The most versatile way to cook, the two-zone fire is your first choice for cooking most foods on the grill. To create a two-zone fire, position coals on one side of the grill for direct, high-heat cooking and searing and leave the other side empty. You can use the side without coals for lower-temperature cooking and as a safe zone for flare-ups.

1. 
   
   1

   Light the coals.

   
   Light your coals using a chimney starter, Match Light^® Charcoal or lighter fluid. For high heat, use a full chimney of charcoal or light a pile of about 100 briquets.
2. 
   
   2

   Spread out coals on one side of the grill.

   
   Pour out your hot coals on one side or use a spatula or tongs to carefully move all the coals to cover 50 percent of the lower grill grate.
3. 
   
   3

   Leave the other side of the grill coal free.

   
   This void space, free of coals directly underneath the grates, is still hot. Food will cook there — just not as fast as on the direct side, right above the coals.
4. 
   
   4

   Cook your food on the appropriate zone.

   
   Use the hot side of your grill for direct cooking with high heat—for example, searing a steak to get good color, caramelization, and grill marks. Use the other side for slow, indirect cooking and to let foods cook through after searing. The coal-free side also serves as a flame-free zone. In case of flare-ups, just move your food to the indirect side until the flames subside, then move them back to the direct side to finish cooking.