How to set up a grill for two-zone cooking

How to set up a grill for two-zone cooking

When a recipe calls for “two zone” grilling, it’s usually because at least one portion of the cooking process requires gentle, indirect heat. The method creates both hot and cool zones within the one grill.

Setting a grill for two-zone cooking is really quite easy, you just need to get your grill looking like this:

a grill set up for two zone with charcoal on one side

Setting up two-zone for a charcoal grill:

Light coals as usual (a chimney is my preferred method because it’s so easy), and once they are glowing and have ashed over, simply pile them all to one side of the unit.

Setting up two-zone for a propane or gas grill:

For a gas grill, simply light one of the end burners. So for example, with a four burner grill, you would light the two left burners, and consider the right hand side the cool/indirect zone.

Now that you know how to do it, try it out an a steak today!

By Jess Pryles

Jess Pryles is a full fledged Hardcore Carnivore. She's a live fire cook, author, meat specialist and Meat Science grad student. She's also a respected authority on Texas style barbecue. Australian born and raised, she now lives in Texas.

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How to set up a grill for two-zone cooking