The Temperature Tango: Balancing Heat for Smoking and Grilling Meats on a Charcoal Cooker

So you’ve got your hands on a brand new charcoal cooker, and you’re itching to fire it up. You’ve got your meat, chicken, and fish all seasoned and ready to go, and dozens of guests to feed. There’s just one problem: you’re new to controlling the temperature with charcoal.

If that sounds like you, you’re in the right place.

In this brief guide, I’ll cover everything you need to know about grilling and smoking temperatures, including how to increase or decrease a temperature, ideal cooking times for different types of meat, and how to determine a cooker’s temperature without a thermometer.

Controlling Grill Temperature: A Basic Guide

Some people believe that a grill’s temperature is directly correlated to the amount of charcoal used.

Though it’s a contributing factor (more charcoal = higher heat and vice versa), there’s one other aspect that ultimately determines a cooker’s heat: oxygen.

Charcoal needs oxygen to burn efficiently and generate heat. The more oxygen you introduce to the grill, the hotter and faster the coals burn.

Charcoal grill cookers let you control the temperature through the vents at the top and the bottom of the smoker. These vents act like valves, allowing you to fine-tune the airflow as you see fit. Opening the vent increases the temperature while closing causes it to drop.

Most cookers have a built-in thermometer on the cover to help you monitor the grill’s heat. But if your cooker doesn’t have a thermometer or you’re looking for more precise temperature control, you can place a standalone thermometer directly on the cooking grate.

Determining Temperature Without a Thermometer: The Hand Test

Suppose you don’t have a thermometer nearby or your most recent one broke. How do you determine how hot your grill is? Simple: by using the hand test.

The hand test gives you a baseline estimate of a cooker’s heat. Wait until the coals are mostly ashed over and glowing red, then hold an open palm about four to five inches above the cooking grate. Count how many seconds you can comfortably keep your hand there.

• 2 to 3 seconds: Extremely high heat, around 450 to 650°F. Perfect for searing steaks.
• 4 to 5 seconds: High heat, around 350 to 450°F. Ideal for burgers, sausages, and thicker cuts.
• 6 to 7 seconds: Medium-high heat, around 300 to 350°F. Best for chicken, fish, and vegetables
• 8 to 10 seconds: Medium heat, around 350°F to 375°F. Suitable for slow-cooking and grilling delicate items
• 11+ seconds: Low heat, around 200 to 250°F: Keeping food warm or indirect grilling.

Ideal Cooking Temperature for Different Kinds of Meat And Fish

You can cook a rib-eye steak at 420°F for 5 to 10 minutes or slow-cook a leg of lamb at 250°F for 3 hours. Each cut of meat benefits from a specific temperature range and cooking time to achieve the desired result.

Here’s a general breakdown of ideal cooking temperatures for meat and fish:

Cooking method	Food	Recommended temperature	Time
Grilling	Shellfish	430°F (220°C)	13 minutes
	Côte de boeuf	450 to 480°F (230 to 250°C)	16 to 20 minutes
	Rib eye	430°F (220°C)	5 to 10 minutes
	Lamb chops	430°F (220°C)	5 to 10 minutes
Cooking with Indirect Heat	Chicken	360°F (180°C)	75 to 90 minutes
	Lamb’s leg	250°F (120°C)	1.5 hours
	Rump steak	250°F (120°C)	75 to 90 minutes
Smoking	Rump steak	194°F (90°C)	1.5 hours
	Pork neck	194°F (90°C)	8 to 9 hours
	Salmon	194°F (90°C)	20 to 25 minutes

Ideal Internal Temperature of Steak

There’s no one-size-fits-all internal temperature for a steak because it all depends on personal preference. Here’s a guide to basic steak internal temps:

• Extra Rare Steak: 125 to 130 F. Grill for 1 minute on each side
• Rare Steak: 125 to 130°F. Grill for 1 and a half minutes on each side
• Medium Rare Steak: 130 to 140°F. Grill for 2 minutes and 15 seconds on each side on each side
• Medium Steak: 140 to 150°F. Grill for 2 minutes and 15 seconds on each side on each side
• Medium Well Steak: 150 to 155°F. Grill for 3 to 4 minutes on each side
• Well Done Steak: 160+°F. Grill for 4 to 5 minutes on each side

Final Thoughts

With a little practice and know-how, you’ll be firing up charcoal grills and adjusting temperatures like it’s second nature. Bookmark this guide so you can refer back to it anytime you’re cooking meat, chicken, or fish!