Ultimate Guide: How to Set Up Your Charcoal BBQ for Perfect Grilling

How Much Charcoal is Needed?

Conceivably, more charcoal can mean more heat, but it can also be used in a way that provides long-lasting power for low and slow cooking. It is all about how you arrange the charcoal.

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The chart below will provide a general guide to how much charcoal is needed when you are grilling. The following suggestions are based on using a charcoal chimney starter to ignite charcoal for grilling.

How to Set Up a Charcoal Kettle for Direct, High Heat

The way charcoal is arranged has a direct impact on the way you are cooking using your charcoal kettle grill. Generally, concentrated piles will concentrate the heat. The larger your concentrated charcoal pile, the more concentrated heat is generated – as long as there is enough oxygen to fuel the fire. This setup is ideal for high-heat cooking of fast-grilling food items.

1. Place a medium to large amount of charcoal into the grill. If you are cooking for a large amount of people. If you are only cooking for 3 or 4, you won’t need as much.
2. Open the bottom vents of your charcoal kettle grill wide to ensure lots of airflow and fuel for your fire.
3. You will need a full chimney’s worth of charcoal, that is about 100 briquettes. Light them using the Charcoal Chimney Starter.
4. If you are using a chimney starter, dump the lit charcoal into the pile of charcoal in the grill, onto the unlit charcoal.

5. Allow all of the charcoal to catch and then use a Charcoal Rake or Tongs to spread the pile or concentrate it as needed.

   PRO TIP: Leave a small area without coals below in the event of a flare-up. This cooler area will provide a safety zone for foods you are grilling.

6. Replace the cooking grids and set them closer to the coals for better searing. The closer the grids are to the hot coals, the more radiant heat they will absorb, and the hotter they will get giving you the best sear marks.
7. When you are done cooking, shut the bottom and top vents fully closed and close the lid on the charcoal grill. If any charcoal wasn’t fully consumed during the cook, it can be used to fuel your next grilling adventure.

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How to Set Up a Charcoal Kettle for Indirect, Medium Heat

Two-zone setups will get you the best of both worlds. You have a place to roast, smoke, and bake, as well as somewhere to sear over high heat. You can sear the perfect thick steak and then finish it with a gentler heat. If you are cooking for fewer than 6, this is another ideal setup. You can also have that added safety zone in the event of flare-ups. To accomplish this setup, you fill one half of the charcoal kettle grill with charcoal, leaving the other half empty.

How to Set up a Charcoal Kettle Using the 50/50 Method

1. Remove the cooking grids and open the bottom vent half (for lower temps) to full open (for high heat).
2. Make a medium to small pile of unlit charcoal on one side of the grill.
3. You will want an additional ½ chimney (about 50 briquettes) of charcoal to light. Ignite them using a Charcoal Chimney Starter.
4. Once the additional charcoal is lit, pour it over top of the unlit, ensuring all of the coals have been raked to one side of the grill, ensuring that no more than half of the charcoal basket.
5. Replace the cooking grids in the position that is best suited to your cooking plan. Closer to the coals, the lower setting, for searing and then finishing off heat, or in the higher setting for roasting with a sear to finish.
6. Close the lid and allow the grill to heat. Grill your meal using the ideal techniques like searing your steaks or chicken breasts, then moving them off direct heat to finish coming to the perfect temperature.

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PRO TIP:
This setup allows you to put a drip pan on the charcoal-free side of the grill.
This assists in heat management and collects drippings for gravy, as long as you don’t get ash in the pan.

There’s a second indirect setup you can use as well. Parallel method charcoal grilling is another fantastic indirect technique that you can use in your Charcoal Kettle Grill. It is great for even heating, roasting, and using the rotisserie.

How to Set Up a Charcoal Kettle Using the Parallel Method

1. Make two small-medium piles of unlit charcoal on each side of the charcoal basket within the kettle, leaving a channel between the two piles.
2. Open the bottom vents of the charcoal grill to the appropriate setting for the amount of heat you need for this cook.
3. Ignite ½ of a chimney of charcoal. Once the charcoal is lit and ashed over, divide the lit charcoal between the two piles of unlit.
4. Place a drip pan or two between the two piles of charcoal and fill the pans with hot water, juice, or beer.
5. Place the cooking grids in the higher position or thread your meal onto the rotisserie spit rod and balance it. Load the rotisserie onto the Charcoal Kettle Grill’s slots and turn on the motor.
6. Close the lid and allow your meal to cook. For bonus flavor, any cooks that last longer than 20 minutes can and will benefit from the addition of smoke. Toss a wood chunk or some chips into that charcoal.

