The Basics for Setting Up a Charcoal Fire

Ingredients

Below is information gathered from our own experience and two grilling pros and cookbook authors, Steve Raichlen (The Barbecue Bible and How to Grill among others) and John Willoughby (License to Grill and Let the Flames Begin, to name a few).

The difference between grilling and barbecuing is you grill directly over the fire, you barbecue with the food next to, not directly over, the fire and the grill's lid is on.

Which Fuel to Use:

• My top pick is hardwood such as oak, cherry, hickory, apple or mesquite. Actual wood gives wonderful flavor even when you are not smoking (and when soaked in water, wood will produce fragrant smoke). Wood chunks are sold in bags very much like the ones containing charcoal.

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• If wood chunks aren't to be had, an excellent alternative is hardwood charcoal, also called lump charcoal or charwood. For information on what grill addicts consider to be the top brands of charwood go to www.nakedwhiz.com, where home grillers test out brands and give reports.

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• Charcoal briquettes are a third choice. Many are made with coal dust, borax and petroleum binders, none of which I personally want in my food or my environment so these are my very bottom choices. One last thought on fuel: wood and hardwood charcoal seem to burn faster than briquettes, so use a bit more to start, and be ready to replenish the fire sooner.

Starting the Fire:

• Consensus among the pros is to use the chimney starter, a metal cylinder with a grate in the middle. It's environmentally friendly and so easy.

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• You put a couple of sheets of crumpled newspaper in the bottom, and the wood or charcoal in the top section. Light the paper, and wait for the coals to become red.

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• The time it takes for charcoal to get red: lump hardwood charcoal 15-20 minutes; hardwood 10-15 minutes. Then all you do is dump the coals onto the bottom grate of the grill.

Creating Cooking Zones:

John Willoughby explains that you can create a high heat area and a lower heat area depending upon how you spread the hot coals. For fast cooking of small pieces like our recipe above, a single level of very hot coals works. But for the searing and then slower cooking of steaks, fish and other foods, his zones work well. This gives a large cooking surface with varying heat levels.

Hot Zone: Arrange coals 3 to 4 inches thick over an area a bit larger than the area you need for cooking.

Medium Zone: Make a second layer of coals about 2 inches thick off to one side.

How to Tell How Hot It Is:

Most recipes tell you to wait for a gray ash to form over the coals. But this doesn't apply to all dishes. Another way to know temperatures is to hold your hand 5 to 6 inches above the cooking grate. How long you can keep your hand there gives you a good idea of the heat level:

• 1 to 2 seconds: high heat

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• 3 to 4 seconds: medium heat

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• 5 to 6 seconds: low heat

Instructions