Foods are cooked on the grill with either direct or indirect heat. Once you master these techniques, you can grill almost any kind of meat, poultry, or fish, plus an amazing array of vegetables, appetizers, and baked items.

DIRECT HEAT

Food cooks in minutes when placed directly over high heat because the intense temperature browns the outside, concentrating the flavors in a caramelized crust while cooking the inside by heat conduction. The high heat produces foods with a smoky flavor.

Direct grilling is best suited to foods that are tender, small or thin, and cook quickly - in less than 20 minutes - such as steaks, burgers, kabobs, hot dogs, boneless poultry, fish, and most vegetables.

Direct grilling can be done with the cover up or down. When the grill cover is closed the grill begins to mimic an oven and reflected heat, as well as the heat from the fire cooks the foods. The closed cover lowers the temperature inside the grill by decreasing the oxygen supply to the fire allowing larger foods, such as roasts and bone-in poultry to cook more slowly. It also imparts a smoky flavor.

To set up a gas grill preheat it with the lid closed and then adjust the gas flow settings to the desired heat level.

Electric grills also make use of direct heat, though they generally can't reach as high a temperature as gas or charcoal grills. The good news is that indoor electric grills allow you to enjoy grilled boneless chicken, vegetables, seafood, and hamburgers year-round no matter how much snow is on the ground.

INDIRECT HEAT

Cooking by indirect heat means placing the food adjacent to, rather than directly over the fire. The grill cover must be down. The setup is similar to a horizontal smoker, though cooking takes place in the same chamber as the fire, the temperature is generally higher and wood chips are not required. Indirect grilling is the best of both worlds - great flavor and tenderness that results from slower cooking. In terms of timing and temperature control it's more forgiving and easier than direct grilling because food cooks evenly without having to be turned.

Indirect grilling enables you to roast large or fatty cuts of meat without burning them to a crisp. It is definitely the choice for cooking whole birds, ribs, brisket, large roasts, whole fish, and whole vegetables such as squash, onions, potatoes, or corn on the cob.

However, for indirect grilling, resist lifting the cover to peek inside. Uncovering the grill allows heat to escape and can add as much as 15 minutes to the grilling time every time the lid is lifted. Let the foods grill the minimum time specified in the recipe before checking for doneness. When cooking indirectly, it's best to use a thermometer to test the doneness of meat and poultry

Indirect grilling on a gas grill takes less preparation. Light the grill according to the manufacturer's instructions. Turn the setting to high and let the grill preheat for 10 to 15 minutes. Then reduce the heat on one burner to medium or medium-high and turn the other burner off to set up two heat zones. Place the drip pan directly on the lava rocks, ceramic briquettes, or flavorizer bars on the burner that's turned off. Adjust the gas flow to the burner that's on to maintain the desired temperature inside the firebox. Place the food on the grill rack directly over the drip pan.

The drip pan collects the fat drippings from the foods to minimize flare-ups. It also can be used to hold water or other liquid such as juices, beer, or wine to create steam and help add flavor during prolonged cooking. Some gas grills have built-in drip pans. If yours doesn't, use a disposable, foil roasting pan or make your own using heavy-duty foil.