8
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR GRILLING SUCCESS
Wear Gloves
Always wear a barbecue mitt or mitts when using
your charcoal grill. Vents, dampers, handles, and
the bowl will all get hot during the grilling process,
so be sure to keep your hands and forearms
protected.
Skip the Lighter Fluid
Avoid using lighter fluid, as it can impart a
chemical taste to your food. Chimney starters (sold
separately) and lighter cubes (sold separately) are
much cleaner and much more effective ways of
lighting charcoal.
Preheat the Grill
Preheating your grill with the lid closed for 10 to
15 minutes prepares the cooking grate. With all of
the charcoal glowing red, the temperature under
the lid should reach 500˚F. The heat loosens any
bits and pieces of food hanging onto the grate,
making it easy to brush them off with a stainless
steel bristle grill brush. Preheating your grill gets
the grate hot enough to sear properly and also
helps prevent food from sticking to the grate.
Note: Use a stainless steel bristle grill brush. Replace
brush if any loose bristles are found on cooking grate
or brush.
Oil the Food, Not the Grate
Oil prevents food from sticking and also adds
flavor and moisture. Lightly brushing or spraying
the food with oil works better than brushing the
grate.
Keep the Air Flowing
A charcoal fire needs air. The lid should be closed
as much as possible, but keep the lid damper and
bowl vent open. Remove the ashes on the bottom
of the grill regularly to prevent them from blocking
the vents.
Put a Lid on It
For four important reasons, the lid should be
closed as much as possible.
1. Keeps the grate hot enough to sear the food.
2. Speeds up the cooking time and prevents the
food from drying out.
3. Traps the smokiness that develops when fat and
juices vaporize in the grill.
4. Prevents flare-ups by limiting oxygen.
Tame the Flame
Flare-ups happen, which is good because they
sear the surface of what you are grilling; however,
too many flare-ups can burn your food. Keep
the lid on as much as possible. This limits the
amount of oxygen inside the grill, which will help
extinguish any flare-ups. If the flames are getting
out of control, move the food over indirect heat
temporarily, until they die down.
Watch the Time and Temperature
If you are grilling in a colder climate or in a higher
altitude, the cooking times will be longer. If the
wind is blowing hard, it will raise a charcoal grill’s
temperature, so always keep close to your grill and
remember to keep the lid on as much as possible
so that the heat does not escape.
Frozen or Fresh
Whether you are grilling frozen or fresh food,
follow the safety guidelines on the package and
always cook it to the recommended internal
temperature. Frozen food will take longer to grill
and may need more fuel to be added depending on
the type of food.
Keeping it Clean
Follow a few basic maintenance instructions to
keep your grill looking and grilling better for years
to come!
• For proper air flow and better grilling, remove
accumulated ashes and old charcoal from
the bottom of the kettle and the ash catcher
before use. Make sure that all of the charcoal
is fully extinguished and the grill is cool before
doing so.
• You may notice “paint-like” flakes on the inside
of the lid. During use, grease and smoke vapors
slowly oxidize into carbon and deposit on the
inside of your lid. Brush the carbonized grease
from the inside of the lid with a stainless steel
bristle grill brush. To minimize further build-up,
the inside of the lid can be wiped with a paper
towel after cooking while the grill is still warm
(not hot).
• If your grill is subject to a particularly harsh
environment, you will want to clean the outside
more often. Acid rain, chemicals, and salt water
can cause surface rusting to appear. WEBER
recommends wiping down the outside of your
grill with warm soapy water. Follow up with a
rinse and thorough drying.
• Do not use sharp objects or abrasive cleaners to
clean the surfaces of your grill.
