Medium heat on a grill will give the best delicious taste and juicy flavor to your bone-in chicken and meat. When you have a proper knowledge relationship between grilling temperatures and flavor then your grilling experience becomes enjoyable more than ever. In this article, we will be going to have a complete discussion on what is medium heat on a grill?
Mastering the grilling and cooking mouth-watering juicy steaks, burgers, meat, pork requires you to understand various grilling temperatures. We will be going to start by explaining four main grilling temperatures, then why a thermometer is important for grilling, and how you can estimate the heat on a grill without using a thermometer. So, make sure to give a complete reading to not miss any important information.
Gas Grill Temperatures
There are mainly four grilling temperatures that are ideal for cooking various recipes. Below, we have discussed the four main grilling temperatures – medium-low, medium, medium-high, and high.
1. Medium Low
Grilling on medium-low temperatures will take your food longer to cook but the end results will be delicious. If your aim is for slow smoking or slow cooking then the medium-low temperature will be a good option. The medium-low is 325° F. Some grilling enthusiasts also goes for as low as 225° F.
This temperature range is ideal when your cooking recipes require roasting or baking. Apart from that, you will get the right time and temperature to add woodchips for smoking and rich smoky flavor to sausages. If your aim is for hot dogs that require burn and burst then stick to this medium-low temperature.
2. Medium
The medium temperature of a grill is 350° F. Some ingredients like poultry pieces, thicker cuts of steak, fish, whole birds, etc. are good to grill at this temperature. This is an ideal temperature for meat and bone-in chicken lovers because your meat becomes flavorful and juicy.
You can monitor your grill’s hood thermometer to maintain the temperature settings. If your grill doesn’t have a built-in hood thermometer then you can use an ambient probe for the purpose.
3. Medium-High
The medium-high temperature range is between 375° F and 450° F. It is an ideal temperature range for faster cooking. Hence, it will be perfect for burgers, juicy steaks, and skewered vegetables. Those who are going to cook medium rare foods will be able to grill perfectly.
4. High
The high temperature for a great must be at least 450° F. This temperature is perfect for rapid cooking and searing. If your meal has thin cuts of meat then it will be a great temperature range for you. Ingredients like skewered meat are good to grill at 450° plus Fahrenheit.
A thermometer is Important for Grilling
Now, we have discussed the four important grilling temperatures. Apart from getting the right temperature, it becomes very important to maintain the temperature settings for delicious results. Therefore, a thermometer plays an important role in monitoring the temperature for grilling. Most of the grills come with a hood thermometer for internal temperature monitoring.
However, if your grill doesn’t come with a hood thermometer then you can get an ambient sensor. If you’re grilling in winter, then check out the best pellet grill for cold weather. Most of the great ambient sensors available in the market allow users to monitor temperatures on your smartphone or compatible device.
Therefore, you can monitor the temperature and adjust your grill vents or burners to go lower or higher temperatures. If you need the name of a great one then you can go with Weber iGrill Ambient Grill Thermometer.
What is Medium Heat on a Grill? How to Estimate Without a Thermometer?
In case, if you don’t want to invest in an ambient sensor or your grill doesn’t have a built-in hood thermometer then we have a great method. This method is quite popular among grilling enthusiasts and you can use it to quickly and easily estimate the heat on a grill without a thermometer. It is important to note that you will be able to estimate the temperature range not the accurate temperature of your grill. If you need to monitor the accurate internal temperature of your grill then you will need to invest in an ambient sensor.
Still, you can use this method to estimate the heat on your grill. Simply, hold your hand over the coals just above the grate, without touching the grate. Now, notice the time you can hold your hand over the grates. You can measure the time by counting something like one thousand one, one thousand two, one thousand three, one thousand four, and so on.
The key thing is to pronounce words that are approximate to one second. That’s why some people like saying “one Mississippi, two Mississippi, three Mississippi, four Mississippi and so one.
Now, if you are able to hold your hand over the coals just above the grate, without touching the grate for more than 12 seconds then the temperature is between 250° F to 275 ° F which is low temperature. If the time range is between 8 to 10 seconds then this is a medium-low heat and temperature will be around 300° F.
If 6 to 7 seconds is the time range then the temperature should be 350° F and it is medium heat. Same as, the 4 to 5 seconds time range means medium-high heat i.e. 400° F to 450° F.
1 to 2 seconds means high heat and a temperature range between 500° F to 650° F. If it is too hot that you are not even able to hold your hand for even a second then it is overheating and 650° F plus temperature. You may also like best grill and griddle combo reviews here.
Conclusion
Here, we discussed what is medium heat on a grill. Getting accurate knowledge is a must for grilling dishes at appropriate temperatures. Now you know how you can estimate the heat of your grill without even using a thermometer.
On the other hand, using your grill’s hood thermometer or an ambient sensor will provide you the accurate temperature and monitoring gets easier. You can share your valuable thoughts in the comments section below. Stay tuned with us for the latest updates on grilling guides and tips.
