Question: How do I deal with flare-ups?
The secret of flare-ups is to control them not fear them.

Answer: First of all it’s important that you understand that flare-ups are not as big a problem as you might think. Controlled flare-ups are okay, it’s when the fire gets out of control that you have a problem. There are several ways to deal with flare-ups and a spray bottle full of water isn’t the best way.First of all you need to plan on flare-ups and prepare for them. The first step is to reduce the risk of a flare-up by trimming any and all unnecessary fat from the foods you grill. For the sake of flavor, meats should be left with a little fat on them. This prevents meat from drying out while grilling. Now when I talk about fat I mean not only the fat on the meat but any fat you have added like oils in marinades or sauces. Marinades should be allowed to sink in and marinated meat should be dripping in oil when it hits the grill. Allow marinades to drain a little before you start grilling. By reducing the amount of fat on meats that you grill you reduce the amount of flare-ups.

Of course you cant and shouldnt take away all the fat. Foods like chicken with the skin on or a good thick steak or hamburger patties are going to have fat and that fat is going to melt and quite likely catch fire. Thats fine. What you need is an escape plan. Unless you are grilling enough food to cover the entire cooking surface of your grill you need to be ready to move meats out of the fire, to another part of the grate. This gives you the ability to keep foods out of the way of a flare-up and prevent burning. Once you have cleared the area of a flare-up of food let it burn. Fats exposed to flame and intense heat will burn away quickly. You can also use upper warming racks to hold food temporarily while the flare-ups persist. Like fighting any fire the first step is to get the combustible materials out of the fire.

Once you have a flare-up going take control of it. By moving meat that is dripping fat into the flare-up you can keep the flare-up in one place. Say you have a dozen chicken thighs going. When a flare-up starts move the chicken out of the way, say to the warming rack. Now drop the chicken pieces into the middle of the flare-up for a few seconds to let the grease on the chicken drain and burn away. Do this with all the pieces, then clear out of that area of the grill. Let it burn down while you keep the chicken either to another side or on the warming rack. If you cant prevent it then you need to be able to control it. If all else fails then you can reach for the spray bottle

A water filled spray bottle is a weapon of last resort. I know many so called experts that keep a spray bottle of water close at hand like a fire hose to put out flare-ups the second they happen. There are several reasons you dont want to use a spray bottle. First of all you dont put water on a grease fire. Thats always rule number one. Water and burning grease do not get along. Secondly while the water will reduce or even put out the fire temporarily it does nothing to get rid of the grease in the grill. So the second that grease heats up again the flare-up will be back. Thirdly, when you spray a grease fire with water the grease explodes (why we dont do this in the first place). That grease splatters over food and, well lets say that partially burned grease doesnt taste good. If however you end up with an uncontrollable flare-up move the food out of the way, to a plate if you have to, turn off the burners and spray down the grease to put it out. Now you can start over.

Once you have had that big flare-up it’s time to clean out your grill. Start by letting it heat up good and burn away as much grease as you can. Now get in there and clean out all the burnt grease and food from the bottom of your grill. A clean grill really does produce fewer flare-ups.

More Barbecues & Grilling Q&A

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How to Use A Gas Grill In Simple Laymen Terms

Gas grills can be tricky and a little scary for the novice “Grill Master”… I suggest starting with learning the grill itself. Most gas grills are sold in stores where they have a unit on display and an “intelligent” salesperson who can walk you through the features of your grill. Have them tell you all the functions of the knobs and where to hook the gas up as it can be a very dangerous if you don’t hook it up correctly and then go to light the grill.

Tell them to show you all the necessities you need to be successful in learning how to use a gas grill properly. In most cases, you can have the grill assembled right there and then all you have to do is hook up the propane (gas) tank to it and get started. Just make sure to double check the gas tank where you hook it up to the grill. Be sure it is screwed on even and tightly so as not to have any gas leaks. Most grills have an ignite switch so you don’t have to worry about a long match or lighter either. (Although I keep one on hand just in case!)

Once you have all that established and you are ready to go, you need to decide what you would like to grill first. I personally think steaks are one of the easiest and least time consuming meats to grill. When you cook steak on a gas grill you may want to do a little prep work to help it along. You can start by marinating your steak in something flavorful that you like.

Some folks use a prepared marinade, some make their own. Either way it gives your steak a great flavor and keeps it from drying out and tasting like an old shoe! (Not a good experience either by the way. The “shoe syndrome” can really ruin the potential of a future Master Griller!) Then as always you should prep your grill a little too. I do this by spraying Pam for grilling (sold in most grocery stores) or by wiping the grill grate with a nice lint free cloth coated with a bit of olive oil.

Once you have mastered your first grill party, you will never want the old humdrum stove again! There are so many things you can do on a gas grill your only dilemma will be what to try next. You can skewer (meat on a stick) some chicken, pork, shrimp or scallops with some fruit, onion and peppers. Or you can skewer some beef, peppers, onions and mushrooms. Or you can just grill old fashioned BBQ chicken. That is still a prized entre, let me tell you!

Pick up a book of cooking tips for gas grills. There are a million cook books out there for the novice griller all the way up to the master griller. You can even keep the vegetarians in your family happy by skewering or grilling veggies like corn, peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, squash, onions and all kinds of other wonderful things!

Cooking guides for gas grills are available all over the Internet or in most libraries or book stores to help you get started. You only have to decide what you want and how you want it. In most cases, gas grills come with both a manual on assembly and parts as well as a guide to cooking on the grill already included.

So go on now… Get started showing your SKILLS! You will be the talk of your family once you master grilling. But be careful… if you are too good, you will always be asked to play grill chef!

