How long to cook hotdogs, hamburgers and chicken breast over charcoal?

Question

I'm using this small, portable charcoal grill for one of the first times going camping, and I was just wondering how long I'm supposed to cook hotdogs, burgers and chicken on it? The hotdogs and burgers might be pretty easy to tell if they're done just by looking at them, but the chicken breast probably won't be.

I know how to cook with charcoal, you just pile them up, soak em in lighter fluid, light em and then flatten em out on the grill. Wait til they get ashy and glowy and then start cooking. I'm just not sure how long...if I were grilling chicken over gas, probably about 10-15 minutes total.

Also...I have a hibachi style grill...it has two wire grids, one is closer to the bottom than the other. I'm just wondering, am I supposed to put the charcoals at the very bottom of the grill, or on the lower grid? Or can you do either to control the heat intensity?

I will be cooking these items on separate nights...the grill is small, diameter is only about 18 inches.

I'm pretty sure that to prevent e-coli, the meat just has to be at a certain temperature, not color. Otherwise, everything at restaurants would have to be served well done.

Answer 1

Hot dogs are cooked when you buy them at the market, so you just want to brown them to your taste.

Burgers, cook until they are nicely browned (4 minutes per side) or charred (6 minutes per side).

I can't help you with the chicken. Mine always comes out overcooked.

Answer 2

Cook the chicken so that when you stick it with a fork the juices run clear. Don't cook too quickly or the meat will cook but will pink near the bone.

Don't spead the charcoal until the ash appears.

Hot dogs are already cooked so you are just heating them up. Slice them diagonally.

Answer 3

typically hotdogs are fully cooked prior to buying. just grill them till warmed thru.

Hamburgers should cook over slightly indirect heat to cook evenly. Anywhere from 5 min\side and up depending on thickness and desired inside doneness (ie rare, med.rare, med., med.well, well, etc)

chicken, definately over indirect heat for at least 7 min\side

with charcoal, pile in center, quick spray of lighter fluid or no fluid if you are using a coal chimney and newpaper to start fire. Wait until coals are red hot and ashy, then spread evenly unless indirect cooking area is desired, then pill them on one side.

for the 2 wire rack situation, place the coals on the lower rack, this allows airflow for the fire to burn.

Answer 4

Hot dogs are already cooked, just warm. Hamburgers take 10-15 minutes, make sure well done. Chicken can take at leat 30-45 minutes unless you drop in boiling water (parr boil) for 10 minutes before bbq. If you cook chicken too hot it will sick and burn. Start chicken, then add hambugers, and last couple minutes cook hot dogs.

Answer 5

You need to determine how well done you would like each. If you are starting out better to go a little longer. Once you get the feel experiment. Watch the chicken and burgers. They can be a little dangerous. For steaks, sear the outside good and let the center be as bloody as you like it.

Answer 6

Buy a meat thermometer. They run 5 bucks or so, and you know the food will be done.

Answer 7

For the Hambgurgers: Cook them untill there is no pink in them.
IF YOU COOK GROUND BEEF: THERE MUST BE NO PINK, OR YOU COULD CATCH ECHOLI (sp?).

AND FOR CHICKEN, THERE CAN BE NO PINK WHATSOEVER, OR YOU COULD CATCH SAMENELA (sp?).

Answer 8

Hebrew National. The best.