Cover open or closed??
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- Start date
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Savannahsmoker
Senior Cook
If I am grilling thin meat grill, which I seldom do, I leave it open.
All other times I grill with the lid closed.
All other times I grill with the lid closed.
Steve Kroll
Wine Guy
Depends on what you are cooking. If I'm cooking burgers or hot dogs, I usually leave the lid off. If I'm cooking something that requires retaining the heat - roasting a larger piece of meat, for example - then I cover the grill. Covering the grill also allows the meat to absorb some of the smoke, though from what I've read, if you're cooking something that takes less than 20 minutes, it won't matter much.
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
I grill mostly closed lid. Hot dogs and other precooked sausages open lid. Especially if you're making cheeseburgers, the lid closed reflects the heat down so the is perfectly melted when the burger is done.
I usually close the lid when grilling, partly for heat retention on longer cooks, but also to be double sure that there are no flying embers to set our house and yard (or our neighbors) on fire.
True that! Closed does help with melting the cheese!
True that! Closed does help with melting the cheese!
justplainbill
Executive Chef
Initial cooking is done closed (cover on ~ 300+*F) and finishing is done uncovered (~500+*F)
Andy is spot on, lid down will reflect the heat back and melt any cheese. It will also help cook anything through faster, like if you put a frozen burger patty on to cook... like I did for lunch today.
It really depends on lots of variables, like what you are cooking; what is your initial temp, are you only cooking one food, do you need to plan for something being finished on the stove...???
I never have a fixed lid up or down for anything, unless I am finishing off some melted cheese or keeping grilled items warm :^)
It really depends on lots of variables, like what you are cooking; what is your initial temp, are you only cooking one food, do you need to plan for something being finished on the stove...???
I never have a fixed lid up or down for anything, unless I am finishing off some melted cheese or keeping grilled items warm :^)
Chief Longwind Of The North
Certified/Certifiable
I almost always cook on my Webber Charcoal grill with the lid closed. One word of caution, if using charcoal; If the meat is very fatty, the closed lid (with vents open) can concentrate too much smoke, which is deposited as particulate matter on whatever you are grilling. Though that smoke is what gives grilled meat that wonderful flavor, if there is too much of it, the excessive smoke can create a bitter, almost inedible flavor. This happened to me once, when I added extra beef fat to the grill as I thought the meat had too little fat to create the smoke. The particulate coating could litterally be rubbed off with your finger, and had to be washed off of the meat, which removed much of the seasoning as well. The meal was pretty much ruined.
Normally, the smoke generated by the meats own fat, dripping onto the hot charcoal is just the right amount.
If you are using wood smoke to help flavor the grilled food, then covering the grill is a must.
Large chunks of meat need to have the grill covered, and sometimes with the vents half-closed to control the heat by starving the fire of oxygen. I do this with crown roasts, brisket, and with whole turkeys, game hens, chickens, etc. The grill then doubles as an oven, creating the hot environment to cook the meat through, and creates flavorfull smoke.
Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
Normally, the smoke generated by the meats own fat, dripping onto the hot charcoal is just the right amount.
If you are using wood smoke to help flavor the grilled food, then covering the grill is a must.
Large chunks of meat need to have the grill covered, and sometimes with the vents half-closed to control the heat by starving the fire of oxygen. I do this with crown roasts, brisket, and with whole turkeys, game hens, chickens, etc. The grill then doubles as an oven, creating the hot environment to cook the meat through, and creates flavorfull smoke.
Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
