Tools
Make sure you're equipped with these master grillers' tools of the trade:

• Tongs or spatula: for turning grilled foods
• Grilling grid: for smaller food like chopped vegetables
• Disposable aluminum tray: for heating side foods like baked beans
• Wire grill brush: for cleaning the grill
• Insulated, flame-retardant mitts: for handling hot coals and grill
• Long-handled tongs: for handling briquets

How to Grill

• Keep food from sticking by rubbing the grill with vegetable oil or non-stick cooking spray
• Leave space around each food item on the grill to allow for even cooking and smoke penetration
• Turn meat just once on the grill; for steaks, turn them when the juices start to bubble on the uncooked side (the clearer the juice, the more well-done the meat)
• Use tongs or a spatula to turn food; poultry and meat can lose moisture and flavorful juices when pierced by a fork
• Apply sauces containing honey, brown sugar or molasses during the last 10 minutes of cooking to prevent the sauce from burning
• Keep a spray-bottle filled with water handy so you can spritz flare-ups, which can blacken your food
• Place cooked foods on a clean plate, not one that has previously held raw meat, fish or poultry; bacteria from raw food can contaminate the cooked food and cause food poisoning
• Brush the grilling surface (once it's cooled) with a wire brush to remove any stuck-on food

Direct Grilling
Cook foods that take less than 30 minutes directly over the coals.
Examples: boneless chicken, steaks, fish fillets, hamburgers and hot dogs.

Indirect Grilling
Foods that take longer than 30 minutes and are higher in fat are best cooked over indirect heat, in a way similar to oven-roasting.
Examples: whole turkeys, bone-in chicken, ribs and brisket.

Here's how:

• Keep food from sticking by rubbing the grill with vegetable oil or non-stick cooking spray
• Bank charcoal briquets on one or both sides of a drip pan on the lower grid
• Close the grill lid to contain heat and seal in smoky flavor
• Add water, apple juice or other flavored liquids to the drip pan to provide extra moistness and flavor to food, if desired

• Allow ¾ lb to 1 lb per person for bone-in steak or ½ lb per person for boneless steak
• Choose steaks that are at least 1-inch thick
• Trim fat to 1/8-inch and score the edges to keep them from curling on the grill
• On the grill, flip steaks when juices start bubbling on the uncooked side
• Second side of steak needs less grilling time than the first
• Salt-and-pepper each browned side of the steak after turning
• Test for doneness by making a knife slit beside the bone