Never Burn Your Barbecue Again with This Master Grilling Technique

Grill expert Scott Moody shows you how to set up a grill with blazing-hot and cooler zones for perfectly cooked food.

Hugh Garvey

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.

1 /10 Courtesy of Scott Moody

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.

2 /10 Courtesy of Scott Moody

Light Your Fire the Natural Way

A charcoal chimney lets you avoid using noxious lighter fluid and is a handy way to upcycle newspaper.

3 /10 Courtesy of Scott Moody

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.”

4 /10 Courtesy of Scott Moody

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.

5 /10 Courtesy of Scott Moody

Load the Hot Zone

When the charcoal is mostly red, load it into the grill.

6 /10 Courtesy of Scott Moody

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.

7 /10 Courtesy of Scott Moody

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.

8 /10 Courtesy of Scott Moody

Double-Check the Bottom Vent

Make sure the bottom vent is open to fully fuel the fire, otherwise you’ll choke the heat.

9 /10 Courtesy of Scott Moody

Check the Temperature

Get the heat just right by closing the vents slightly and opening them until you reach the proper heat. 175-200 degrees Fahrenheit is good for slow and low brisket. 275-350 is great for whole chicken.

10 /10 Courtesy of Scott Moody

Keep Cooking (and Have Another Beer)

Since this is slow and low cooking, you’re going to be waiting at least an hour for your food to be done. So have another beer (or non-alcoholic beverage of your choice).