Indirect Grilling


 
J

J Moodie

TVWBB Member
I was curious as I just put together my OTG today and plan to use tomorrow (so excited), and I noticed that most people here tend to go indirect using just one side of the grill. Weber suggests coals on both sides and food in the middle. Is there any particular reason you prefer to the side?
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Is there any particular reason you prefer to the side? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>yeah, there's more room for food.
And, using one side, you've created and cool side and a hot side of the grill.
with heat on both sides, "i'm stuck in the middle with you"...
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when i first started i tried the weber way. but found that one side would not burn the same as the other. this was every time. then i started the one side only method and thats all she wrote. course the best way is to try both methods yerself and thus decide what works for you.
 
I actually didn't know that Weber recommended putting coals on both sides, other than for roasts, whole chickens, etc., with a drip pan in the middle.

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Guess I'm not 'most people'. I rarely cook with coals on one side of the grill only. Can't remember the last time I did, actually. I only occasionally bother with a drip pan' depends what I'm cooking.
 
I second Jim.....one side = more room + a cooler side...but whatever works for your style is what works best...try both.
 
When grilling I go with all the coals on 1 side also but I go for a 3 zone fire. Hot on the outside edge, medium towards the middle and indirect on the other side.
 
One sided most of the time for steaks, bird parts smaller items. Two sides with a drip pan depending, usually for roasts, whole birds and such. All depends. Don't know that it matters all that much. I do like pulling large steak way off the heat sometimes. Anyway just personal preference on my part, more room for food, etc.

Two sides, drip pan always with the rotisserie.
 
I go with the majority. I split half and half. I find it gives me a chance to get things further from the heat, therefore a cooler zone. This is where I like to place the bread I am warming.

Mike
 
I go to one side for two reasons. First is I often use a round CI pan, so having one side open give me more room for the pan and food on the indirect side.

I also found that one side made makes for a hotter fire. More coals stacked together.

When doing a minion on the kettle, that larger size gets more air flow because I'm not so tight to the side and burns better.
 
Thanks for the opinions, I went with coals on one side for my first Hamburger cook. Went way over, it was very cold out and I guess I didn't gauge the heat of the fire well, but the flavour that came from it, oh dear so good.

Trying steaks tonight, and if get home early enough and there is enough light, maybe a pic or two to post.
 
Weber recommends coals on both sides. I did this using the coal holders that came with my performer. One side burned faster and therefore hotter. Not sure why this happened. Probably airflow. Also if Weber recommends the above way you are more inclined to buy more accessories for your grill! This is the fastest growing segment in the industry. Fancy grates, air flow automaters, carts, and everything else is where the money is right now.
 
I used both sides with the weber charcoal holders. Place a drip pan with a little water in it (for easy clean up and reuse). Works well for me. Never tried the one side indirect.
 
I often use less than half. I have two fire bricks, with one sawed off, and use them to block off about 1/3 of the grill.

That leaves plenty of room for a split chicken or lots of wings or drumsticks.

The small area will hold a chimney starter worth of charcoal, and it gets it plenty hot.
 
Difference I'm seeing here is indirect or building a zone fire. Indirect I use my charcoal baskets, one on each side, have experimented with one on the left side and one perpindicular across the top - really no difference. Will use a water or drip pan - depends on what I'm cooking.
Zone fire - I side, slightly layer but not meticulous, left to right. Leave about 1/4 to 1/3 of right side of grill as the cool zone.
 
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