What Is Indirect Grilling?
Indirect grilling involves cooking food via hot air circulating around the food, much like a convection oven. While the heat is on, it is not immediately under the item you’re cooking—hence, the term “indirect grilling.” Indirect grilling is more akin to roasting or baking than to direct grilling. Just like you’d never try to bake a cake recipe or a loaf of sourdough bread with the oven door open, you can’t accomplish indirect grilling with the lid open. With the lid closed, the gas offers ambient heat that cooks lower and slower than direct grilling. (Dive into more about direct vs. indirect grilling here.) So when should you grill indirectly? Indirect grilling is ideal for cooking large pieces of meat or anything that calls for 20+ minutes of cooking time on the grill. If you attempt to grill something large over direct heat, such as a spatchcocked or half chicken, you risk burning the outside as you attempt to get the inside to a food-safe temperature. Indirect grilling also plays a major role in our best way to grill steak and can be utilized when smoking food. In case you missed it, here’s how to turn a grill into a DIY smoker.
How to Grill on Indirect Heat While Using a Gas Grill
Our tips for indirect grilling offer general directions, but know that your owner’s manual is the best place to score personalized advice. To prepare a gas grill for indirect grilling, follow these easy instructions: Test Kitchen Tip: For any food that might release juices or that get coated in sauces, place these on a drip pan before positioning on the grates for indirect grilling. Use a roasting rack set inside a heavy-duty foil pan, and add a bit of water to the drip pan to keep the drippings from scorching if you’d like to use these for a sauce or gravy later. Or to create a foil drip pan from foil, tear off a sheet of heavy-duty foil about 2½ times as large as the food you will be indirect grilling. Fold the foil in half, then fold up the edges to make 2-inch-high sides. Crease the corners to seal. Now that you’re a pro at how to grill indirectly, take a peek at these 19 grilling tips from the pros for the best barbecues ever. Then all that’s left to do is slip on that apron, gather your ingredients, and prepare your appetite to devour your best-ever, cooked-over-fire feast.
