What foods do you direct grill on the main grate and the lower grate?

[wilburpan]

I know I could figure this out by trial and error, but I thought I could prevent some poorly cooked meals by asking first.

 

As the title says, if you’re direct grilling, what foods would you grill on the main grate, and what would you use the lower/searing grate for?

 

So far, I have portobello mushrooms, hot dogs and fish on the main grate, seared tuna (duh) on the lower grate.

 

I’m guessing that steak works better on the lower grate. Burgers I’m undecided as of yet. I’ve tried burgers on the main grate, and they were less done than I would have liked, but I think I may have just taken them off too soon.

 

Thanks!

[dstr8]

I use the upper main grate, typically with a small fire at the onset, for slow temperature bring up for the first part of a reverse sear (steaks).  Then once the meat is up to temp I'll pull the main grate, stoke the coals and sear to finish on the lowest position of the sear grate.   I also use the upper grate for general baking/finish roasting.   

 

And I use the sear grate positioned atop the main/large grate for pizza...to take advantage of the radiant effect of the heat soaked lid...

 

The middle grate, at least here, gets used for cooking the least.  That's not to say I never use it but more than likely its duty is for catch pan when low & slow cooking/smoking sessions...

[mguerra]

If you want more even doneness throughout, cook higher. If you want charred outside and less done in the middle, cook lower. I usually cook most things up high to get a longer cook, more time in the smoke, and more even doneness. Sometimes I cook lower to get it done faster. So it's not WHAT you cook higher or lower, it's HOW you want it to come out. You can grill a steak down low in a few minutes. You can roast it up high, indirect, for nearly half an hour and get a totally different effect. Play around and enjoy the process. Cool nights, wafting smoke, adult beverages, and fine cigars. That's all good regardless of how your experiment comes out.

[tony b]

From the bottom up - steaks, chops, on the sear grate to start, then move up to main to finish (or off to the side if using the basket splitter). Use the lower grate to roast and reverse sear larger/thicker cuts of steak, but mainly for the heat deflector/drip pan. If I want to do cajun blackened anything, the cast iron skillet goes on the lower grate. Main grate for all "low and slow" cooks, sausages, burgers, fish, veggies (squash, zucchini, corn on the cob, etc.), vertical roasting whole chickens, roasting turkeys. Upper grate for spatchcocked chicken or chicken pieces, pizza, bread.

 

If I'm cooking for a crowd, I will use both the main and upper grills simultaneously. Try to take advantage of juices dripping from upper to main grill, if possible. Example, pan of roasting potatoes underneath the chicken to catch all the yummy drippings onto the spuds!

 

I'm sure that I'm leaving a lot out, as there are so many combinations of grates and indirect/direct cooking. One of the reasons we all love the KK so much!

[normstar]

"Cool nights, wafting smoke, adult beverages, and fine cigars. That's all good regardless of how your experiment comes out."

Well said Doc!!! Man this made me want to go out and grill right now.

[normstar]

Wilbur,

I agree with the gents above. So far I've only cooked salmon, chicken and burgers on the top grate. Food that you want to cook more gently and get a nice little sear on them. The bottom grate would be way too fast for those foods.

I do like to cook Tri-tip on the middle grate. It's a happy medium between a roast but you also get a consistent direct heat sear on the meat which forms a nice crust but doesn't overdo it. The bottom grate, for example, would completely overcook the outer layer of meat before the inside was done. That's why folks do a "reverse sear" or sear first then move higher or to an indirect position.