How to Set Up a Charcoal Grill for Direct Grilling

It takes 15 to 25 minutes for the charcoal in a chimney starter to light and another 5 to 10 for it to start to ash over so you can begin cooking. For everyday grilling when you’re only cooking a few small items (a couple of chops, hamburgers, or steaks, for example, or boneless chicken breasts or fish fillets), a simple single-zone fire will do just fine. To make a single-zone fire, first light the charcoal in a chimney starter. When the coals glow bright orange, dump them out and spread or rake them into a single layer across the bottom of the grill. Leave one corner of the grill without coals as a safety zone over which you can move the food if it starts to burn. Start grilling when the coals are just beginning to ash over.