After foods are placed on the grill, patience is key. Foods should be turned only once, halfway through the cooking time, and the grill lid should be lifted ONLY to turn the food or to test for doneness. Too much turning or lid lifting will keep foods from cooking properly, and may actually create tough or dry results.
Many grillers have questions about whether to keep the grill lid off or on while foods are on the grill. Here are some rules of thumb: If the food requires direct heat, but will cook in just a few minutes (such as hamburgers, hot dogs, soy foods, or fruits), or if the foods just need to be warmed up, the lid can be left up or down without much difference in results. The grill lid should be kept on, however, for foods cooked with the direct method that require more than just a few minutes of grill time, and ALL foods that need to be cooked with indirect heat.
If during the cooking process you feel that the grill temperature needs to be lowered, either raise the cooking rack, spread the coals apart, or partially close the vents on the outside of the grill. To raise the grill temperature, lower the rack, tap the ash from the coals, move the coals more closely together, open the vents, or add more charcoal.
Tools of the Trade
There are a few important pieces of equipment you should have stationed near your grill at all times:
Oven mitts: Protection from the heat of the grill, which can reach 500 degrees or more.
Tongs: A far better tool than a fork for turning foods on the grill.
An apron: Cooking on a grill can be a messy business -- besides, you want to look the part.
Contrary to common practice, one thing you should avoid using if at all possible is a spray bottle filled with water to put out flare-ups. It's far more effective to just move your foods away from the flare-up (even removing foods from the grill temporarily, if necessary) and try to control it that way. Spraying water should be used only as a last resort. Water and oil don't mix, and spraying a grease fire can cause the grease to explode or splatter, either on you or your food.