Our Best Grill Tips (previously Grilling Hotline)

Grilling experts share their tips and secrets for great grilling and answer your burning questions.

Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.

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What grilling tools do I really need to have?

What grilling tools do I really need to have?
Find out why these 3 tools (tongs, a grill pan, and a brush) are must-haves for the grill.

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Why should I use wood chips?

Why should I use wood chips?
Wood chips add a smoky flavor to the fire and your food. Here are the best ways to use them.

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Is it better to use a gas grill or charcoal?

It’s a matter of personal preference. Gas is quicker than charcoal, but with charcoal you can generate higher heat, even with the lid open. There are, however, some models of gas grills that have the same heat ranges as charcoal grills.

For more grilling information, see Weber’s Time To Grill by Jamie Purviance.

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What's the best kind of charcoal to use?

What's the best kind of charcoal to use?
Watch here to learn the difference between natural and manmade charcoal and then pick your favorite.

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How do I light a charcoal grill?

How do I light a charcoal grill?
Here's how to start coals with a charcoal chimney.

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Can eating grilled foods cause cancer?

Photo: Quentin Bacon

Can eating grilled foods cause cancer? Recipe
Research has found that grilling meats at high temperature for long periods produces chemicals that are linked to cancer risk. These chemicals form when fat from cooking meat drips onto a flame, heating element, or hot coals and produces smoke. The chemicals rise with the smoke and are deposited onto the food. The charred, blackened parts of grilled food contain the highest concentration of these chemicals. The American Cancer Society recommends that you not eat the charred or blackened bits on foods, use lean meats to minimize the fat that drips onto the fire and causes smoke, and select cuts of meat that cook quickly.

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Should I cook with the grill lid open or closed?

According to the experts at Weber, you should keep the lid closed as much as possible, whether you’re using gas or charcoal. The lid limits the amount of air that gets to the fire, so keeping it closed helps prevent flare ups. It also helps the food cook more evenly because the top and bottom of the food is cooking simultaneously. Without the lid, the fire loses heat more quickly and some foods take longer to cook.

For more grilling information, see Weber’s Time To Grill by Jamie Purviance.

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How do I prevent flare ups?

How do I prevent flare ups?
Learn how to handle grill flare ups to prevent food from burning.

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How can I get the best steaks for grilling?

How can I get the best steaks for grilling?
Be your own butcher. Find out the proper way to cut your own steaks from a strip loin.

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How can I keep foods from sticking to the grill?

How can I keep foods from sticking to the grill?
Keep food from sticking to the grill by oiling the food, NOT the grate. Here's why...

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How can I tell when my food is done?

How can I tell when my food is done?
Try this simple test to determine if your food is done without using a thermometer.

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What temperature should grilled foods be?

See the MyRecipes Grill Timer to get the approximate cooking times and safe end temperatures for chicken, beef, pork, and seafood.

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Do I keep the vent holes on my grill open or closed?

Do I keep the vent holes on my grill open or closed?
Not sure when to keep vent holes open and when to close? Watch this video to learn the tricks.

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How do I know when the grill is hot enough?

How do I know when the grill is hot enough?
Here's how to make sure the grill is at the right temperature.

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What's the best way to baste food on the grill?

What's the best way to baste food on the grill?
Keep your meat and poultry moist by basting during cooking.

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Can I baste my food with the same mixture that I marinated in?

No. If there were any bacteria in the raw meat, the bacteria can transfer to the marinade mixture and back to the meat again if you baste with the same marinade. Either make a separate mixture for basting, reserve part of the original mixture before marinating, or put the marinade mixture that touched raw meat in a saucepan and boil for at least one minute before reusing.

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What's the best way to grill kebabs?

What's the best way to grill kebabs?
From lamb to fish, learn the best tricks for successful and tasty skewers.

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How do I use a grill basket?

How do I use a grill basket?
Learn the advantages of cooking fish, shrimp, and vegetables in basket.

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How do I grill on a plank?

How do I grill on a plank?
Let us teach you how to grill with soaked wooden planks for moist, smoky fish.

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How do I keep the shrimp from spinning on the skewers when I turn them?

To keep them from spinning, skewer each shrimp twice—once near the head and once near the tail end. Then you can just turn the whole skewer without having to turn individual shrimp.

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How can I keep my fire from losing heat?

How can I keep my fire from losing heat?
Keep your fire from losing heat by sweeping away the ash from the bottom of the grill.

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Weber's Way to Grill

Everything a griller wants to know in the most complete grilling technique book ever!

Order Now!

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Our Best Grill Tips

1 of 22

What grilling tools do I really need to have?

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Why should I use wood chips?

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Is it better to use a gas grill or charcoal?

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What's the best kind of charcoal to use?

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How do I light a charcoal grill?

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Can eating grilled foods cause cancer?

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Should I cook with the grill lid open or closed?

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How do I prevent flare ups?

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How can I get the best steaks for grilling?

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How can I keep foods from sticking to the grill?

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How can I tell when my food is done?

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What temperature should grilled foods be?

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Do I keep the vent holes on my grill open or closed?

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How do I know when the grill is hot enough?

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What's the best way to baste food on the grill?

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Can I baste my food with the same mixture that I marinated in?

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What's the best way to grill kebabs?

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How do I use a grill basket?

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How do I grill on a plank?

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How do I keep the shrimp from spinning on the skewers when I turn them?

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How can I keep my fire from losing heat?

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Weber's Way to Grill

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