Bank your coals.

Yes. Just push all your lit charcoal to one side of the grill. That’s the entire trick.

Here’s how I do it: Light your chimney full of coals. When they’re ashed over, dump them into the grill. Use a long-handled tool to rake all the coals into one half (or even one third if you want a bigger cool zone). Leave the other side completely empty. Put the grate on.

Now you have direct heat on the coal side — great for searing steaks, burgers, or getting grill marks. The empty side is indirect heat — perfect for chicken thighs, pork chops, or anything thick that needs to cook through without burning. You can cover the grill to use it like an oven, and throw wood chips on the coals for smoke.

The only thing to watch: know your grill’s vent positions. Adjust top and bottom vents to control temperature on the indirect side (more open = hotter, more closed = cooler, but never fully shut while cooking).

This is the only charcoal setup you’ll need for 90% of what you cook.