Vegetable Grilling Guide

Place vegetables directly on the cooking grate. Grill for the time given in the chart, turning once halfway through grilling time. Times are for crisp-tender vegetables.

Artichokes, whole
Steam 20 to 25 minutes; cut in half and grill 8 to 10 minutes (Direct Medium)

Asparagus
6 to 8 minutes (Direct Medium)

Beets
1 to 1-1/2 hours (Indirect Medium)

Bell peppers, whole
10 to 12 minutes (Direct Medium)
Bell peppers, halved or quartered
6 to 8 minutes (Direct Medium)

Cabbage, whole
2 to 2-1/2 hours (Indirect Medium)

Chiles
7 to 9 minutes (Direct Medium)

Corn, shucked
10 to 12 minutes (Direct Medium)
Corn, in husk
25 to 30 minutes (Direct Medium)

Eggplant, 1/2 inch slices
8 to 10 minutes (Direct Medium)
Eggplant, halved
12 to 15 minutes (Direct Medium)

Fennel, 1/4 inch slices
10 to 12 minutes (Direct Medium)

Garlic, whole
45 minutes to 1 hour (Indirect Medium)

Green beans
8 to 10 minutes (Direct Medium)

Green onion, whole
3 to 4 minutes (Direct Medium)

Leeks
14 to 16 minutes (Direct Medium)

Mushrooms, shiitake or button
8 to 10 minutes (Direct Medium)
Mushrooms, portabello
12 to 15 minutes (Direct Medium)

Onion, whole (leave paper leaves on--do not peel)
45 to 50 minutes (Indirect Medium)
Onion, halved
35 to 40 minutes (Indirect Medium)
Onion, 1/2 inch slices
8 to 12 minutes (Direct Medium)

New potato, halved
20 to 25 minutes (Direct Medium)
Potato, whole
45 minutes to 1 hour (Indirect Medium)
Potato, 1/2 inch slices
14 to 16 minutes (Direct Medium)

Pumpkin

3 pounds
1-1/2 to 2 hours (Indirect Medium)

Squash, Acorn
1 pound
40 to 45 minutes (Indirect Medium)

Squash, Buttercup
2 pounds
50 to 55 minutes (Indirect Medium)
Squash, Butternut
2 pounds

50 to 55 minutes (Indirect Medium)
Squash, Pattypan
10 to 12 minutes (Direct Medium)
Squash, Spaghetti
3 pounds
1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours (Indirect Medium)

Squash, Yellow, 1/2 inch slices
6 to 8 minutes (Direct Medium)
Squash, Yellow, halved
6 to 10 minutes (Direct Medium)

Sweet potato, whole
50 minutes to 1 hour (Indirect Medium)
Sweet potato, 1/4 inch slices
8 to 10 minutes (Direct Medium)

Tomatillos
6 to 8 minutes (Direct Medium)

Tomatoes--plum, whole
8 to 10 minutes (Direct Medium)
Tomatoes--plum, halved
6 to 8 minutes (Direct Medium)
Tomatoes--garden, 1/2 inch slices
2 to 4 minutes (Direct Medium)
Tomatoes--garden, halved
6 to 8 minutes (Direct Medium)
Tomatoes--cherry, whole
2 to 4 minutes (Direct Medium)

Zucchini, 1/2 inch
6 to 8 minutes (Direct Medium)
Zucchini, halved
6 to 10 minutes (Direct Medium)

Using your Charcoal Grill as a smoker

Charcoal Grill: Use the Indirect method by arranging charcoal briquets on each side of the charcoal grate. Place a heavy aluminum foil pan between the piles of briquets; add 2 cups water and any flavorings. Allow 30 minutes for coals to heat up (they should have a light coating of grey ash). Place soaked wood chunks or chips/twigs directly on prepared coals and allow to smoke fully before beginning cooking. Place food on top cooking grate over the water pan. Cover grill. Add 5 to 7 briquets to each side every hour; replenish water and seasonings as needed.

Fruit Grilling Guide

The following grilling times are meant to be guidelines rather than hard and fast rules. Such factors as altitude, outside temperature, and the fruit's ripeness affect cooking times. Grill each fruit turning once halfway through grilling time.

35 to 40 minutes (Indirect Medium)
Apples, cut into 1/2-inch thick rounds

4 to 6 minutes (Direct Medium)
Apricots, cut in half, pit removed

6 to 8 minutes (Direct Medium)
Bananas, cut in half lengthwise

6 to 8 minutes (Direct Medium)
Cantaloupes, cut into wedges

6 to 8 minutes (Direct Medium)
Nectarines, cut in half lengthwise, pit removed

8 to 10 minutes (Direct Medium)
Peaches, cut in half lengthwise, pit removed

8 to 10 minutes (Direct Medium)
Pears, cut in half lengthwise

8 to 10 minutes (Direct Medium)
Pineapple, peeled and cored, cut into 1/2-inch thick rings or cut lengthwise into 1-inch thick wedges

5 to 10 minutes (Direct Medium)
Strawberries

4 to 5 minutes (Direct Medium)
Note: Grilling times will depend on the fruit's ripeness

When is it done?

