By America's Test KitchenPublished Oct. 4, 2023.
This is Technique #28 from our 100 Techniques Every Home Cook Can Master.
Each technique is broken into three sections: why it works, key steps, and recipes that use it. Learn these recipe building blocks and you'll be set up for a lifetime of cooking success.
When conversation turns to grilling, a lot of it seems to be about charcoal versus gas. Although it’s often overlooked, another decision that’s even more important—when it comes to everyday grilling, at least—is what level of fire to use and how to build that fire correctly.
The most basic of grill fires is a uniform single-level fire, in which coals are evenly spread across the bottom of the grill or all gas burners are turned to the same heat setting. A single-level fire is all you really need when grilling small pieces of food like sausages, hot dogs, burgers, or shrimp skewers.
But if you want to expand your grilling options, you need to master the two-level fire.
In a two-level grill fire, there are two cooking zones: a hotter area for searing and a slightly cooler area for more gentle cooking. This is achieved in a charcoal grill by evenly spreading two-thirds of the lit coals over half the grill and the remaining one-third over the other half.
In a gas grill, the primary burner is left on high and the other burners are set to medium. This type of fire is often used for thicker foods, like bone-in or boneless chicken breasts or thick chops, that you want to sear on the outside (for which you’d use the hotter side) and then finish cooking gently all the way through (for which you’d use the cooler side).
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A variation on the two-level fire is the modified two-level fire, or what we call the half-grill fire. It operates on the same two-zone principle, but the temperature differences are more dramatic.
One cooking zone is intensely hot (more so than in a regular two-level fire), while the other zone is comparatively cool. In a charcoal grill, all the lit coals are distributed over half the grill, and the other half is left free of coals.
In a gas grill, the primary burner is left on (or multiple burners may be left on) and the other burners are turned off. The heat output from this fire setup is hotter than it is from a regular two-level fire.
This is great for comparatively fattier foods, such as ribs or steaks, that you want to cook over concentrated high heat to char and develop an outer crust (it also gives you a place to move the food when flare-ups occur).
Ready to give it a shot? Here’s how to easily set it up on a charcoal grill.
Light coals in chimney starter.
For two-level fire, spread two-thirds of lit coals over half of grill and remaining one-third of coals over other half of grill. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.
For half-grill fire, spread all coals over half of grill and leave remaining half of grill coal-free. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.
Own a gas grill? We’ve got you covered, too. Here’s how to set it up.
Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes.
For two-level fire, leave primary burner on high and turn other burner(s) to medium-high.
For half-grill fire, leave primary burner on high and turn off other burners.
Now that you know how to set up this technique, try it in your backyard with one of these recipes
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