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King

Full Fledged Farker
Joined
Jun 22, 2009
Location
O'Fallon, MO
I've been to enough parties this summer to see tons of mistakes when it comes to grilling. I want to stop them, but that is just rude. Often, I thank them for the grub and if they invite some suggestions, the first tip I give is using indirect heat or in this case....the 2-zone method.

I know most of the brethren think this is grilling 101, but I talk more about this subject than anything else not related to smoking.

I hope some find it useful or perhaps pass it along to other weekend warriors of the grill who hates flare ups and burnt meats.

The 2-zone method

The 2-zone concept is simple…create a hot and a cool side on the grill. The hot zone is the heat source using charcoal or propane for fuel. The cold zone is where you put your food. The radiant heat from the hot zone will cook the meat…this is more commonly known as indirect grilling.
Indirect grilling is a fool proof way against burning the food on the grill. The 2-zone method can be achieved on a either a charcoal or gas grill.
Here are photos that will be helpful in setting up the 2-zone method. Let’s start with a charcoal grill:


1. Open the bottom vents entirely.
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2. Fill a charcoal chimney half way with charcoal (or about 45 briquettes).
3. Pour the unlit charcoal out the chimney and bank them to one side of the grill.
4. Optional items: wood chips, wood chunks and a foil pan. Add the wood on top of the unlit charcoal and place a foil pan opposite from the charcoal (this will catch most of the fat drippings).
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5. Fill the chimney with approximately 12-15 briquettes and light them.
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6. When the briquettes look mostly white, dump them on top the unlit briquettes. This is the hot zone.
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7. Place the grill grate back on and put the food on the cool side of the grill.
8. Put the lid on, place the top vents over the cool side. Do this because you want the heat and smoke to pass over the meat and out the vents.
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9. Adjust the vents to open half way.
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10. Check food every 10-15 minute, do not flip. Remove food when it has reached the desired internal temperature.
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With that amount of charcoal and the configuration of the vents the temperature of the grill will be approximately 350-375 degrees.


If you want a lower temp, adjust by closing off the bottom and top vents. Adjust in small increments; closing the vents all the way will extinguish the fire because of lack of oxygen. Vice versa, to get a high temp, open the vents all the way.
Notes:

  • A consistent temp can be maintained for about 2 hours in this configuration. Check the amount of fuel every 30-45 minutes, add more briquettes (10 or 12) if the temps start to drop.
  • Grill marks cannot be achieved using this method. However, to get those great grill marks you need 1) cast iron grates 2) oil, butter or a sugar based rub/liquid 3) a very hot grill, 600+ degrees. If have the ability to do these things, after coating your meat, sear it with the lid off. Then, put the meat on the cool side and put the lid back on until the meat reaches desired doneness.
  • Searing your steak or other meats does not lock in the juices, it only creates a flavor crust which is most delicious.
  • If you like the flavor of burnt meat, move the food over to the hot side for the final few minutes or so.
  • Crisp up that chicken skin or bacon by moving it over to the hot side for the final few minutes.
  • Fill the foil pan with water, juice or beer to create some moisture in the cooking chamber. Humidity keeps meat from drying out.
  • Using the 2-zone method isn’t hard on a steel grill grate. The lower temps prevent the meat from sticking to the grate which over time causes corrosion and rust. Use a grill brush before and after cooking to remove any debris or residue..
For gas grills, indirect grilling can best be achieved if you have a grill with 3 or more burners (side burners don’t count)…sorry, no 2 burner grills because they’re just too small. Gas grills are easier to apply the 2-zone method because you can control the temps better. Photos are for reference only:

  1. Turn on 1 end burner (this is the hot zone) on low.
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2. Control the heat by increasing or decreasing the amount of gas.
3. The opposite end is the cool zone, place food there.
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4. Keep the cook chamber closed once the meat is on.
5. Don’t flip the meat. Check the meat every 10-15 minutes.
6. Remove meat when it has reached the desired internal temperature.
This configuration should get somewhere between 300-350 degrees. This range is still considered smoking temps, so ribs can be done on a gas grill!
Notes:

  • To create smoke, use wood chips (not soaked in water) and stuff it in a foil pouch. Poke many holes in the foil envelope and place it directly over the flame. Have multiple pouches on standby in case you need more smoke.
  • Again, to char or crisp up the meat/chicken skin, grill directly over the hot side the last few minutes before it’s done.
  • If you want grill marks, first crank the fire on all the burners to maximum heat. Sear the meat, and then start at step 1.
Here is a reference chart for meat doneness (note that pork can now be cooked to 145 degrees internal temp, a recent change that makes a lot of sense)…
USDA Recommended Safe Minimum Internal Temperatures

  • Cook all raw beef, pork, lamb and veal steaks, chops, and roasts to a minimum internal temperature of 145 °F as measured with a food thermometer before removing meat from the heat source. For safety and quality, allow meat to rest for at least three minutes before carving or consuming. For reasons of personal preference, consumers may choose to cook meat to higher temperatures.
  • Cook all raw ground beef, pork, lamb, and veal to an internal temperature of 160 °F as measured with a food thermometer.
  • Cook all poultry to a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F as measured with a food thermometer.
 