Rare: Chef Standards 120 to 125 degrees Fahrenheit USDA recommendations NOT RECOMMENDED

Medium Rare: Chef Standards 125 to 135 degrees Fahrenheit USDA recommendations 145

Medium: Chef Standards 135 to 145 degrees Fahrenheit USDA recommendations 160

Medium Well: Chef Standards 145 to 155 degrees Fahrenheit USDA recommendations N/A

Well Done: Chef Standards 155+ degrees Fahrenheit USDA recommendations 170

Getting Started!

If you’re a girl that’s needing help starting your grill, here are 3 popular ways to get the coals golden! Read the article below for lighting tips!

Lighter Fluid (My least favorite) - Lighter fluid is the traditional way to start your charcoal. It works, but can be difficult and messy.How to use it - Start by building a pyramid-shaped pile of charcoal in your grill or barbecue. It helps to have a small indentation at the top rather than a point. Turn your bottle of lighter fluid upside down and firmly squeeze for about 3 to 5 seconds, aiming the fluid into the indentation at the top of the pile of charcoal. Close and store your lighter fluid and then light the charcoal with a match. I recommend using long fireplace matches to avoid burning your hands! The coal will immediately ignite in flames. However, flames are not the goal, you want the charcoal to get hot enough to start burning themselves, developing hot, glowing embers. This takes some time. Some tips are to give the charcoal some time and avoid wind. Wind will blow out your fire. However, you don't want to cover your grill just yet because it needs oxygen to get ignited. Your charcoal is ready when most of the briquettes have a layer of grey ash developed over most of their surface. If your charcoal stops burning before it is lit and does not seem to be progressing, you occasionally need to add more lighter fluid. Try to avoid using too much and be careful, it will flare up as soon as you spray more lighter fluid on those hot coals! Pros - Lighter fluid is available everywhere, cheap and it does work, eventually. Cons - Lighter fluid is much less reliable in getting your charcoal lit, often taking several tries before your coals are ready. It can take longer than the other methods. Also, you are using chemicals, like kerosene, to ignite your charcoal. While this does burn off before you add your food theoretically, I definitely don't want chemical aromas or fumes in or near my food.


Electric Charcoal Starter - These are basically a metal loop attached to a handle which plugs into a standard power outlet. The electrical supply creates a current in the metal loop which heats it to very high heat, similar to an electric stove burner. This heat is used to ignite your charcoal. These electric charcoal starters are generally available in home supply stores and anywhere grills and barbecue supplies are sold.How to use it - Spread a layer of charcoal briquettes on your charcoal grate in your barbecue. Next, lay the metal loop of your electric charcoal starter on top of this layer of charcoal. Then cover the starter with more charcoal. Plug in the electric starter and wait. After about 8 to 12 minutes the coals around the starter have ignited sufficiently, getting a grey ash covering their surface, to get the rest of the coals around them started. Unplug your charcoal starter and remove it. You may need to wait a while longer before the rest of your charcoal has ignited and the majority of briquettes have a layer of grey ash on their surface. Pros - The electric charcoal starter is an easy way to start your grill. You don't need to deal with flames, flammable materials or matches. There are no chemicals involved and it is reusable. Cons - Obviously, you need an electrical outlet nearby your grill for this to work. If you are grilling at a park, beach or campground, this may not be practical. Occasionally these can take a bit longer to start your charcoal but are generally faster than using lighter fluid.

Charcoal Chimney Starter - This is my personal favorite way to start my charcoal! Chimney starters can also be found in most home supply stores and anywhere grills and barbecue supplies are sold. I recommend finding the largest chimney you can find so that all your charcoal can be started in one step. I personally use the large Weber brand chimney starter which is widely available. Otherwise, after the charcoal in the chimney is dumped out, you have to add more briquettes that take time to ignite off of the initial charcoal. If you have a very large grill, another option is to use two or more chimneys at the same time to get your charcoal ready.How to use it - The chimney is basically a large cylindrical metal tube with a large handle and a metal grate in the middle to hold your charcoal. The bottom edge has holes in the metal sides to light your fire. The first step is to fill the top portion of your chimney with charcoal. Fill to just below the top rim, but avoid over-filling it. Next, crumple up two or three pieces of newspaper and place them in the bottom part of the chimney from below (below the grate holding your charcoal). You don't want so much that it is packed tightly as it needs some oxygen circulation to light easily and burn hot. Set the chimney down inside your grill on the charcoal grate. Now light the newspaper. This is best accomplished using long fireplace matches which you introduce through the holes in the bottom of the chimney. Light in multiple places to ensure all your newspaper gets ignited. If you don't have long matches, you can lift up the chimney and use a lighter or small match to light the newspaper. Now just sit back and wait! The burning newspaper inside the chimney will ignite the lower charcoal. As this burns the flames will ignite charcoal higher and higher in the chimney. Keep an eye on it, but wait until there are small flames starting to be visible near the top of your chimney and you can see the lower levels of charcoal glowing. At this point simply tip the chimney over and pour out your burning charcoal on the the charcoal grate in your grill. They are ready to use when there is a layer of grey ash covering most of the briquettes. Pros - The chimney starter is easy to use. It ignites all your charcoal quickly and does not require any chemical starters. It is reusable and lasts a long time. Cons - Very rarely, your charcoal will not ignite with the first try and will require the addition of one or two more pieces of wadded up newspaper. Otherwise, the only downside to the chimney fire starter is that you need a few pieces of newspaper handy to get it lit!I hope this helps you with your lighting questions!

Have a great WEEKEND and HAPPY GRILLING!!!