How can I bbq on a charcoal grill?

Question

Hi, I'm a beginner and I want to have some BBQ's this summer. It's pathetic. I'm a man and don't know how to bbq. Some tips would be greatly appreciated!

I'm getting some great answers. Thanks everyone.

Answer 1

the term barbeque means different things in different parts of the country. Many simply consider any cooking of meat on a grill to be a barbeque. Others (especially in the southern or rural areas) think that it involves slow cooking or smoking over a fire. This is the true meaning, but since its often used as a general term, its hard to know what you are looking for.

If you're just interested in cooking, its pretty simple. Put your charcoal in, add lighter fluid and light it. Let the charcoal get hot to where its no longer flaming, but rather the coals are red/white and hot. The add your meat on the rack above.

The main thing is to let the heat from the charcoals cook the food, not the flames (which would be more grilling rather than BBQing).

Answer 2

LITE YOUR CHARCOL ABOUT 45 MINS BEFORE U COOK YOU FOOD. THE CHARCOL IS READY WHEN ALL THE CHARCOL IS WHITE ASHY LOOKIN. SPRAY THE GRILL WITH SOME PAM COOKING SPRAY PRIOR TO GRILLING AND LIGHTING . WHEN COOKING A STEAK..NEVER KEEP TURNING IT OVER..I LIKE MINE MEDIUM-WELL..7 MINS ON EACH SIDE. DONE! CHICKEN...9-10 PER SIDE..THEN ADD BBQ SAUCE AFTER CHICKEN IS COOKED...COVER AND COOK ON LOW FOR 5-10 MINS SO THE BBQ SAUCE THICKENS. ONIONS,GARLIC,PEPPERS ETC. I ALWAYS USE FOIL AND MAKE POCKETS AND TOSS ON GRILL WITH VEGGIES INSIDE...15-20 MINS GOOD LUCK..DONT FORGET THE MEAT TENDERIZER AND MONTREAL STEAK SEASONING FOR THE STEAKS

Answer 3

The Weber Grill:

http://www.redcarpetshopping.com/Images/250x400/Weber_One-Touch_reg_Silver_Charcoal_Grill_II.jpg


The Charcoal Starter:
http://www.apptrav.com/charcoal-starter.jpg

Put a little paper in the bottom of the starter then fill with charcoal. The starter must be in the grill itself when you light the paper. When the charcoal at the top starts to turn gray dump charcoal as close to the middle as possible. Place grate or grill cooking surface back on grill and wait about 5 minutes.

Answer 4

Dump your charcoal in the grill and cover them with the lighter fluid. Build it into a pyramid and put some more fluid on it. Then light it. The pyramid helps the coals burn quicker to make them ready faster. After the coals have ALL turned white, spread your coals out evenly across the bottom of the grill. Put the top rack on and let it get hot. Then you put your meat on the grill. Be careful about how much coals you use though. Too many, the grill gets too hot and the food burns or cooks too fast. Not enough and you may be finishing it in the microwave. I am from the south and we do like it slow cooked. There is more flavor that way. Especially in that Boston Butt when we pull it for BBQ pork.

Answer 5

go to the meat market and pick out some good steaks and or pork ribs, don't forget the bb-q sauce and rub for the ribs

get charcoal and charcoal lighter fluid

read the charcoal bag for starting your fire, soak the coals for 10-20 minutes before lighting
after the charcoals turn grey put your meat on and cook try to put a lid on top and cook for a long time about 1/2 for the steaks(if thick) ands ribs for about 1-11/2 hrs
make potato salad and pork and beans and a green salad

i love doing this- grilling is my fav thing to do in the summer

Answer 6

Easy. 1. Stacking. 2. Lighting. 3. Waiting.
First, stack the charcoal up as tall as you can. No lonely coals--they should all be touching. Second, use a lighting fluid, or better, some wadded up newspaper, to get the coals lit. Try to light them in several places so they come to glow about the same time. Third, most commercial charcoal takes about 30 minutes to get to optimum cooking temperature. They will turn white around the edges, and on top, and in the center it should have a bright redorange glow. Once they get to this point, spread them out a bit, still touching, and put the grill over the coals. You're set! They can be extinguished with water, and even re-used if large pieces remain, after they're thoroughly dried out in a few days.

Answer 7

I like either of them. Gas is grea because it is convenient and quicker. Charcoal takes longer because you have to wait on them to burn evenly and its more difficult to maintain temperature, but the charcoal taste is better than the gas grill achieves.

Answer 8

If you need help with grilling times you might try charcoalbob.com. Just enter the items you will be grilling and it will give you printable instructions for how to grill steaks, chicken breasts, pork chops, etc. to your desired doneness. It also has grilling tips like how to build and start a charcoal fire.

Answer 9

Use loads of bbq bricketts and then then the same with bbq lightin fluid, when you light it wait about half an hour for the charcoal to turn wite hen start cookin. Don't use really fatty stuff or cheap sausages because they set on fire flare up and u will get disgustin sausages that are really burnt.

Answer 10

All right, grilling and BBQing ate two different things, at least in Missouri. Grilling tends to refer to direct heat, and stuff cooking relatively quickly; BBQ is indirect heat and may take about 8 hours.

One thing I do recomend is to turn on the t.v. and watch Bobby Flay. Yes, I know he is an asshat, but you will learn a ton by watching since you are new to this. He really does know what he is talking about. Sorry.

A good book is Grilling: Where There's Smoke There's Flavor by Treuille and Erath. It has some really good recipes (including things you normally might not try on a grill, like desserts), and will prime you on everything you need to know about grilling, including how to build the fire if you are using charcoal. It also has big full color pictures, which I love in a cookbook.

As for BBQ? Well that's step 2, my friend. Haha, we take it seriously down here, so once you have grilling down then you can try the Sacred Art of BBQ (trust me, it shouldn't take long), but if you grab the book above and try out the recipes you should be busy for a while.

Yes, you too will soon be able to debate the merits of Charcoal Vs. Propane with authority, lol. The most important thing is to have fun; that's what being outside cooking in great weather with friends is all about. Delicious food just happens to be a bonus.