Indirect grilling facts for kids
Indirect grilling is a cool way to cook food on a barbecue! Instead of putting your food right over the flames, you place it to the side of the heat. This is different from regular grilling, where food cooks directly over the fire.
Why cook this way? It's perfect for bigger foods like a whole chicken or a large roast. These foods would burn if they were cooked directly over a hot flame for a long time. Indirect grilling uses a more gentle heat, usually around 275–350°F (135–175°C). This helps the food cook slowly and evenly without getting burnt on the outside. It also makes it easy to add wood chips to create a smoky flavor!
To set up indirect grilling on a gas grill, you just light some burners and leave others off. You place the food over the unlit burners. If you're using a charcoal grill, you pile the hot coals to one side. Then, you put the food on the other side, away from the direct heat. It's also a good idea to place a drip tray under the food. This catches any fat that drips, stopping it from causing flare-ups.
Using Barriers for Indirect Grilling
Sometimes, you can put something between the food and the fire. This creates an even more indirect cooking method.
One way is to use a plank or a solid tray on the grill. The food cooks on top of this barrier. If you use a wooden plank, especially one soaked in water, it can add a delicious flavor to your food as it cooks!
Another barrier is a pizza stone. You place it between the fire and the food. The heat goes around the edges of the stone and then circulates around your food. Many special outdoor grills, like kamado-style cookers, have "heat deflectors." These are like shields that sit above the fire and below the food grate. They help spread the heat evenly.
What is Beer Can Chicken?
In the 1990s, a fun cooking trend called "beer can chicken" became popular. This is when you stand a whole chicken upright on an open can of beer or another drink. The can is placed inside the chicken's cavity. Then, you cook the chicken using indirect grilling. Some people thought the liquid in the can would boil and add flavor to the chicken. While it makes for a cool presentation, many tests show it doesn't add much flavor from the liquid itself.
Plank Cooking
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Plank cooking is a special way to roast or bake food, usually fish or meat, on wooden planks. It's also called planking. This cooking method has been used by different cultures around the world for a very long time.
For example, in Finland, there's a dish called loimulohi, which means "blazing salmon." In North America, the Northwest Coast Native Americans used planks, often made from Western Red Cedar wood, to cook different kinds of salmon.
You can put the planks directly over open flames, or stand them on their edge facing the flames (like the Finnish method). Either way, the wood heats up and releases its natural oils and moisture. This adds a wonderful flavor to the food as it cooks!
Since the 1990s, chefs and home cooks have started using planks for more than just salmon. They now cook all sorts of foods on them, including different meats, chicken, vegetables, cheese, fruits, and even pizza!
Besides cooking over an open flame, you can also use planks in an oven. This works for baking breads and pastries, as well as savory dishes.
