DISTANCE FROM FIRE
The distance from the fire is an important factor to consider when grilling, as it can greatly affect how your food cooks. Here are some ways that distance from the fire can impact your grilling:
- Heat intensity: The closer your food is to the fire, the more intense the heat will be. This means that food cooked closer to the fire will cook faster and may develop a charred exterior more quickly.
- Cooking time: If your food is further away from the fire, it will take longer to cook. This can be beneficial for foods that require slower cooking times, like larger cuts of meat or thicker vegetables.
- Heat distribution: The distance from the fire can also affect how evenly your food cooks. If your food is too close to the fire, it may cook unevenly, with some parts of the food burning while other parts remain undercooked.
- Smoke flavor: The distance from the fire can also impact the amount of smoke flavor that your food absorbs. Foods cooked closer to the fire will absorb more smoke flavor, while foods cooked further away may have a more subtle smoky flavor.
To adjust the distance from the fire while grilling, you can raise or lower the grill grate to the desired level with a grill gripper or simply shift the food to a different level. Keep in mind that the ideal distance from the fire will vary depending on what you’re grilling, so it’s important to experiment and find the right balance for each type of food you cook.
Some examples:
If the cooking level that is closest to the fire, is considered Level1 and the higher level is considered Level 2:
Sear steaks on Level 1, finish off on Level 2
Grill chicken on Level 2