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How to Set Up a Charcoal Kettle for Low & Slow Heat

Low and slow is the name of the game when it comes to using a charcoal grill. It’s what many think of, that authentic grilled flavor, smoky, and nostalgic, when charcoal is mentioned. Setting up the grill to give you long-lasting charcoal use and lower cooking temperatures is essential knowledge. This setup is ideal for long cooks like briskets, ribs, and pulled pork and when done correctly, provides you with time-released smoke for full pitmaster flavor.

How to Set Up a Charcoal Kettle Using the Snake or Chain Method

1. Lay down a thin layer of charcoal, around 1 chimney’s worth, along the outer rim of the charcoal basket. Tuck a few chunks of handfuls of chips through the beginning end of the snake, up to 2/3 of the way to the end.
2. Set the bottom vent to ¼ of the way open, but up to ½ way depending on the weather and season.
3. Ignite ¼ of a load of charcoal using the Chimney Starter.
4. Once lit, pour the ashed over charcoal at the leading edge of the snake. You can add a drip pan filled with hot water to act as a heatsink and create steam for smoking.
5. Place the cooking grids onto the high setting. Close the lid and allow the grill to heat to your desired temperature, between 225°F to 275°F / 107°C to 135°C.
6. Place the food over the drip pan or areas where there is no charcoal.

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Why does the snake method work?

The snake or chain method is brilliant, you are generating low temperatures with little charcoal and the lit charcoal will ignite the next lumps or briquettes in line slowly, including the chunks or chips of wood you tucked into the line. This provides time and low temperatures that are ideal for smoking and slow roasting.

How to Set Up a Charcoal Kettle Using the Full Bed Method

1. Fill the charcoal basket with unlit charcoal in a single layer.
2. Ignite a few bricks or lumps of charcoal using your chimney starter.
3. Once ashed over, take the lit charcoal and place it in the center of the unlit charcoal along with your favorite smoking wood chips or chunks.

This is a great way to set yourself up for a long-haul cook as well. The small amount of lit charcoal will slowly ignite the surrounding coals in a similar fashion to the snake method. This technique is more ideal for bullet-style smokers than a kettle grill, however, as there is usually a water pan to create a heat barrier. Another point would be that there would be no cool zone for food to sit if this technique is used in a charcoal kettle grill.

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Which Charcoal Do I Choose?

You need the correct charcoal for your cooking goals. The most common types of charcoal are:

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Lump Charcoal

• Made from hardwoods
• Burns hot and fast, great for high heat cooking, can be used for low and slow too
• Adds natural smokiness to food

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Briquette Charcoal

• Made from wood byproducts
• Uniform shape provides consistency in burn time and heating
• Can contain binders and fillers, and also comes in a “natural” state made without additives

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Coconut Charcoal

• Natural product made from coconut shells and husks
• Uniform shape and size result in consistent performance
• Burn longer and can burn hotter than conventional charcoals

People also asked

How do you Prepare a Charcoal Grill for the First Time?

Follow the manufacturer’s directions to assemble the grill properly, ensuring that all bolts are well-tightened. When working with your charcoal kettle grill for the first time remember to give the surfaces a good initial cleaning. Season the cooking grids with a high-temperature oil, and then adjust the air vents to the proper opening for the type of cooking you are going to do before loading and lighting charcoal.

How do you Light a Charcoal Grill for Beginners?

The easiest way to light a charcoal kettle grill is to use a charcoal chimney starter. Load the bottom of the starter with paper use a lighter cube, add an appropriate amount of charcoal to the chimney for the cook – more for hot less for smoking or indirect – and ignite the flammable substance in the bottom of the starter. Wait for the coals to catch and ash over.

You can also light a charcoal grill by making an appropriate pile of charcoal and adding an ignition source like paper or a lighter cube. Open the bottom vents and leave the lid open before you ignite the source and allow the charcoal to catch and ash over.

How Long Should Charcoal Burn Before Cooking?

It takes between 15 and 20 minutes for charcoal to become fully ashed over and be ready for cooking.

How do you Position a Charcoal Grill?

Charcoal grills should be placed on level surfaces that are nonflammable like patio stones. It should be in an area that is sheltered from wind gusts, but still provides adequate space around and above. Never set up a charcoal grill indoors.

Experience the Flavour of Charcoal

Now that you know how to set up your charcoal kettle grill, you’re ready to ignite your passion for the timeless and authentic flavors of grilling. Setting up your charcoal grill the correct way is essential to the method of grilling you are about to use. What is your go-to way of setting up your charcoal kettle BBQ grill and what is your favorite method of charcoal use? Share your charcoal grilling stories, recipes, and photos with us on social like our Facebook and Tiktok pages using the hashtags #NapoleonEats and #NapoleonGrills.

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