Thanks for the tutorial, I just recently got a 22.5 inch weber and have used it a few times with mixed results. I will give this method a try next time I grill out.
 
Excellent advice and tutorial. Thanks for the effort, instructions and pron.I totally agree with you 100% on everything you wrote with the exception of the top vent. I always leave my top vent wide open and adjust my heat with the bottom vent/vents, amount of charcoal and/or wood. I have heard this many times and I have read it here in the forum. I'm sure there is no perfect way and each has his own successful way of grilling/smoking and chillin and grinin. This also goes to the delima of fat side up or fat side down.There again everyone has their own way and opinion on what they believe to be the best way. With that said, I still salute you on an outstanding job of presenting a Grillin 101 tutorial.
 
Thank you for the post. Shamefully, I only own a gasses. After hanging out in this place for the past year, I've been thinking about picking up a kettle. This will come in handy when I do, because I really have no idea how to use a kettle. So, thanks.
 
I totally agree with you 100% on everything you wrote with the exception of the top vent. I always leave my top vent wide open and adjust my heat with the bottom vent/vents, amount of charcoal and/or wood.

I always adusted the top vent until I came here. Now I'm learning to used the bottom vert to control the air. Top vent wide open, Baby!!!
 
Just learned something new...put the vent side of the top over the "cold side" so heat will come across whatever you have cooking. Thanks I appreciate your time in posting the tutorial.
 
I made a charcoal heat separator with heavy expanded metal for my 18"
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and used metal tape to mark the closed, slightly open, and fully open postions on my one-touch control arm. Weber should have done this one for us!
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An excellent tutorial on how to cook indirect using the Minion Method (although like J_Don and Pappy, I always leave the top vent open), but I disagree with the assumption that it's the way to grill everything. I often use this technique for bone-in poultry, roasts, some vegetables, meatloaf, and sometimes brats. But for steaks, burgers, chops, and hot dogs, I cook direct. I vary the temperature depending on the food (direct high for steaks, direct medium for burgers and dogs, etc.), but except for extra thick steaks, which I finish indirect, the meat is over the fire the whole time. I get good grill marks with a steel cooking grate and no butter or oil. I've been doing this a long time and people seem to think I do it well; I'm always asked to do the grilling at neighborhood and family gatherings.

Arthur, I'm sure you're an expert using the grill and I would guess you get excellent results. I just wanted to point out that there are a lot of us who get good results over a direct fire and wouldn't dream of cooking a porterhouse steak indirect at 375.:wink:
 
I just grilled 8 burgers tonight. I had the 2 zones method going. But I did all of the grilling over the hot coals. Then I spin the grate 180 degrees to flip without flare ups. Then spin them back to the heat again after the flip. This also helps save skin and knuckle hair.
 
Nice tutorial and pics. I am a top vent open guy, but, I put a thermometer in one of the top vents to monitor temps, which effectively cuts down some exhaust.
 
Excellent advice and tutorial. Thanks for the effort, instructions and pron.I totally agree with you 100% on everything you wrote with the exception of the top vent. I always leave my top vent wide open and adjust my heat with the bottom vent/vents, amount of charcoal and/or wood.

I'm glad you pointed that out. I started out adjusting the bottom vents with the top vents wide open, but I got lazy and I started using the top vent ...it works just as effectively, especially on a work night and the kids are running circles around you.

I use the top vent when I do a 2 hour cook, and for longer cooks I suggest using the bottom vents. However, for this tutorial I focused on the newbie that doesn't do long cooks and needs to start someplace or is lazy just like me.

Either way works, just like you pointed out...use what is best for you. I'm sure once a newbie uses this with some success, they find that the bottom vents does a better job because they saw it done in this forum thousands of times. Once they got grilling down...that usually leads to smoke.
 
I often use this technique for bone-in poultry, roasts, some vegetables, meatloaf, and sometimes brats. But for steaks, burgers, chops, and hot dogs, I cook direct.

I've been using this setup in my Kettles for steaks, chops, burgers, etc. for years. I waffle back and forth between searing first and finish indirect or start indirect and then do a reverse sear, but the results either way are great.

I do vary from King's method in one way... I don't put in any unlit charcoal. I dump in a full chimney that is fully lit. I do this because if I am using the kettle I am grilling and want the hottest direct area I can get for searing. If I am going to do a longer cook (whole bird, roast, etc.) I will use a WSM or an Egg.
 
I like to use 2 firebicks to seperate the 2 zones.

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I love that you are using the two char-baskets on the same side. It seems this would give you more cooking space for larger cuts. My question is, where does one procure said firebricks? I assume that are not just clay masonry bricks. Thanks.
 
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