Cooked Perfect Us Premium Szechuan Style Fire Grilled Chicken Drumsticks

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How to Set Up a Multi-Zone Fire
Chef Jamie Purviance, Weber consultant and author of the new book Weber's Time to Grill, explains how to make your charcoal grill a multitasker.

Q: Why would I want a multi-zone fire—and how many zones do I need, anyway?
A: Quite often, you'll want to grill more than one type of food at a time (say, sear some steaks directly over high heat while grilling vegetables over medium heat). That's where the multiple zones come into play, and how many you need depends on what you're making. One of the most flexible configurations is a two-zone fire—meaning that the coals are spread out on one side of the charcoal grate and the other side has none at all—allowing you to cook with both direct and indirect heat. There are times when you might prefer a three-zone "split" fire, where the coals are separated into two equal piles on opposite sides of the charcoal grate. This gives you two zones of direct heat and one zone between them for indirect heat, which works nicely for evenly cooking a roast such as pork loin or beef tenderloin.

Q: How do I set up the coals?
A: A two-zone fire is simple: Put coals on one half of the grill, none on the other. To create a three-zone fire, pile coals two or three briquettes deep on one side of the grill. Then pile coals in a single layer across the center of the grill, with no coals on the other side. That will provide you with direct high heat on one side, direct medium heat in the center, and indirect heat on the far side.

Q: What should I cook where?
A: Direct heat is ideal for small, tender pieces of food that cook quickly, such as hamburgers, steaks, chops, boneless chicken tenders, fish fillets, shellfish and sliced vegetables. It sears the surface of these foods—developing flavors, textures and caramelization—while cooking them through to the center. Indirect heat, on the other hand, works better for larger, tougher foods that require longer cooking times, such as roasts, whole chickens and racks of ribs. It is also the best way to finish cooking thicker foods or bone-in cuts that have been seared or browned first over direct heat. (For example, with bone-in chicken legs, you can get great results by browning the pieces over direct heat and then finishing them over indirect heat, or vice versa: roasting them first over indirect heat and then crisping the skin over direct heat.)

Find the Firestarter That's Right for You
Purviance gives us the 411 on what to use to get your grill fire going.

Regular Charcoal
Made by packing crushed charcoal into compact pillows with a natural starch binder and a rock/mineral combo to prolong heat retention, briquettes (the form of charcoal most commonly available) may take 5 to 10 minutes longer to light than pure lump charcoal, but they tend to burn more evenly and longer. The simplest approach to lighting them is to use a chimney starter, but you can also use lighter fluid (just be sure to leave 30 to 45 minutes for the chemicals to burn off), paraffin cubes or an electric charcoal starter inserted into the pile of coals. Tip: Be sure to extend the bed of briquettes at least 4 inches beyond where every item will go on the cooking grate—otherwise the food won't all cook evenly.

Additive-Free Pure Charcoal
Basically, this is what's left over when logs are burned slowly in a low-oxygen environment and their water, sap and other volatile substances escape. Pure lump charcoal (also called charwood) lights quickly because it contains no binders or fillers. It burns very hot, but also loses heat more quickly than regular charcoal, so it's best for quick-cooking items. Light the same way you would regular charcoal. Tip: Combine lump charcoal with charcoal briquettes for a nice, slow-burning bed of briquettes and the great heat and woodsy aromas of lump charcoal.

Wood Chips
Scatter a small handful of these unsoaked, broken hardwood chips over a hot fire—they will flame and smolder quickly, infusing your food with natural wood aromas. (Especially excellent for pork chops or steak.) Tip: Avoid any soft, resinous woods like pine and aspen, and never use wood that has been treated with chemicals.

Charcoal Briquettes with Lighter Fluid
These regular briquettes mixed with lighter fluid make for convenient lighting: Just strike a match. Tip: Let the lighter fluid burn off completely (usually for about 30 to 45 minutes) before you begin cooking.

Flavored Charcoal (Mesquite, etc.)
A mixture of briquettes and scraps of hardwood that can be lit just like regular charcoal. Tip: To keep briquettes burning properly, don't forget to sweep away the ashes that collect on the bottom of the grill; otherwise they will block the vents.

How to Grill with a Wood Plank
Cooking on a plank adds a smoky depth of flavor to fish, shellfish, poultry, pork and vegetables—and you can't beat the presentation, either. Purviance explains how it's done.

1. Submerge the plank in water, weighing it down with something heavy so it doesn't float to the top. Soak for at least one hour. (Moistening the wood helps prevent flare-ups during cooking.)

2. Heat the grill—whether gas or charcoal—to medium (350°F to 450°F).

3. Remove the plank from the water, place it flat on the grill and immediately close the lid. A few minutes later, you'll hear it crackle and see smoke begin to escape.

4. Open the lid, position your food on the middle of the plank and close the lid again. Keep an eye on the grill: If you see lots of smoke pouring out, use a water bottle to douse the flames. During flare-ups, move the plank over indirect heat; the sooner you close the lid, the sooner the flare-ups will subside.

5. When the food is cooked through, pick up the plank using sturdy tongs and place it on a heat-proof surface for serving.

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Cooked Perfect Us Premium Szechuan Style Fire Grilled Chicken Drumsticks

Source: https://www.womansday.com/food-recipes/cooking-tips/tips/a5603/become-a-home-grilling-master-117833/

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