If you’ve ever seen a barbecue cooking show with all those fancy smokers, pits and grills, you might get the idea that making great barbecue is hard and you need a lot of special equipment. Not true! My grandfather Stubb was a barbecue legend in Texas, and he was self-taught. When he was a cook in the army in Korea, he found ways to make barbecue with what little provisions his unit had and found ways to cook using things like the hot tailpipe of an army tank – and the guys loved it. My point is that you can get great BBQ results with some know-how and any kind of grill – charcoal or gas. You just need the basics of temperature, direct vs. indirect heat and how to use wood in everyday cooking.

When it comes to outdoor cooking, how hot is hot? Follow the guide below to get the best results.

Hand-to-heat method: To test the temperature of a grill using the “hand-to-heat” method, hold an open palm 4 to 5 inches above the grill, facing down. Count how long it takes before you pull your hand back. (Relax, you’ll instinctively retract your hand before you let it burn.)

High heat = 2 seconds
Medium-high heat = 3 seconds
Medium heat = 4 seconds
Low heat = 6 seconds

Thermometer method: If your gas grill comes with a thermometer on the lid, close the lid, fire up the gas burners and use these corresponding temperatures as a guide.
High heat = 450° to 550° F
Medium heat = 350° to 450° F
Low heat = 250° to 250° F

When your grill reaches the desired temperature, place your food on the grate and grill – directly or indirectly.

Direct and Indirect Heat
Direct heat means cooking right over the heat source (either hot coals or a gas burner). It’s like using an oven broiler, only the heat comes from below, rather than from above. Direct heat cooks foods quickly, gives all foods a mouth-watering look with those classic “grill marks” that let you know your food is fresh off the grill and ready to eat.

When recipes call for starting a food over high direct heat, then moving it to a medium or low direct heat, set up your grill with varying heat zones. That is, create a high heat area with lots of red hot coals and a lower heat area with fewer, less intense coals. For gas grills, simply adjust the heat by turning down the gas.

Indirect heat is used for slower cooking and to bring the interior temperature of large meats and thick pieces into the range of being “done” without burning or drying the outside. The food rests above an unlit area of the grill, and the heat comes from coals or a gas burner on one or both sides of the food, but never directly below it. Pile the coals in the center and cook foods on the outer grilling area or push the coals to the outer edges and cook food in the center of the grill. For gas grills, fire up burners on one or more sides of the food, but not right below it.

Smoking Tips
Smoking with wood chunks or chips is optional, but adds an extra layer of flavor that I just love. Use hardwood chunks for charcoal grills, or wood chips for gas grills. Choose hickory, mesquite or oak for a nice, strong smoky flavor for beef or pork. Alder is good for seafood, poultry and some pork recipes. Cherry and other fruitwoods are very mild and subtle and also work well with poultry or pork.

Plan on burning two wood chunks for each hour of smoking, and 1 cup of wood chips for an hour or less of smoking. Soak wood chunks in water for 1 hour, and chips for 30 minutes (or follow the package directions.) Then drain them.

For charcoal grills, distribute the wood chips or chunks directly over the coals. For a gas grill, pour the chips into a metal smoking box. You can also spread the chips in an aluminum foil pan or make a tray out of heavy-duty foil. Set up the chip container directly on top of the heat source, under the grate. Close the grill lid to trap the smoke. For longer smoking times, you’ll need to replenish the grill with more wood as it burns out.

Here’s a basic recipe for one of our favorites at Stubb’s – Black Bark Brisket – that is a great way to give the indirect heat method a try. I’d love to hear how yours turns out!

8-10 lbs. untrimmed brisket
3 bottles of beef spice rub (I use Stubb’s)
Wood chips for smoke flavor

1. Rub entire brisket with beef rub. Let it rest for a minimum of 30 minutes. This allows the rub to penetrate the meat.

2. While the brisket is resting, prepare the smoker or grill for indirect cooking. Add wood chips or wood chunks as described above, depending on your grill. Remember, soak wood chunks in water for 1 hour, and chips for 30 minutes (or follow the package directions.)


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