Serves: 0

Don't start barbecuing too soon the coals need to burn about 20 to 30 minutes before cooking can begin. The charcoal is ready when no areas of black show. Live coals look ash-gray by day and glow red after dark. To determine the cooking temperature of the hot coals, hold your hand, palm-side down, just above the coals at cooking height. Begin saying, "one thousand one, one thousand two," etc., to count the number of seconds that are passing. If you need to withdraw your hand after two seconds, the coals are hot, after three seconds they're medium-hot, after four seconds they're medium, and after five or six seconds they're low. You can control the cooking temperature by using more or less charcoal, separating or mounding the coals, or raising or lowering the grill. All of these factors plus the outdoor temperature will affect cooking times, so be flexible.