnt off. And I have found that many self lighting charcoals retain that lighter fluid taste.

When the charcoal is white hot, start cooking. But watch the time. Depending on the amount of charcoal you’re cooking, you usually have about forty minutes of prime cooking time before it begins to cool.

A chimney. A charcoal chimney is a great device to get backup charcoal going. If you have to cook for a large group, or need to keep the coals hot for an extended time, get a chimney going on the side. After about thirty minutes or so, you’ll have red hot coals to add to the grill.

Here’s a tip. When you think the coals are hot enough, wait another fifteen minutes. It’s not unusual to struggle with the grill until everything is cooked only to come back and notice that now, the grill is where you want it.

Enjoy.