GRILLING TIPS
GRILLING BASICS
Approaching the grill for the first time? Or maybe you've grilled before but were less than thrilled with the results. Either
way, relax. With these tips you'll soon be brandishing the tongs like a pro.
Starting Up
Charcoal: On the charcoal grate, place crumpled newspaper or fuel cubes. Cover with charcoal briquets to form a pyramid.
(If you are using lighter fluid, soak the briquets with a liberal amount. Tightly recap and store fuel container far from the grill
and any flames. DO NOT ever add lighter fluid to a lit fire.) Light the charcoal. Charcoal is ready when briquets are coated
with a light grey ash, in about 25 minutes.
Tip: For easy charcoal setup, use a quick-start anister such as the Weber Chimney Starter. Fill starter with briquets, place
over fuel cubes or crumpled newspaper in center of charcoal grate, and ignite paper or cubes. In about 25 minutes briquets
will be ready.
When charcoal is lightly coated with ash, arrange coals evenly across charcoal grate for the Direct Method or place on
either side of grate for the Indirect Method.
Gas: Open grill lid. Open tank valve. Turn front/first burner to High. Allow 2 to 3 seconds for gas chamber to fill. Push
ignitor button firmly. The burner should light after only one or two pushes of the button. Once first burner is lit, turn middle/
next burner to High and repeat with other burners until all burners are lit. Close lid. Allow grill to preheat on High to 500-
550°F. Place food on cooking grate and adjust burners to temperatures and cooking method given in the recipe.
Note:
Always keep the bottom tray and grease catch pan of your gas grill clean and free of debris. This not only prevents
dangerous grease fires, it deters visits from unwanted critters. A sprinkle of red pepper is another safe way to discourage
animals.
If a flare-up should occur, turn all burners to OFF and move food to another area of the cooking grate. Any flames will
quickly subside. Then, light the grill again. NEVER USE WATER TO EXTINGUISH FLAMES ON A GAS GRILL.
Do not line the funnel-shaped bottom tray with foil. This could prevent the grease from flowing into the grease catch pan.
Grease is also likely to catch in the tiny creases of the foil and start a fire.
For the first few uses, the temperature of a Weber gas grill may run hotter than normal. Once your grill is seasoned and
the inside of the cookbox is less reflective, the temperature will return to normal.
The handy food thermometer that comes with a Weber gas grill is an instant-read model. Placed in its holder, it registers
the cooking temperature inside the grill. You can also remove it (wear a mitt) and use it as a probe to check the doneness
of food. Promptly replace it in its holder after taking a reading on a piece of food. Never leave it in the meat during
grilling because the thermometer's glass face could shatter.
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Proper Grilling Form
Trim excess fat from steaks and chops, leaving only a scant 1/4-inch of fat, which is sufficient to flavor the meat. Less fat
is a virtual guarantee against flare-ups and makes cleanup easier.
Keep a lid on it! Your Weber grill was designed to cook foods with the lid down. Keeping the lid on allows heat to circulate,
cooking food evenly and without flare-ups. Every time you lift/open the lid, except when instructed to in Weber
recipes, you add extra cooking time.
Take the guesswork out of grilling. Use a thermometer and a timer that lets you know when it's time to take food off the
grill. Checking meats for internal temperatures is the best way to determine when food is properly cooked or when done
is about to become overdone.
Use the right utensils. Long-handled tools and long barbecue mitts protect you from the heat. Use forks only to lift fully
cooked foods from the grill and tongs or turners to turn them (forks pierce food and flavorful juices are lost).
It's a good idea to follow recipes carefully at least the first time you try them, to learn how a food should be grilled, how
it should taste, etc. Then, if you want, you can customize the dish to your own unique tastes.
When you're using a Weber recipe, remember that cooking times in charts and recipes are approximate and based on
70°F (20°C) weather with little or no wind. (Cooking times for meat, poultry, and fish have been tested with the foods at
refrigerator temperature.) Allow more cooking time on cold or windy days, or at higher altitudes, and less in extremely
hot weather.
DIRECT / INDIRECT COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
Direct vs. Indirect Method
Weber charcoal grills and gas barbecues give you great grilled results every time because they are designed to give you
ultimate control of your grilling temperature and cooking method. Here we explain the secret to great grilling. (Remember,
whether you're cooking by the Direct or Indirect Method, always grill with the lid on.)
Direct Method
The Direct Method is similar to broiling. Food is cooked directly over the heat source. For even cooking, food should be
turned once halfway through the grilling time. Use the Direct method for foods that take less than 25 minutes to cook: like
steaks, chops, kabobs, sausages and vegetables. Direct cooking is also necessary to sear meats. Searing creates that
wonderful crisp, caramelized texture where the food hits the grate. It also adds nice grill marks and flavor to the entire food
surface. Steaks, chops, chicken pieces, and larger cuts of meat all benefit from searing.
To grill by the Direct Method on a charcoal grill, spread prepared coals evenly across the charcoal grate. Set the cooking
grate over the coals and place food on the cooking grate. Place the lid on the grill and lift it only to turn food or to test for
doneness at the end of the recommended cooking time.
To grill by the Direct Method on a gas grill, preheat the grill with all burners on High. Place the food on the cooking grate,
then adjust all burners to the temperature noted in the recipe. Close the lid of the grill and lift it only to turn food or to test for
doneness at the end of the recommended cooking time.
Indirect Method
The Indirect Method is similar to roasting, but with the added benefits of that grilled texture, flavor, and appearance you
can't get from an oven. Heat rises, reflects off the lid and inside surfaces of the grill, and slowly cooks the food evenly on all
sides. The circulating heat works much like a convection oven, so there's no need to turn the food. Use the Indirect Method
for foods that require 25 minutes or more of grilling time or for foods that are so delicate that direct exposure to the heat
source would dry them out or scorch them. Examples include roasts, ribs, whole chickens, turkeys, and other large cuts of
meat, as well as delicate fish fillets.
To grill by the Indirect Method on a charcoal grill, arrange hot coals evenly on either side of the charcoal grate. A drip pan
placed in the center of the charcoal grate between the coals is useful to collect drippings that can be used for gravies and
sauces. It also helps prevent flare-ups when cooking fattier foods such as goose, duck, or fatty roasts. For longer cooking
times, add water to the drip pan to keep drippings from burning. Place the cooking grate over the coals and place the food
on the cooking grate, centered over the drip pan or empty space. Place the lid on the grill and lift it only to baste or check
for doneness at the end of the suggested cooking time.
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To grill by the Indirect Method on a gas grill, preheat the grill with all burners on High. Then adjust the burners on each side
of the food to the temperature noted in the recipe and turn off the burner(s) directly below the food. For best results, place
roasts, poultry, or large cuts of meat on a roasting rack set inside a disposable heavy-gauge foil pan. For longer cooking
times, add water to the foil pan to keep drippings from burning.
NUMBER OF BRIQUETS
To maintain a proper grilling temperature during longer cooking times, add charcoal to your Weber Grill as listed below.
Diameter size and grill
# briquets for first hour
# briquets each additional hour
18-1/2" Jumbo Joe; Bar-B-Kettle; One-
Touch; One-Touch Silver, Gold, and
Platinum
20 per side
7 per side
22-1/2" Bar-B-Kettle; One-Touch; Master-Touch;
Performer; One-Touch Silver,
Gold, and Platinum
25 per side
8 per side
26-3/4" One-Touch
30 per side
9 per side
18-1/2" Smokey Mountain Cooker
Smoker
2 layers
12
37-1/2" Ranch Kettle
75 per side
22 per side
© 2006 Weber-Stephen Products Co. Used with permission.
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