How Long Should it Cook on the Grill?

July 20, 2006

Meat	Weight or Thickness	Cooking Time Indirect Heat	Cooking Time Medium Direct Heat
Chicken Half	1 1/2 pounds	1 to 1/4 hours or until tender and no pink remains	40 to 50 minutes or until tender and no pink remains
Chicken Breast Half skinned and boned	4 ounces each	15 to 18 minutes or until tender and no pink remains	grill 7 minutes turn; grill 5 to 8 minutes more
Whole Chicken	3 1/2 pounds	1 1/4 to 1 3/4 hours or until tender and no pink remains	n/a
Meaty Chicken Pieces	2 pounds	50 to 60 minutes or until tender and no pink remains	grill 20 minutes, turn grill 15 to 25 minutes or until tender and no pink remains
Turkey Breast, whole	5 pounds	1 3/4 to 2 1/4 hours or until tender and no pink remains	n/a
Cornish Game Hen, half	3/4 pound	40 to 45 minutes or until tender and no pink remains	n/a
Cornish Game Hen, whole	1 1/2 pounds	1 to 1/4 hours or until tender and no pink remains	n/a
Beef Steak	1 inch thick	direct heat, medium rare grill 5 minutes turn; grill 3-7 min more	direct heat, medium done grill 7 minutes turn; grill 5-8 min more
Fish Fillets or Steaks	1/2 inch thick	4 to 6 minutes until fish just begins to flake easily	grill 2 minutes,turn grill 2 to 4 minutes more
Lobster tail	1/2 pound	n/a	grill 6 minutes, turn grill 6 to 9 minutes more or till opaque
Scallops	Large 12 per pound	5 to 7 minutes until opaque	grill 3 minutes, turn grill 2 to 5 minutes more
Shrimp	Large 12 per pound	n/a	grill 5 minutes, turn grill 5 to 7 minutes more
Zucchini or Summer Squash	quartered lengthwise sprayed with nonstick spray	n/a	grill 3 minutes, turn grill 2-3 min more
New Potatoes	Halve potatoes, parboil 10 minutes before grilling	n/a	grill 5 minutes, turn grill 5-7 min more
Sweet Peppers	Quartered seeds membranes and stems removed	n/a	grill 4 minutes turn, grill 4=6 min more
Eggplant	1 inch thick slices	n/a	grill 2 minutes turn, grill 1-3 min more

Many hard vegetables require precooking before grilling. Clean and cut vegetables to desired sizes, then parboil about 10 minutes, or until almost tender. Drain, dry, and spray with nonstick coating before seasoning and placing on the grill. In necessary, place vegetables in a grill basket, on metal or water-soaked bamboo skewars, or on a piece heavy foil to prevent pieces from falling into the grill.

Indirect grilling method: Arrange preheated coals around foil drip pan. Place food above the drip pan, instead of the coals. Add 6 to 8 fresh coals every 20 to 30 minutes in order to keep the desired temperature. Indirect grilling is mainly for large cuts of food that require longer cooking times or lower temperatures.

Direct grilling method: Spread coals evenly in a single layer, in the base of the grill. Place food directly over the coals. Direct grilling is used primarily for foods that cook in less than 25 minutes, such as steaks and hamburgers.

To test grill temperature: hold your hand, palm side down, over the drip pan, at the height where the food will be grilled. Count seconds (one-thousand-one, one-thousand-two, etc.) until you need to remove your hand.