How to build a two-zone fire

Most live-fire problems come from having only one temperature: everything over the coals, all the time. A two-zone fire gives you a second setting. It is the single most useful habit in fire cooking, and it works in a kettle grill, a fire pit with a grate, or a campfire.

What is a two-zone fire?

A two-zone fire has a direct zone, where food sits right above hot coals, and an indirect zone, where food sits beside the coals rather than over them. Heat in the direct zone is mostly radiant and fierce. Heat in the indirect zone is gentler, coming from hot air, especially if you can close a lid.

How to lay one, step by step

Light your fuel. Use a chimney starter for charcoal, or burn hardwood down to a bed of glowing embers. Avoid lighter fluid if you can; it is unnecessary with a chimney.
Bank the coals to one side. Pour or rake all of them onto one half of the grill or pit. For a hotter direct zone, pile them deeper rather than spreading them wider.
Leave the other side empty. No coals at all. This is your cool zone.
Set the grate and let it heat for five minutes, then scrape it clean and oil it lightly.
Check the heat with the hand test: hold your palm about 12 cm above the grate. Over the coals you should manage only 2 or 3 seconds for high heat.

If your grill has a lid, position the vents over the cool zone so smoke and heat are drawn across the food.

What goes where?

Food	Start	Finish
Thin steak, burgers, shrimp	Direct	Direct
Thick steak or pork chop	Direct (sear)	Indirect until it reaches temperature
Chicken pieces with skin	Indirect	Direct to crisp the skin
Whole chicken, roasts	Indirect	Indirect, lid closed
Vegetables	Direct for char	Indirect to soften

The cook chart lists more foods, their heat level, and their safe internal temperatures.

Using the cool zone to fix problems

Flare-ups: Move the food to the cool side until the flames die down. Do not spray water over coals with food on the grate.
Burnt outside, raw inside: Move it to the cool side and close the lid. Let it cook through gently.
Everything finishes at different times: Park finished food on the cool edge to keep warm while the rest catches up.

Check doneness with a thermometer

Colour is not a reliable guide on a fire, because smoke and char can make meat look done long before it is. USDA safe minimums are 145°F (63°C) with a three-minute rest for whole cuts of beef, pork, lamb, and veal; 160°F (71°C) for ground meat; and 165°F (74°C) for poultry. Measure in the thickest part, away from bone.

Variations

Three-zone fire: hot, medium, and empty. Useful for big cooks with lots of different foods.
Ring of fire: coals around the edge, empty middle. Good for a pan or pot cooked in the centre.
Campfire version: rake embers to one side of the fire ring, keep a small flame burning at the back to replenish them, and set your grate over the embers only. See Cooking over a campfire safely.

Limitations

Hand-test times are approximate and vary with grate height, wind, and fuel. Trust a thermometer for doneness. Always follow local fire restrictions.