Never Burn Your Barbecue Again with This Master Grilling Technique
Two-zone, or indirect cooking, is the pro-griller’s go-to move because it guarantees flavorful juicy meat each and every time. Grill expert Scott Moody shows you how to get it right.
By Hugh Garvey
Knowing how to set up a grill for two-zone, or indirect cooking, is an essential skill for anyone who wants the option of cooking a whole chicken or fish, roasting some vegetables, or cooking with anything other than a blazing hot fire. There’s nothing entirely wrong with spreading your coals out in an even layer, particularly if all you want to do is sear off some steaks or quick-cook a bunch of burgers, but even then you probably want to bank the coals hot on one side and low on the other so you have some temperature variation and a safe spot to park your meat when the inevitable flare ups occur. But to approximate the even, moderate heat of an oven, or to keep your grill slow and low for briskets and other tough cuts that only get tender after a long, long time, you’re going to need to add the two-zone fire to your repertoire. For a master class in the art, we enlisted Scott Moody, chief marketing officer at Arkansas-based PK Grills, who shows us how to set up a grill the right way. Beer-break optional.
Use a Mix of Briquettes and Wood
To be able to cook for upward of an hour or more, you’re going to need steady, reliable heat and briquettes are your best bet for a predictable burn time. Wood chunks, such as mesquite, hickory, or oak will add flavor to the fire and, over time, to whatever you’re cooking as well.
Light Your Fire the Natural Way
A charcoal chimney lets you avoid using noxious lighter fluid and is a handy way to upcycle newspaper.
Let the Briquettes Burn for the Length of Time It Takes to Drink a Beer
In about 10 or 15 minutes the briquettes will be a mix of red, white, and black, with white tinges on the edge of the briquettes at the top of the chimney. Or as Scott Moody says in our instructional video: “Drink a beer and by the time you’re finished, you’ll have a roaring fire.”
Establish the Zones
You’ll want more room for the food than for the fire, so set up your hot zone in one third of the grill. Use a line of the wood chunks to separate the cool from the hot side. Not only will the wood chunks act as a containment berm, they’ll also smoke there without combusting entirely as they would if you put them on top of the coals.
Put on the Grate and Cook a Little If You Want
If you feel like taking advantage of the first, super-high heat of the coals, sear off a few asparagus for a side dish, or onions for garnishing.
Adjust the Air Flow
If your grill has two vents on the top, close the one over the hot coals. If you only have one vent, leave it open.
Double-Check the Bottom Vent
Make sure the bottom vent is open to fully fuel the fire, otherwise you’ll choke the heat.
