A two-zone fire, how much fits on the grill, times and temperatures for burgers, chicken and sausages, and a schedule for grill night for 12.
How to grill for a crowd of 8 to 20: two-zone fires, grill capacity, times and temperatures for burgers, chicken and sausages, and safe holding.
Grilling for a crowd fails in two familiar ways: chicken that is charred outside and underdone at the bone, and a grill too small for the amount of food, so the first plates are cold before the last burgers are done. Both come down to setup rather than recipe. A two-zone fire lets you sear over high heat and then finish thicker pieces gently with the lid closed. Knowing how much your grill holds tells you how many rounds you need and what to start first. This guide covers the two-zone setup, grill capacity, times and temperatures for the usual cookout foods, sauce and flare-ups, food safety outdoors, and a schedule for 12.
A two-zone fire has a hot side for searing and a cooler side for cooking through. On a charcoal grill, pile the lit coals on one half of the grate and leave the other half empty. On a gas grill, run the burners on one side at high and turn the others to low or off. Thin foods such as burgers, sausages that are already cooked, and boneless chicken cook entirely over direct heat. Thick or bone-in pieces start on the cool side with the lid closed, which works like an oven, then move to the hot side for a few minutes to crisp and char.
Aim for about 450 to 550°F (230 to 290°C) over the direct side and 325 to 375°F (165 to 190°C) on the indirect side with the lid closed. A lid thermometer is close enough for the indirect side. The two zones also give you somewhere to move food during a flare-up and a place to hold cooked food hot while the next round cooks.
Count your grill's capacity before deciding the menu. A two-zone fire halves the direct cooking area, so a grill that holds 14 burgers over full heat holds about 7 at a time over the hot side. For 12 people eating two burgers each, that is several rounds. It is usually faster to cook the bone-in chicken or sausages first on the indirect side, hold them, and use the whole grate for burgers at the end.
| Grill | Main cooking area | 4 in (10 cm) burger patties, full grate | Bone-in chicken thighs, indirect side |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 in (57 cm) charcoal kettle | About 360 sq in | 12 to 14 | 10 to 12 |
| 3-burner gas grill | About 400 to 450 sq in | 14 to 18 | 12 to 14 |
| 4 to 5 burner gas grill | About 550 to 650 sq in | 20 to 25 | 16 to 20 |
| 36 in (91 cm) flat-top griddle | About 750 sq in | 24 to 28 smashed patties | Not suited to bone-in chicken |
Cook times are a guide; the thermometer decides. Push it into the thickest part of the meat, away from bone. The temperatures are the USDA minimums, with Health Canada's figure where it differs. Bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks are safe at 165°F (74°C), but they are juicier and more tender taken to 175 to 185°F (80 to 85°C), because their connective tissue needs the extra heat to soften.
| Food | Per person | Heat | Time | Done at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burgers, 1/3 lb and 3/4 in thick | 1 to 2 | Direct, medium-high | 4 to 5 min per side | 160°F (71°C) |
| Raw sausages, bratwurst | 1 to 2 | Indirect, then direct to brown | 15 to 20 min, then 3 to 4 min | 160°F (71°C); poultry sausage 165°F (74°C) |
| Precooked hot dogs | 1 to 2 | Direct, medium | 5 to 7 min, turning | Steaming hot, 165°F (74°C) |
| Bone-in chicken thighs or drumsticks | 3/4 lb (340 g) | Indirect, lid closed, then direct | 30 to 40 min, then 3 to 5 min | 165°F (74°C) minimum; best at 175 to 185°F |
| Boneless chicken thighs | 1/2 lb (225 g) | Direct, medium | 5 to 6 min per side | 165°F (74°C) |
| Chicken breast, pounded to 3/4 in | 1/2 lb (225 g) | Direct, medium | 5 to 6 min per side | 165°F (74°C) |
| Pork chops, 1 in thick | 1 | Direct, medium-high | 4 to 5 min per side, rest 3 min | 145°F (63°C); Health Canada 160°F (71°C) |
| Steak, 1 in thick | 1/2 lb (225 g) | Direct, high | 4 to 5 min per side, rest 3 min | 145°F (63°C) USDA minimum |
| Corn on the cob, husked | 1 ear | Direct, medium | 10 to 12 min, turning | Kernels tender and spotted brown |
Most barbecue sauces are high in sugar, and sugar burns quickly over direct heat. Cook the meat almost all the way first, then brush the sauce on during the last 5 to 10 minutes on the indirect side, turning once or twice so it sets into a sticky glaze rather than a black crust. Serve extra sauce at the table from a clean bowl, never from the one used on raw meat.
Flare-ups come from fat dripping onto the coals or burners. Trim thick fat, don't press burgers down with a spatula, and when a flare-up starts, move the food to the indirect side and close the lid, which starves the flames of air. Empty the grease tray before a big cook, keep the lid within reach, and never use water on a grease fire.
Outdoor cooking makes cross-contamination easy, because raw meat, cooked meat and salad all end up on the same small table. Use one set of tongs and one platter for raw meat and a clean set for cooked, and don't put cooked food back on the plate that carried it raw. Marinate in the fridge rather than on the counter, and if you want to use a marinade as a sauce, set some aside before it touches raw meat or boil it first.
Hold cooked meat hot on the indirect side of the grill, or covered in a pan in a 200°F (95°C) oven, at 140°F (60°C) or above. Cold sides, salads and toppings stay in the fridge or on ice until serving. Food should not sit out for more than two hours, or one hour when it is above 90°F (32°C) outside.
This menu is bone-in chicken thighs, sausages, burgers, corn and slaw for 12, cooked on a mid-size gas grill or a kettle. The rule is to cook the slowest, most forgiving food first and hold it, and finish with the quickest food on the full grate.
How long before dinner should I light the grill?
For charcoal, allow 15 to 20 minutes for a chimney of coals to ash over and another 5 to 10 minutes for the grate to heat. A gas grill needs 10 to 15 minutes with the lid closed. If bone-in chicken is on the menu, light it about 75 minutes before you want to eat.