Large cuts need indirect heat

Use indirect heat for anything thicker than an inch or two.

Direct heat is the open flame right under the meat. It sears, chars, and cooks fast. That’s perfect for steaks, burgers, thin chicken breasts. But put a whole pork shoulder or a three-pound chuck roast over direct heat and you’ll get a carbonized crust with a raw center. The outside burns before the inside gets warm.

Indirect heat means the heat source is on one side, the meat on the other. The lid is closed. You’re basically running your grill as an oven. This is how you do brisket, whole chickens, ribs, big roasts. The temperature stays lower and more even, and the meat cooks all the way through without turning to charcoal.

The key difference is: direct is for searing, indirect is for cooking. If you want both — a nice crust and a fully cooked interior — you start with indirect heat, then finish over direct heat. That’s the famous reverse sear. Works great for thick steaks and prime rib.

But for any large cut that takes over an hour, set up your grill for indirect heat and don’t mess with it.

Your grill is two tools in one. Use the right one.