Direct heat

Direct heat means the food sits right above the flame, burner or hot coals, with nothing blocking the transfer of radiant heat and often some direct contact with rising flame. It cooks fast and browns the surface quickly, which is exactly what a thin steak, a burger, a hot dog or sliced vegetables need. Most of what people picture when they imagine grilling, food sizzling right over open coals, is direct heat cooking.

The tradeoff is that direct heat gives very little margin for error on thicker foods. A thick chicken breast or a bone-in pork chop can char on the outside long before the center reaches a safe temperature, and fat dripping straight onto coals or a burner can trigger flare-ups that add unwanted char and bitterness. Direct heat works best for foods that cook through in the same amount of time it takes to brown them.

A common mistake is using only direct heat for everything, including cuts that need a longer, gentler approach. Building a two-zone fire, with a direct side for searing and an indirect side to finish thicker foods gently, solves most of the problems that come from relying on direct heat alone.