Related:

How To Use A Gas Grill
How To Grill Properly
How To Know When Your Meat is Done
Avoiding Outdoor Cooking Mistakes
How to Clean Your Outdoor Grill

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This video demonstrates how to light a charcoal grill using standard briquettes and lighter fluid.

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How To Use a Charcoal Grill

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There are many types of charcoal grills but the basics are the same. So keep reading for the A-Z basics of how to use a charcoal grill.

How do you start a charcoal grill?

You start by deciding what you are going to use. Briquettes or charcoal pieces? If you are going to use briquettes, you will need to be sure you know what you want. Charcoal can come in many shapes, sizes and flavors. Most people who are not overly health conscience will go for the normal briquettes which are all over the place and the “norm” . But some people in today’s society are looking at everything that is being consumed. That includes consumption via cooking elements. And those folks prefer the use of lump charcoal as it is made more naturally and burns down to nothing.

Lighting a charcoal grill consists of layering and the use of additives to help ignite it. Some folks like to use lighter fluid. Some use pre-soaked self lighting coals and again some like the lump charcoal as it generally lights quickly and easily with less of a hassle.

When deciding how to start a charcoal grill gather your tools. You will need:

• Lighter fluid
• Newspaper
• Long stem matches or a long stem lighter

You begin by layering first a bit of paper, and then layer like a pyramid your briquettes. Some people will stick shards of paper in between and then pour the lighter fluid on top to help it light. I don’t recommend over doing it, you may get a fire going that you didn’t anticipate! In lighting a charcoal grill you should always exercise caution and be sure you know what you are doing.

Once lit… let the charcoals burn down a bit. You will know when they are ready because they will be slightly gray on the outside and bright red in the middle. That means they are the hottest they can get and are ready to be moved around a bit to begin grilling. So with a fire poker gently push the coals around and evenly distribute them or push them to one side depending on what you are cooking.

I like to cook everything on a charcoal grill. It has the best flavor and the natural taste of the great outdoors.

But how to cook on a charcoal grill exactly? Good question!

The best way is to season your meats and marinate them to perfection. Then lightly coat the grate of the grill with canola or olive oil to help prevent your meat from sticking.

Start with your potatoes first if you also grilling potatoes. Take a potato, poke some holes in it with a fork, roll it in butter and coat it in salt. Then wrap them in aluminum and put them on the grill until they feel like they are getting tender. Yum!

THEN add your meat. Depending on what it is, most meats take around 20 to 30 minutes to cook. This gives your potatoes time to finish cooking as well. You may also want to throw on a couple of red and orange bell peppers and corn on the cob to make your charcoal grilled meal complete!

Related:
Video: How To Light A Charcoal Grill

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Tutorials

When it comes to what can be grilled, the only limit is your own imagination and knowledge. Grilling has a unique element to family living. It is much more fun than cooking indoors and adds flavor to the food than roasting, broiling, and frying. Learn the basics, then move to the not so basics. Have fun and get your grill on.
Equipment used for grilling ranges from simple to the elaborate. Outdoor grills may be homemade by placing a grate over an open fire or sophisticated commercially produced charcoal or gas units Many inventive methods for controlling heat and maintaining uniformity in cooking are found in modern outdoor grills. Electric and gas models, designed specifically for indoor use, allow food to be grilled within the home when outdoor grilling is not possible.

Feel free to drop a line or leave a comment if you have any questions.

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I know that a gas grill can be intimidating; after all, you are entering a mans domain. But you light your gas stove, dont you? And if your spouse is overseas, you dont wait for him to get home to re-light the gas hot water heater! So put on your big girl panties and get grilling! Dont miss the fun of entertaining outdoors! Just keep in mind you are dealing with FIRE, so use sound judgment and take the time to familiarize yourself with the owners manual for your specific grill beforehand.

• Always follow your owners manual/safety instructions.
• Never, ever smoke near a gas grill.
• Be aware of your surroundings. Make sure that you are seeing clouds, stars, or sky when you light your grill; never use your gas grill in an enclosed space.
• When youre done cooking for the day, turn the gas off at the grill, and then at the propane tank.
• Never store a propane tank inside always keep it outside, at least 5 feet away from the house or garage.

Dont be afraid of the grill!

Remove any burner covers before you contemplate the grill-lighting procedure. These are light-weight, usually aluminum, and lift right off. To light the grill, the first thing you will do is turn on the gas at its source, and for most of you this will be on the propane tank. Next, and this is important, OPEN THE LID!! This will keep the gas from staying enclosed in the grill and prevent a mini-Hindenburg explosion in your back yard. Then you will open the gas valve on your grill. You should hear a wooshing sound, just like you do on a gas stove before the burner ignites. Most gas grills have a push button manual ignition; but if not, use a long match or Aim-N-Flame to light the burners. Use tongs to place the burner covers (which are actually flame diffusers) back over the burners.

Allow the grill to burn at almost full throttle for about 5-10 mins while you go inside (keeping an eye on the grill!) and prep your food. This will burn off any remaining food or grease particles left from the last use. Then, adjust the temperature to your grilling needs, and you are all ready!!

Grilling can be a fast (hamburgers or steaks) or slow process (pork butt, brisket) so follow the cooking instructions with the recipe of your choice and pay attention to the recommended grilling temperature hot, medium or low. The knobs on your grill will be well marked. Make sure you use a food thermometer (sold at most hardware stores) to completely cook any meat, especially poultry, to the temperatures recommended in your recipe.

The important thing is to get outside and enjoy your friends and family. So tell the guys to move on over: the Girls are coming to grill!

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