Indirect is a cooking technique in which you deflect the heat by separating the direct heat from the ingredient and you utilise the ambient heat from your charcoal to cook your food. Cooking this way will ensure that you can cook a little slower and with more control. For example, when cooking a whole chicken, the barbecue will act more like a conventional oven than a grill + allllll the flavour from HoC lump. Win/Win.
How to set up for indirect cooking
- Remove the lid and the grill from the barbecue.
- Open the bottom vent fully. You will see that the vents are open, as you will see throughout the gap in the base of the barbecue.
- Now place one or two natural firelighters onto the bottom grate and light with a lighter or blow torch.
- Place the loaded chimney starter over the lit fire-lighters.
- It will only take 10 minutes to be ready to pour. The charcoal will be glowing hot.
- While the charcoal is coming to temperature, place a drip tray or cast iron pot into the middle of the barbecue.
- Then add an even layer of charcoal to either side of the drip tray.
- Once the charcoal is ready to use, place on some protective gauntlets or heat proof gloves.
- Carefully divide the charcoal between the two sides of the barbecue. This will give you one cool zone and two hot sides.
- Place your ingredients in the middle of the grill over the void between the charcoals so you achieve indirect cooking.
- You can also do a half and half technique where half the grill is being heated by the charcoal and the other half is your cooler zone for indirect cooking or resting. Perfect for those kick ass reverse-seared steaks or Sunday roasts.
