One of my favorite things to do is throw on a whole chicken or a rack of ribs. You don’t do that over raging hot coals. That is a "low and slow" job. You set up the two-zone fire but use fewer coals. Keep the lid on, the vents half-closed, and let the smoke do the work.
This is the part where you sit in a folding chair with a cold drink and your phone in the house. You are not cooking; you are tending. You add a handful of soaked wood chips for smoke, you check the temperature, and you breathe. This is why people buy grills. It is a license to be still.
Charcoal Grill
Knowing When It’s Done (Without Cutting It Open)
Please, for the love of all that is holy, buy a reliable meat thermometer. Do not be the hero who cuts into a steak to "see if it’s done" and watches the juices run out onto the cutting board. That is a tragedy you can avoid for ten bucks.
Stick the probe into the thickest part of the meat. For a steak, pull it at about 130°F for medium-rare. For chicken, hit 165°F. Then—and this is the hardest part—let it rest for five minutes. This is the meat equivalent of a deep breath after a long day. It relaxes, reabsorbs the juices, and becomes tender.
