Bank the coals to one side

Yes. That’s the whole trick: push all the lit coals to one half of the grill and leave the other half empty.

Two-zone means you have direct heat (high, searing) on one side and indirect heat (lower, finishing) on the other. You light a full chimney of charcoal, dump it in, then use a grill tong or a small shovel to push every coal to the left or right. Put the grate on, let it heat for a minute, and you’re done.

The searing side should be screaming hot—your hand hovers over it and you can’t hold it there for more than two seconds. That’s for steaks, burgers, chicken thighs, whatever needs a crust. You sear them there for a minute or two per side, then move them to the cool side to finish cooking through without burning the outside.

For thicker cuts (like a 1.5-inch ribeye), you might reverse-sear instead: start on the cool side with the lid on until internal temp hits about 115°F, then move to the hot side for the crust. Either way, the two-zone setup is the same.

Don’t overthink the placement. You don’t need a divider or a fancy grate. Just a pile of coals on one side, nothing on the other. That’s it.

Your grill will thank you. So will your steak.