Indirect Grilling

The indirect grilling method opens your food selection up to a new universe of choices. For example, using this grilling method you can make delicious ribs, whole chickens, and much more.

The main goal with the indirect method is to slow cook foods without the food item being directly over the coals. Additionally, the food should be suspended over a drip pan filled with water or beer. The drip pan serves two purposes. It keeps the food hydrated during cooking (i.e. keeps it from getting dried out) and it also catches "drippings" from the food being cooked.

Setting up for direct grilling is easy. The manufacturer of my grill provides charcoal dividers (AKA grill rails) to make setup even easier. You should only need about half the amount of coals that you would normally need for direct grilling. The following illustration shows a grill completely set up with the charcoal dividers and a drip pan:

Alternatively, it is possible to set up a grill for indirect grilling without charcoal dividers. To do so, place an empty drip pan in the bottom of the grate and place hot coals around it. Carefully fill the drip pan up with liquid.

During the cooking process, you may need to add more coals to keep the fire hot. A hinged grate designed for the task is best, however it is certainly not required. For normal grates, carefully remove the food and set it somewhere safe. Next, carefully remove the grate and set it somewhere safe. Finally, add more coals on top of the hot coals and put the grate and food back in place. If the coals have gone out, start some more coals in a chimney starter.

The following shows a set of ribs in a rib rack cooking over an indirect setup:

To add some variety, try smoking the meat with woodchips. Enjoy!

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