I’m never more delighted than when I get invited to a barbecue cookout at a friends house, not only because it’s the way of cooking that I prefer but also because it’s a great opportunity to have a chin wag and a glass of “pop” with folks that I maybe only get to see once or twice a year.
How to Avoid Burnt Chicken: A Guide to Perfect Barbecue Grilling
There's nothing better than a summer barbecue cookout with friends, a perfect opportunity to gather, chat, and enjoy a delicious meal. However, this beloved tradition often comes with a common and frustrating problem: food that's burnt to a crisp on the outside yet raw on the inside. This happens when food is cooked over direct, roaring flames instead of the steady, radiant heat of properly prepared coals. But fear not! With a little patience and a few key techniques, you can master your grill and never serve a charred, undercooked piece of chicken again.
The Golden Rule: Patience and Preparation
The number one mistake in grilling is impatience. Whether you're using gas or charcoal, the key to great barbecue is letting your heat source get ready before any food hits the grates. The goal is to cook with radiant heat, not direct flame.
The Problem with Flames: Flames are the enemy of good barbecue. When fat from your food drips onto a fire that isn't ready, it causes flare-ups. This leads to a vicious cycle: the flames char the outside of your food, more fat drips, and the flames grow bigger. The result is a burnt exterior and an undercooked interior.
Mastering Your Gas Grill
Gas grills offer speed and convenience, but they still require proper preheating.
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Heat the Bricks/Bars: Turn the gas on high and close the lid for a good 10-15 minutes. Your goal is to heat up the lava rocks or metal flavorizer bars, as these are what will radiate the steady heat to cook your food, not the flames themselves.
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Turn it Down for Cooking: Once the grill is thoroughly preheated and you're ready to cook, turn the gas down. You only need enough flame to maintain the temperature of the hot bricks or bars.
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Use Indirect Heat: For items like chicken, it's best to use indirect heat. Turn off the burner directly underneath where you plan to place the food and leave the burners on the other side of the grill on. This allows the food to cook with convection heat, preventing it from burning.
The Art of the Charcoal Grill
Charcoal grilling requires a bit more knack but offers incredible flavor.
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Pile the Coals: Start by piling your charcoal briquettes into a pyramid shape. This helps them light and burn at the same pace.
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Wait for the White: The coals are not ready when they are black and flaming. They are ready when they are covered in a layer of white or gray ash. This indicates they have reached a consistent, even temperature.
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Spread the Coals: Before cooking, spread the hot coals out into an even layer for direct grilling, or push them to one side of the grill for two-zone (direct and indirect) cooking.
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Control the Height: Start with the food rack on its highest setting to gauge the heat, and bring it down gradually as needed.
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Manage Airflow: If you're cooking on a kettle grill, remember to adjust the bottom and top vents (dampers) to control the temperature. Less air means a cooler fire.
One Final Pro Tip: Use a Grill Basket
While you're learning to master the heat, a barbecue basket is your best friend. It allows you to place smaller items like chicken wings, vegetables, or shrimp on the grill and quickly lift them all at once if a flare-up does occur.
Perfecting the art of the barbecue takes a little patience and experience, but it's an effort that pays off in delicious, perfectly cooked food. By understanding how to properly prepare your coals or gas grill and by cooking with radiant heat instead of direct flames, you can avoid the dreaded burnt-on-the-outside, raw-on-the-inside meal and become the true hero of your next cookout.