Indirect grilling: How to grill meat properly
What does indirect barbecue mean?
Indirect grilling is when the grilled meat is not directly above the embers but next to the heat source on the grate. This can be achieved, for example, by the fact that the Charcoal only on one half of the grill is arranged. But there is also the possibility to release the middle and place the embers on the sides.
How does indirect barbecue work?
The requirement for indirect barbecue is a grill with lid, such as a kettle grill. Whether the shape is round or angular does not matter. By the closed grill is the food cooked gently and evenly at a lower temperaturebecause the heat radiates from the lid and side walls.
Under the grilled meat you can put a drip tray, which catches the fat. This prevents it from dripping into the embers and forming smoke.
What is the difference to direct grilling?
In contrast to the indirect method, the charcoal is distributed evenly during direct grilling, so that the meat lies on a grill grate directly above the embers and thus the heat is directly exposed, Therefore, direct grilling is particularly suitable for meat, which is cooked in a short time. These include e.g. Steaks, hamburgers or vegetable kebabs.
Which meat is suitable for indirect grilling?
For indirect grilling you should use grilled meat that is thicker and has to be cooked longer, Typical varieties are pulled pork, roast or a whole chicken. But you can also barbecue spareribs. Bratwurst, for example, is less suitable because it is relatively thin and must be crunchy from the outside.
Which grill should you use?
For indirect barbecuing it does not really matter if you work with a charcoal or gas grill. When a gas grill should only the side burners be lit to achieve the desired effect. Electric grills often have no lid and no separately adjustable grill surfaces, so they are not suitable for indirect grilling.
The pros and cons
The benefits of indirect grilling are obvious: you can use it grill thicker pieces of meatwithout burning them from the outside. In addition, the meat does not have to be constantly turned, as is the case with conventional grilling.
However, one must also remember that the Cooking times for indirect grilling are significantly longerFor example, you should plan for about 90 minutes for spareribs. In addition, the meat is less crispy and the gentle cooking does not produce roasted aromas.
Grillexperten are therefore of the opinion that the so-called 50/50 method, ie a Combination of both grilling methodsthat provides optimal results. The grill is, like the indirect grilling, only half equipped with charcoal. Then place the meat directly over the charcoal until it is crispy brown on the outside. Afterwards, the food to be grilled is placed on the other side of the grate and indirectly fried there until the desired degree of cooking is achieved. Another grill method that you should have heard about: grill backwards!
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