Being that this upcoming weekend is Memorial Day I know that many a grill will be lit up, and many a braut will be burnt to a crisp.  So I thought I’d share a bit on the “art of the grill,” as the resident dude I hope this encourages you to try out this savory sport on the upcoming holiday.

From the moment you walk into Sears and purchase your first Weber, you will start hearing advice on how to use it.  Some will swear by charcoal, others will say using a gas grill is in fact the only way to cook food outdoors.  Still more will talk about which kind of wood chips they prefer, and some will even mention a contraption called a smoker… no, it’s not what you’re thinking. Just know that all these methods are fine, all will produce a better piece of meat than your local Ruby Tuesday.

Disclaimer: I could sum up a great weekend in two words “High Life” (yep, like grandpa and cans are always better than bottles) but I’m afraid there needs to be a bit more to this to make it an actual post. I also recommend throwing a great album like The Band’s “Northern Lights – Southern Cross” or Billy Bragg & Wilco’s “Mermaid Avenue” on; these steps alone will greatly improve your chances of having an amazing Memorial Day weekend.

For the sake of classic Americana I’m only going to cover the lighting of a charcoal grill here.  If you have a gas grill just jump to the bottom of the post and check out the cooking tips as the first few steps won’t matter for you.  I’ve heard great things about wood/hickory chips but have little experience with them. I’ve always used charcoal briquettes and I’m comfortable with them so those are the steps I’m going to talk you through.

Clean yo’ grill.
If it’s charcoal remove the ash and bits of charcoal from the last time you used it.  This will affect both the fire (air flow) and the taste of you meat.  Also be sure that the grill itself is clean and free of gunk. If it’s dirty just rinse it off and go over it with some steel wool or a grill brush until it looks nastiness free.

Ring of fire.
You should notice that your grill has two racks in it (sometimes three): a small one near the bottom and a larger one on top.  The smaller rack is used to hold the coals and the larger food.  Some grills have an upper, third, rack that is for vegetables and fish, but each rack should be pretty obvious working from the bottom up.  Go ahead and remove the top rack(s) so you only have the lower one to deal with. First you need to stack your briquettes; this is where it takes a bit of finesse.  For this step you may also use a chimney starter, they help produce a fire without having to fool with too many chemicals, not necessary, but helpful.
Before you stack the briquettes (or put them in the chimney) be sure to spread them on the lower grill rack.  Ideally you want the entire rack covered with about an inch between each square, simply add or subtract bricks until you get there.  At this time also make sure the lower vents on your grill are open, they’ll be too hot to touch later.

When you stack the briquettes try to make it as much like a pyramid as you can.  In theory is you are trying to create a column of heat so the charcoal lights consistently and evenly.  The more you grill the more refined your method will become so don’t worry too much about perfecting it just now.  Next, if you’re not using a chimney, and your charcoal doesn’t already contain a lighting agent, add your lighter fluid.

When it comes to lighter fluid it’s extremely personal, some people like fire and singed eyebrows – others don’t.  All you need to worry about is making sure that the fire is spread evenly around the base of your pyramid, not a bonfire but a consistent flame.  Also be sure to squirt a bit into the center of your stack to help even out the blaze.

Match, Set, Game.
Now it’s time to light your fire (feat. Elvis).  Since this might be the first time you’ve done this, try to grab the long safety matches when you’re grabbing the rest of the grill fixin’s – there’s no need for blisters on your hands as well as your shoulders this weekend!  For this step all you have to do is light the outer edges of your pyramid.  Start at the point furthest from you and work clockwise around the stack, easy as pie, just don’t burn your self. The flames will go out, that’s how it works, so don’t worry about trying to add more lighter fluid.  Charcoal doesn’t flame as much as it smolders so you should start seeing the briquettes turning white and chalky.  Ideally you will see the inside of the stack glowing red, once your charcoal is mostly white you’re ready to move on.
Most charcoal brands take about 30 minutes to really get going so use this time to get your meat (or veggies) grill ready, but we’ll cover that more in a bit.
After your charcoal is warmed over you want to spread out the coals over the surface of your grill.  Carefully use your grilling tongs to move the stack into an even layer on the lower rack.  Next it’s time to put  the upper grill back on.
Once done wait about ten minutes before putting any meat on the rack.  This does two things: It helps sanitize your cooking surface and it gives your grilled goods the grill lines that you love to see in those Outback commercials.  You can also use the warmed grill to remove any gunk still on the grilling surface, just brush it down with your grill brush. Again, be sure to be careful, the grill is quite hot at this point.

My compliments to the chef.
Be sure that your meat is room temperature when it hits the grill.  I know this sounds weird but in the end it will turn out better because you have more control over an evenly thawed burger than one that is cold in the center.  It doesn’t take too much work to make a great burger; I like to use a combination of garlic powder, seasoned salt and Worcestershire sauce but there are tons great recipes out there, so feel free to experiment with things.  If you’re cooking steaks as well, look into some of the various marinades out there – they help to season and tenderize your meat which equals a better steak.
The real key to grilling meat is how you cook it, or rather, how you let it cook.  One of the biggest mistakes people make is being overly involved in the cooking process.  You should only flip your meat ONCE, maybe you can get away with doing it twice but any more than that is going to take away flavor and texture.  Get online or crack open a copy of “The Joy of Cooking” and figure out what cook times work for the meat you’re cooking, put it on the grill, close the lid and stay away! Keep you eye out for flames, which can burn your had work away, but don’t touch the meat if you don’t need to. Also, whatever you do don’t push the meat down on the grill with your spatula!  I know they do it in the movies but all of that juice you’re squeezing out is flavor and each time you do it will make your food that much less tasty.

Before you walk away be sure to arrange the meat so it’s not directly over any flames that may have popped up.  Consistent indirect heat is always better than direct flames; if you don’t watch this you could end up with a burger that’s extremely crispy on the outside and almost rare inside. Once you’re up and running try to remove meat from the grill right before it gets to your desired “doneness.” Grilled meats have a tendency to cook a bit more after you’ve removed them from the heat.  Keep this in mind and let the meat sit for three or four minutes before you serve it, you won’t be disappointed!