Lots of outdoor cooks agree there’s virtually nothing that can make a grilled meal taste quite as good as it being cooked over charcoal.

Most outdoor grilling enthusiasts have their own minor grilling strategies but here are a number of tips from barbecue experts about cooking over charcoal.

The number one thing to remember is you should get started with a clean grill.

There’s bound to be various stuff left behind from last year in addition to different things that settle on the cooking surface over the winter.

Cleanse the place into which you’ll place the charcoal briquettes and make use of a stiff wire brush to get rid of any rust which can be there.

Use the same brush on the cooking surface grid to make certain none of it will transfer to the meat.

Starting your charcoal is actually up to your personal preference, with many people using electric starters while others using lighter fluid.

No matter what, you need to mound the briquettes into a cone shape before lighting.

If you douse them with lighter fluid, wait three minutes before introducing flame. This gives time for the fluid to soak in the charcoal and it won’t rage with flames quite as bad.

When the charcoal is burning, you’ll be able to spread it around to balance out the cooking surface, but until every briquette is covered with a white ash, it isn’t ready to go.

If the meat is added too quickly, it will pick up the lighter fluid flavor and if added too late, the heat can dissipate before the meat is finished cooking.

Most of the time it takes approximately 30 briquettes for every single pound of meat, but if you’re cooking for a large crowd, don’t try cooking all at once.

Space your time and add briquettes as you go to be sure all of the the meat is as fresh and hot as the first.