Setting up the Charcoal Grill

Summer and cookout season will unerringly and unendingly lead to debates about the best way to grill: wood, charcoal, or gas? If you are one of the fortunate few who have already decided, and have picked charcoal for that unforgettable smoky effect, you will no doubt have a successful and satisfying cookout season, with just a few tips to see you along the way.

The very first thing to watch out for is to have the right amount of charcoal for your grill. If you are a beginner, you will need to check the manufacturer’s instructions for the recommended level of charcoal for your particular grill. Equally important is the choice of charcoal itself. You can either buy formed briquettes or natural lump charcoal. Natural lump charcoal has an advantage: it has no residual vapors and burns hotter than briquettes.

Place the charcoal in a pyramid shape about half an hour prior to cooking time. The reason for this is that the pyramid provides ventilation for the coals to catch fire. Now to light the coals. If you are using lighter fluid, use about half a cup of lighter fluid to soak the coals. Wait for the liquid to soak in and then light with a match. Remember, gasoline and kerosene may cause an explosion and must be avoided at all costs.

If you prefer an electric starter, place it in the center of the pyramid and plug it in. Once the ash starts forming, unplug and remove the starter. Be sure to store the starter in a safe, cool place to avoid burns.

Those using a chimney starter will have to remove the cooking grid and place the starter in the grill. You will need to place some sheets of crumpled newspaper at the bottom of the starter. Fill the top part of the starter with coals. Then ignite the newspaper through the holes at the bottom of the starter. The fire will draw up through the starter, lighting the charcoal. After the coals are ready (this usually takes 20-30 minutes) use an oven mitt to empty the coals into the grill pan. Then arrange the coals into an even layer using tongs, and carefully remove the hot starter.

While cooking, move the coals closer together or place more coals to increase the heat. Open the vents or fan the coals to give them more air. To decrease the heat, move the coals apart or raise the grate. Limit the oxygen supply to lower the heat.

Many Americans are not aware that grilling can be unhealthy. The problem with grilling is that it combines meats with high heat, which leads to substances in the muscle proteins of these foods to form carcinogenic compounds called heterocyclic amines (HCAs). These compounds damage the DNA of our cells, leading to the start of cancers. The HCAs are most likely to develop in meats, especially pork, beef, fish, and chicken that have been blackened or charred during cooking. Studies have shown that those who eat meats rare or medium-rare are less likely to develop stomach cancer than those who like their meats “well-done”.

With these small but significant tips in mind, you are bound to have an unmistakable grilling experience.

***** See more for info about this, please go to Coconut Charcoal Indonesia

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Finding The Right Charcoal Grill

Cooking with a charcoal grill can provide a flavor that isn't found when cooking with seemingly more modern gas grills. A good charcoal grill will give the meat you cook a classic BBQ flavor. Charcoal grills come in many different styles and the one that is right for you will depend of exactly what you are trying do to. You can find grills that are portable and great for a picnic, right on up in size to large cooking pits built in backyards made of brick and cement.

What kind of charcoal grill is right for you? You need to think of exactly what you want it for. It is important to consider if portability is important, it is if you intend to take the grill with you on picnics or camping. You will also need to consider how much food you are going to need to be cooking at any time. The small grill that is easy to toss into the trunk may not serve you very well if you need to cook for five people. Consider the cooking area the charcoal grill you are considering will provide.

When cooking with charcoal grill safety is a major concern. The most important part of the grill in this respect are the legs. If the legs are not sufficient or are unsafe the whole grill will tip over. When a charcoal grill falls over it throws its load of extremely hot coals. Check to be sure that the legs of any grill you are considering buying has very sturdy legs that won't allow the grill to fall.

In addition to good legs some charcoal grills will provide a water reservoir that can be used to douse some or all of the coals if the heat becomes too much. Even if your grill doesn't have that feature you should keep a metal bucket of water around for dousing the coals when you have finished cooking. Let coals cool down first then you need to dump the coals into the water slowly, watch out for the steam that may be produced. Don't throw the water on the coals that will make a large mess.

Once you have your charcoal grill all picked out you will need to buy charcoal when you intend to use it. The coal is available at most supermarkets and hardware stores and is not at all expensive. In order to get the coal burning you will need to buy some lighter fluid. The coals are placed in the grill and stacked in a pyramid. Once stacked they are then doused in lighter fluid, after allowing a second for the fluid to soak into the pile it can be set ablaze. Allow the coal to get burning red hot, spread it around the grill and then enjoy cooking your dinner.

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Tips For Using A Charcoal Grill

A charcoal grill may seem a bit dated in these days of natural gas and propane fueled barbeques. But a charcoal grill can be great for anything from preparing a simple meal to smoking your favorite meats. There's nothing quite like food that has been cooked on grills to really offer a wonderful, natural taste.

There are a variety of grills available, the selection is really endless and there are grills that meets just about anyone's needs. A portable charcoal grill can be great for tailgating or other picnic like events, and then of course you have your larger grills that are stationary and used mainly for backyards and poolside barbecue.

When you pick out your charcoal grill, you really should know exactly what you expect of it. A charcoal grill can grill, roast, and/or smoke your meat and fish, depending on the type you choose and how you set it up.

One of the most important features of any grill is how easy is it to douse any flare-ups during cooking? It's inevitable that you can have small flash fires inside of the grill component. A model with water in the base below where the charcoal sits can allow for easier dousing of hot coals. It is a good safety feature that you may want to consider.

When extinguishing the overthrow, first close the lid of the charcoal grill so that you smother the fire by depriving it of oxygen. Once the charcoal has cooled a bit, use long handled tongs to safely transfer the charcoal into a metal container, you may even want to oust them in water first, or simultaneously immerse them in water to kill off burning embers.

A really important thing for your charcoal grill to have is good, strong sturdy legs – you don’t want your dinner toppling over into the dirt! And you certainly don't want it falling over and burning people or property. You also want a cooking surface that’s big enough for your needs – are you cooking for one or two? Or do you need enough space to cook for a veritable picnic full of people?

You must also, of course, pick up some charcoal. You can get charcoal briquettes, which will give your charcoal grill a more even and consistent heat if spread properly, or non-briquettes, which are just rough charcoal that tends to produce a lot of flavor and smoke which many prefer.

Safety is always a factor whenever you're grilling. Never, ever use gasoline to ignite your charcoal grill – lighter fluid is always the safer choice.

As far as temperatures are concerned it's a good practice to cook fish over medium heat, chicken and pork over medium to high heat, and steaks on a hot barbeque. It basically all depends on the thickness. Use a meat thermometer to be sure meat is cooked through. You can also use a knife to cut into them so you can physically see how well they've been cooked. Cook vegetables over medium heat, perhaps wrapped in aluminum foil.

Outdoor grills are the epitome of summer cooking. Grab some your favorite cold drinks, add a bag of crunchy snacks, and fire up the grill for a wonderful summer treat.

***** See more for info about this, please go to Coconut Charcoal Indonesia

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